Can I pursue an MS in astrophysics with a BS in studio art?

[physartstudent]

I'm an upcoming sophomore in my undergrad who is having a SEVERE career crisis. I go to a college where it's possible to double major, pursue minors, study abroad, etc. all during your undergrad. My interests and skillsets are heavily split between (astro) physics and art, so during my first year I've been setting myself up for a BS in both. I'm also shooting for a Chinese minor and to study abroad. I'm really serious about all three areas of study.

I just met with my advisor to plan for next year, and I've realized while planning that (because of the degree requirements) I have to stretch myself thin and plan perfectly to manage both majors. I for sure want to study abroad, which will take up 1-2 terms (there are 3 terms per year). There's also a study away program in the US for art students, which would be super beneficial if I pursue an art career.

My advisor suggested that I focus on the art BS because people without physics degrees are still able to pursue masters--as long as they show an aptitude for and have the knowledge necessary. I'm very apt in physics and math, and plan to continue taking physics courses no matter what.

If it is true that I could still pursue a masters without a physics bachelors, that would make choosing courses and organizing my schedule soooo much easier for the rest of my time at K. I honestly don't know if I will pursue the masters after I graduate, but since I'm still so undecided and since my schedule will have to be carefully planned depending on what I choose, I want to make sure I'm not gonna make a huge mistake.

I can't afford reattending college for another bachelors and will need scholarships to pursue my masters (I'm here entirely on scholarships) until much later in life, so I've got to be careful if I want to secure a well-paying job that I enjoy.
Thanks for the help!!

 

[berkeman]

Welcome to PF.

I'm not a fan of double-majors that have no relation to each other (let alone basically a triple-major). What is your GPA so far in these 3 sets of classes?

 

[Choppy]

My advisor suggested that I focus on the art BS because people without physics degrees are still able to pursue masters--as long as they show an aptitude for and have the knowledge necessary.

I'd be wary of this advice. Are you sure it's not the opposite... that people without art degrees can still pursue masters degrees in art?

Admissions for graduate school in physics tend to be quite competitive. You have a lineup of students with high aptitudes for the subject, most of whom have completed an undergraduate degree in physics, or something quite closely related, and done quite well in it. And you only have a limited number of spots. Sometimes people from related fields are considered competitive, e.g. engineering physics, or physical chemistry, and even then people on the admissions committee tend to have a close look at the specific coursework applicants have completed. The first thing a student will do in a physics MSc is enroll in graduate-level core courses... E&M, quantum, classical mechanics, etc... so they need to have the prerequisite courses under their belt already in order to be set up for success.

Someone coming in with an arts degree and maybe a minor in physics is unlikely to be all that competitive, I'm afraid.

 

[gwnorth]

Ok there's a lot to unpack here. You haven't indicated what country you're studying in so I'm going to assume we're talking about the US (based on your use of the term "college").

To begin with I think your Academic Counsellor may not have given you correct information. While it's true that you don't necessarily need an actual Bachelor's degree in Physics to get admitted to a graduate programs in Physics or Astrophysics, there is basic coursework you will need to have completed. It's unlikely to be possible with just a minor when your major is in an unrelated subject (Art). It may not be even be possible within the framework of a double major either as the number of required courses in each major of a double major is quite frequently less than for a standalone major. In fact as admission to Physics/Astrophys graduate programs tends to be very competitive, it's quite common for applicants to have exceeded the course requirements of their major to increase the rigour of their profile. Applicants from countries outside of the US will also have more major coursework as well due to the structure of their degrees (fewer gen-ed requirements). Whether or not it will be sufficient in your case depends on what coursework you end up completing. If you post the Physics and Math coursework you would be taking both if you were to do a minor and if you did a double major, posters here may be able to better advise if it would be sufficient for admission to graduate programs.

Beyond that even should your coursework be sufficient for admission, there are several more issues with your plan.

First if you do decide to pursue graduate studies in Physics/Astrophys, what's your end goal? Generally any position that would require further study beyond a Bachelor's degree is most likely going to require a PhD. A master's, unless it's required as a stepping stone to a PhD, doesn't generally provide much advantage beyond a Bachelor's degree. If your plan is to pursue a PhD in the US, you should be aware that you don't actually need a master's degree first. They admit straight from undergrad so getting a master's may be a waste of time.

