Electrical Engineering Grad. after Physics B.Sc.

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of transitioning from a physics undergraduate program to a graduate program in electrical engineering (EE). Participants explore the challenges and considerations involved in applying to top-tier EE schools, including academic preparation, research interests, and financial aid opportunities.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses concern about the feasibility of gaining admission to a top-tier EE program given their physics background and the reputation of their current university.
  • Another participant shares their experience of receiving tuition waivers and stipends from EE grad schools, noting that many physics undergraduates are admitted if they align with a research group.
  • Some participants suggest that interest in applied physics areas may enhance admission chances, while others emphasize the importance of articulating specific research interests during the application process.
  • Concerns are raised about varying departmental requirements, with some participants indicating that certain programs may require significant undergraduate EE coursework for admission.
  • There is mention of the variability in admission criteria based on individual graduate committees and advisors, with some programs being more flexible than others regarding physics backgrounds.
  • One participant notes their own experience of needing additional EE coursework to qualify for a mid-level program, contrasting it with the experiences of others who faced no such requirements.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the admission process and requirements for EE graduate programs can vary significantly by department. There is no consensus on a definitive pathway or requirements, as experiences differ widely among participants.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the importance of departmental differences in admission criteria and the potential need for additional coursework, but do not resolve the specifics of these requirements or their implications for applicants.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals considering a transition from physics to electrical engineering graduate programs, particularly those interested in research areas that bridge both fields.

keksmaster
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Hello all.

I will be graduating with a physics degree in the fall of 2016, and going to grad school. I go to a small university in the US, not very well known for its physics program, but I've been doing fairly well here, so I was aiming at a top tier university for grad school in physics. My question is how feasible would it be for me to get into a similar tier grad school for something like electrical engineering (top 20)? Should I be lowering my expectations because of this situation?

Several details

-I currently have a 4.0 GPA
-I have 2 publications in astrophysics (second and third author)
-My current research is fairly ee heavy (quantum optics), and I expect at least 1 publication in this field before I graduate.
-I will graduate with 9 hours of EE courses
-I haven't taken the GRE yet, but on practice PGREs I have consistently scored ~70th percentile. I'm not sure how important this is for EE grad school since they don't require the PGRE. I'm still taking the subject test sometime this fall just in case I decide to go to phys grad school
-My Phys BSc will take me 2.5 years because of credits I got in HS. I don't really have the funds to stay here as an undergrad for 4 years.
-I have at least 2 solid recommendation letters.

If I'm leaving anything out that would help please let me know

Also, I'd like to know how good EE schools are with financial aid. The major perk for going to grad school in physics is the fact that most schools pay for you to go there. Does this hold true for EE?

Thank You in advance
 
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When I applied to EE grad schools for MS/PhD programs, every school that admitted me offered tuition waivers and stipends. Most were research assistantships, but one may have been as a teaching assistant. Also, I know quite a few EE PhDs who did physics undergrad - even top EE schools will admit physics majors you if you are a good match for some research group. What area(s) of EE would you be interested in? It is a pretty broad field, and at least when I applied I was expected to articulate at least the general area of research I wanted to pursue. My guess is that if you are interested in the more applied physics areas (electronic devices, optoelectronics, electromagnetics, plasmas, ...) that you would have a better chance, but you should go with what your interests are. .

By the way, my EE grad work was in plasma physics - probably half of the grad students in the larger research group came in with a physics background.

jason
 
jasonRF said:
When I applied to EE grad schools for MS/PhD programs, every school that admitted me offered tuition waivers and stipends. Most were research assistantships, but one may have been as a teaching assistant. Also, I know quite a few EE PhDs who did physics undergrad - even top EE schools will admit physics majors you if you are a good match for some research group. What area(s) of EE would you be interested in? It is a pretty broad field, and at least when I applied I was expected to articulate at least the general area of research I wanted to pursue. My guess is that if you are interested in the more applied physics areas (electronic devices, optoelectronics, electromagnetics, plasmas, ...) that you would have a better chance, but you should go with what your interests are. .

By the way, my EE grad work was in plasma physics - probably half of the grad students in the larger research group came in with a physics background.

jason

Well what I'm doing at the moment is research in optical circuits and plasmonic waveguides, and its incredibly interesting so something along these lines would be neat
 
It depends on the department... When I tried to enter a mid-level MS EE program with just a physics background I needed about 2 years of undergrad EE classes to be qualified to apply. Basically, I started a EE BS. I'm sure that other programs may be more forgiving, particularly if your research is related to EE (mine was not).

It looks like you are more prepared for it than most. Good luck! (I'm a little jealous... :p )
 
Agreed that it strongly depends on the department. Where I was (a top 20 EE dept), there were absolutely no course requirements for the MS/PhD program. Everything was 100% dependent on your graduate committee. I knew physics majors that took anywhere from 0 to a handful of undergrad EE classes to make up the holes in their backgrounds - it was mostly dependent on the advisor they had. Each professor also had absolute freedom to decide what the qualifier and admission to candidacy exams consisted of. I know some other departments have qualifier exams designed in such a way that you would need the majority of an undergrad EE background to have a good chance of passing. You should take this into account when applying, and probably take more EE electives if they fit in your schedule.

jason
 
jasonRF said:
Agreed that it strongly depends on the department. Where I was (a top 20 EE dept), there were absolutely no course requirements for the MS/PhD program. Everything was 100% dependent on your graduate committee. I knew physics majors that took anywhere from 0 to a handful of undergrad EE classes to make up the holes in their backgrounds - it was mostly dependent on the advisor they had. Each professor also had absolute freedom to decide what the qualifier and admission to candidacy exams consisted of. I know some other departments have qualifier exams designed in such a way that you would need the majority of an undergrad EE background to have a good chance of passing. You should take this into account when applying, and probably take more EE electives if they fit in your schedule.

jason
If you don't mind me asking, what school did you go to?
 
ModusPwnd said:
It depends on the department... When I tried to enter a mid-level MS EE program with just a physics background I needed about 2 years of undergrad EE classes to be qualified to apply. Basically, I started a EE BS. I'm sure that other programs may be more forgiving, particularly if your research is related to EE (mine was not).

It looks like you are more prepared for it than most. Good luck! (I'm a little jealous... :p )

Hi Modus. Did you pay out of pocket for those two years?
 

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