From BSEE to Astro PhD: Navigating an Interdisciplinary Path in Astronomy

[confusedinMA]

I am currently working on my BSEE, a degree I settled on due primarily to financial stability compared to taking a BS in physics or Astronomy. However, I am hoping perhaps to graduate and go into an Astronomy Ph.d. program as that is my true passion.

I am hoping that my EE background would help me contribute in an interdisciplinary field that is important in astronomy like; remote sensing,Radio Astronomy, or instrument design.

How difficult of a time would I have getting into a graduate program? Which schools might be potential candidates for someone like me? Would doing a minor in physics help?

I'm hoping that I wouldn't have to take the PGRE because I'm pretty sure I'd do horribly on it. Just any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[fss]

You're probably going to have to take the Physics GRE, especially given that you aren't actually a physics major. Pretty much every graduate program requires it.

 

[eri]

Almost all astronomy PhD programs require the physics GRE. And they do require a good background in physics as well. How much have you taken?

 

[twofish-quant]

I am hoping that my EE background would help me contribute in an interdisciplinary field that is important in astronomy like; remote sensing,Radio Astronomy, or instrument design.

It will help a lot. However, for you to get into astronomy grad school, you'll need to show that you've gotten the foundational physics concepts down.

How difficult of a time would I have getting into a graduate program? Which schools might be potential candidates for someone like me? Would doing a minor in physics help?

You'll need to pull in the equivalent of the basic physics curriculum. There is a lot of overlap between EE and physics and how to structure that is something that your academic advisor should help with.

I'm hoping that I wouldn't have to take the PGRE because I'm pretty sure I'd do horribly on it. Just any advice is greatly appreciated!

You'll have to take the PGRE. Horrible is relative. If you do really, really badly, then you'll have trouble getting into grad school because even if your EE is top-notch, you'll find it hard to communicate and understand what you are designing the instrument for. However, if you do decent but not spectacular and everything is OK, then you can find your way in.

 

[confusedinMA]

I've taken Intro Physics I & II ( mechanics, thermo, e&m) and I'll take a futher course in E&M in my engineering program. What are the other must have classes to make it likely I'd get an acceptable score on the PGRE. I'm already a bit older, so I don't want to spend to much longer in undergrade, so a double major is kind of not an option due to pilling debt.

I'm not trying to take the easy way out I'm just too scared of being jobless if I get a BS in astro or physics.

 

[confusedinMA]

It will help a lot. However, for you to get into astronomy grad school, you'll need to show that you've gotten the foundational physics concepts down.



You'll need to pull in the equivalent of the basic physics curriculum. There is a lot of overlap between EE and physics and how to structure that is something that your academic advisor should help with.



You'll have to take the PGRE. Horrible is relative. If you do really, really badly, then you'll have trouble getting into grad school because even if your EE is top-notch, you'll find it hard to communicate and understand what you are designing the instrument for. However, if you do decent but not spectacular and everything is OK, then you can find your way in.

I ended up checking it out and doing a double major wouldn't be that bad as the departments wave some requirements for EE and physics double major.

Question twofish-quant, what subfields of astro would most benefit from someone with an EE background, I think I want to do something in radio astronomy and/or instrument design. I was am also somewhat interested in something like signal processing for SETI but that is a pretty niche field.