Employers' thoughts on B.S. in Physics/M.S. in Electrical Engineering?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around employers' perceptions of candidates holding a B.S. in Applied Physics and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering. Participants explore whether the lack of a B.S. in Electrical Engineering is viewed negatively by employers and the implications of ABET certification on employability.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that employers may view candidates with a B.S. in Applied Physics and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering as intelligent.
  • Concerns are raised about the potential negative perception from employers regarding the absence of a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, particularly in relation to ABET certification.
  • One participant notes that ABET certification might not be as critical outside of fields like Civil Engineering, leading to questions about its relevance in Electrical Engineering.
  • There is a discussion about the varying relevance of physics in different areas of electrical engineering, with some roles potentially benefiting more from a physics background than others.
  • Anecdotal evidence is provided regarding a participant's friend who successfully combined a B.S. in Applied Physics with an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and gained valuable experience through co-op positions.
  • Another participant raises a question about the employability of professional master's degrees in physics compared to an M.S. in Electrical Engineering.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the importance of a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and the relevance of ABET certification, indicating that multiple competing perspectives exist without a clear consensus.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various factors that may influence employability, such as the specific area of electrical engineering and the value of practical experience, but these factors remain unresolved in the discussion.

Ryuk1990
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What do employers generally think of someone with a B.S. in Applied Physics and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering? Do employers see it as a negative that the person didn't get his/her B.S. also in EE?
 
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They probably think you are really smart =p
 
Woopydalan said:
They probably think you are really smart =p

Haha.

In all seriousness, I have heard that employers do not like it when you're missing a B.S. for EE because of the ABET certification.
 
Ryuk1990 said:
Haha.

In all seriousness, I have heard that employers do not like it when you're missing a B.S. for EE because of the ABET certification.

I thought ABET certification is rarely needed outside of things like Civil Engineering.
 
doctorwhoo said:
I thought ABET certification is rarely needed outside of things like Civil Engineering.

Maybe you're thinking of a Professional Engineer license?
 
What's an ABET certification?
 
Ryuk1990 said:
Maybe you're thinking of a Professional Engineer license?

Oh yeah I was. Never mind.
 
Ryuk1990 said:
What do employers generally think of someone with a B.S. in Applied Physics and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering? Do employers see it as a negative that the person didn't get his/her B.S. also in EE?

Most of the time, the answer to that question would be no. However, there are many flavors of electrical engineering and some are more dependent on physics than others.

For example, if you're designing an embedded system for a piece of instrumentation (such as a flow meter), physics can play a big part in the design. However, if you're designing a software defined radio system of some sort, it doesn't help as much.

The ultimate question is whether an employer is willing to pay extra for someone who has a master's degree, or whether in their case experience itself is just as good.

I would submit that your extra education may serve you better in some electrical engineering endeavors than others.
 
Ryuk1990 said:
What do employers generally think of someone with a B.S. in Applied Physics and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering? Do employers see it as a negative that the person didn't get his/her B.S. also in EE?

A good friend of mine did a combined BS/S program: BS Applied Physics/MS EE. He worked super hard and did really well. He also did 3 co-op experiences throughout school to gain real experience. He is doing awesome now. He has a great job working for Lincoln Laboratories making really good money.
 
  • #10
I noticed a lot of colleges offer these "professional" masters degrees in physics. Would that be employable after a BS in physics, or am i better off just doing an ms in EE?
 

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