Second if your plan is target admission to a research master's or a PhD, you're going to need research experience. Would doing a minor or double major allow you to complete a senior thesis? Even then to be a competitive applicant, a senior thesis most likely would not be sufficient and you'd need more research experience which students typically get by volunteering in faculty labs or doing summer research internships. What would be your plan for fitting that in with your goals to study abroad and study away?

Third regardless of whether you decide to pursue a course based master's, a research master's, or a PhD, you're still going to need letters of recommendation from faculty, so you need to make sure that you have sufficient contact with your Physics/Math professors for them to be able to write you strong letters. Will you be able to do that under your current plan?

Finally, if you ultimately decide not to pursue graduate studies in Physics/Astrophys, what's your goal for a BS in Art? Would it make more sense to major in Physics and minor in Art?

Lots to consider.

 

[CrysPhys]

I can't afford reattending college for another bachelors and will need scholarships to pursue my masters (I'm here entirely on scholarships) until much later in life, so I've got to be careful if I want to secure a well-paying job that I enjoy.

In addition to the issues that the other respondents have raised, if you plan to pursue an MS Physics in the US:

(1) Most major universities won't even let you apply for a terminal MS Physics degree. There are some exceptions. But generally graduate programs are geared towards a PhD Physics degree. In some PhD programs, you pickup an MS along the way as an intermediate degree (should you fulfill the requirements for an MS, and continue on to complete the requirements for a PhD) or as a terminal degree (should you fulfill the requirements for an MS, but fail to complete the requirements for a PhD).

(2) At the universities that do let you apply for a terminal MS Physics degree, chances for scholarships are very low. Again, there may be an exception lurking here and there. If you apply for a PhD Physics program, and are accepted by a university that really wants you, you will receive financial support enough to cover school and living expenses via a combination of tuition and fee waivers, scholarships, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowships.

 

[CrysPhys]

I'm an upcoming sophomore in my undergrad who is having a SEVERE career crisis. I go to a college where it's possible to double major, pursue minors, study abroad, etc. all during your undergrad. My interests and skillsets are heavily split between (astro) physics and art, so during my first year I've been setting myself up for a BS in both. I'm also shooting for a Chinese minor and to study abroad. I'm really serious about all three areas of study.

I applaud your interest in acquiring a broad education and exposure to other cultures. But from a practical perspective, you've got 4 yrs as an undergrad, and your ambitions are way over-extended. In particular, pursuing a minor (rather than taking electives) is a waste of time: a "minor" as a credential on a resume holds no sway (over skills and experience). And study abroad, while having value in itself, will likely add a great deal of stress should you pursue a double major. Can you tack on a 5th yr, or does your need for full scholarships preclude that?

As for a double major in physics and a totally unrelated subject, only you can decide whether it's worthwhile. I do know one student who successfully pulled it off in 4 yrs, but she was definitely an outlier. She double majored in physics and (a foreign language) literature, completing an honors thesis in both. She was also contemplating a junior year abroad, but I dissuaded her from that. Her honors thesis in physics was a true research thesis (in some schools, it's really an extended term paper), and she did undergrad research during the term and during the summer. She continued on to grad school and completed her PhD Physics. So that's one isolated success story; but again, definitely an outlier.

I can't afford reattending college for another bachelors and will need scholarships to pursue my masters (I'm here entirely on scholarships) until much later in life, so I've got to be careful if I want to secure a well-paying job that I enjoy.

<<Emphasis added.>> This is the reality you need to prepare for. Life is a lot different when you have to pay all your own bills.

 

[berkeman]

I do know one student who successfully pulled it off in 4 yrs, but she was definitely an outlier. She double majored in physics and (a foreign language) literature, completing an honors thesis in both. She was also contemplating a junior year abroad, but I dissuaded her from that. Her honors thesis in physics was a true research thesis (in some schools, it's really an extended term paper), and she did undergrad research during the term and during the summer. She continued on to grad school and completed her PhD Physics. So that's one isolated success story; but again, definitely an outlier.

Wow, she sounds like a superstar! Do you know what kind of work she is doing now? (without giving too much personally identifying info about her)

 

[CrysPhys]

Wow, she sounds like a superstar! Do you know what kind of work she is doing now? (without giving too much personally identifying info about her)

She holds a senior position in a government research agency.