Is a Joint Honours Degree in Physics and Math Better for Job Opportunities?

[Macleef]

Is it better to do a joint honours degree in physics and math or a honours degree in math and a minor in physics?

Joint Honours Course Schedule:
http://www.math.mcmaster.ca/prospective/Prospective%20Students/mathphysics.pdf

Applied Mathematics Specialization Course Schedule:
http://www.math.mcmaster.ca/underg/prog/p8to9.pdf


By the way, what kind of job opportunities would one get by taking one of these programs?

 

[muppet]

Depends... what do you mean by 'better'?

 

[topherfox]

Applied Mathematics would get better job opportunities, that's just Engineering in disguise. But if you like physics as well, get a minor in it along with applied math. I myself am an Engineer, and I was about to take just a Math undergrad, but since my university had applied math, and a general applied science (engineering) first year, I said why not, I can always pick applied math if I still want to do math. I ended up going into Software :P.

 

[mgiddy911]

There's certainly no harm in pursuing both degrees as long as you can maintain the grades for both. It may look somewhat better on job apps and grad school apps, but in reality, the physics and math degrees are very similar so a double major Physics and Math doesn't look all that special. Majoring and or minoring in something a little more distant would look better, but its all relative, it shouldn't be a deciding factor on your applications but may carry some weight. You could look into another science field, chem, bio, computer science, some form of engineering. If you are ambitious, or just more talented than myself, perhaps you could pick up a minor in English or Philosophy. That would certainly stand out.

You would be better asking the school and the department about the exact differences with their degrees as far as the job market goes. To me it seems that any of those you listed shouldn't be too different than the others as far as what it allows you to do