Being a engineering grad can do m.sc and phd in physics

AI Thread Summary
Sudheer, a second-year civil engineering student, expressed interest in pursuing higher studies in physics, specifically an MSc and PhD. Responses highlighted that transitioning from engineering to physics is challenging due to the need for foundational knowledge in advanced topics like classical mechanics, thermal physics, and quantum mechanics, which are often not covered in engineering curricula. Some participants noted that certain colleges offer common courses that could bridge this gap. It was emphasized that while having a strong interest in physics is important, actual research in the field requires a solid understanding of theoretical concepts. Suggestions included taking additional physics courses to strengthen his background. The discussion also acknowledged that while historical figures like Dirac transitioned from engineering to physics, the current academic landscape may present different challenges. Lastly, improving written English skills was advised for success in higher education.
Sudheer@nits
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Hi frndz.iam sudheer b.tech 2nd year civil engineering.actually iam very interested in physics and want to pursue higher studies in the field of physics.i want to knw whether i being a engineering grad can do m.sc and phd in physics ?
 
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u can pursue MS in any branch of physics.
 
frm which college r u pursuing your btech buddy??
 
vishal007win said:
u can pursue MS in any branch of physics.

You have to be kidding right ?
-----
As for the thread starter, doing MSc/PhD in Physics with engineering background will not be easy, you would have to make up for a number of classes.
Bare in mind, you are not the only one who has an interest in Physics, but having an interest is something and working with actual physics research is something else.

There are some stuff in civil engineering that might relate to "computational physics". But with a bare bachelor of civil engineering you can't really go for physics. I don't want to turn you down, but there are certain topics that you must know: Classical Mechanics (I don't mean Newton laws, but Lagrange and Hamilton's formulations), Thermal and Statistical Physics, Electrodynamics, Quantum Mechanics and Special Relativity.
If you can make up for those (e.g. attending lectures at the physics department), then you might stand a chance.
 
physiker_192 said:
Bare in mind, you are not the only one who has an interest in Physics, but having an interest is something and working with actual physics research is something else.

dat was a bit rude, physiker and really demotivating.
if one has done sufficient amount of courses in physics, background doesn't matter.
there are some colleges, where they teach half of courses you specified as common courses for students of all the branches, Classical mechanics, Thermodynamics, Electrodynamics, etc
so it is not much of a problem.
 
Physics courses are notorious for being heavy on the theory, light on the application. The opposite is true of most engineering classes, so physiker is right in most respects. The most common example I would say is thermodynamics. Of course, there are a bunch of classes that you will be missing completely as an engineering major. As far as I'm aware, quantum mechanics, optics, and e&m theory aren't in the engineering curriculum.

Then again, this is from the perspective of an American. Just know that there are specific requirements you need to pursue physics research, you can't 'wing' it in research. You're second year, why can't you just take some extra classes (not sure if they have minors in India where I'm assuming you're from) in physics? If you do that you don't have much to worry about.

And yes, physics research is different than popular novels. It's tough and can be tedious, so be aware of that.
 
On a side note, I should mention that Dirac did Electrical engineering then went on to Mathematics, and Wigner did Chemical engineering.
 
physiker_192 said:
On a side note, I should mention that Dirac did Electrical engineering then went on to Mathematics, and Wigner did Chemical engineering.

That was something like 90 years ago, the way things work is a bit different now. And you probably aren't Dirac. Not to say it can't be done , but it is difficult.
 
I do not intend this to be a rude comment- but one thing you should absolutely do if you plan on pursuing higher education in physics is to work on improving your written English.
 
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Thank u friends for ur views.@vishal007 iam frm national institute of technology ,silchar @fss thanks i would definitely
 

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