The discussion centers around the perceived difficulty of obtaining a PhD in engineering compared to one in mathematics or physics. Participants explore various aspects of this topic, including acceptance rates, job prospects, and the nature of the programs.
Participants do not reach a consensus on whether engineering PhDs are generally easier to obtain than those in mathematics or physics. Multiple competing views and interpretations of the original question remain evident throughout the discussion.
Some participants express confusion regarding the terminology used in the discussion, indicating that language barriers may affect understanding. Additionally, the discussion touches on the variability of acceptance rates and job prospects, which may depend on specific institutions and individual circumstances.
I meant easier to get an offer, not to ' obtain ' as in complete...Dale said:Have you personally obtained both a math/physics PhD and and engineering PhD? If not, then what are you using to measure difficulty, what are you "spotting" that leads you to conclude this?
Also, why does it matter? What purpose will the answer serve you?
And an offer just in one discipline. And yes, the answer matters a lot to me.binbagsss said:I meant easier to get an offer, not to ' obtain ' as in complete...
If you have already been offered a PhD in fluid dynamics, what does it matter whether it would be harder to get an offer?binbagsss said:But my grades are average, I have been offered a PhD in FD, engineering, but would a PhD in the latter also be harder to get an offer for or not really?
Choppy said:Generally speaking, I think that the between-program variability is going to be more widely dispersed than the between subject variability.
Ah, I misunderstood. I guess that should be pretty straightforward to estimate just by comparing the number of applicants to the number of positions, but I don't know that number.binbagsss said:I meant easier to get an offer, not to ' obtain ' as in complete...
So that is the distinction. Entering is one thing; doing well and coming through the exit successfully is another thing.binbagsss said:I meant easier to get an offer, not to ' obtain ' as in complete...
No I'm.not targeting more difficult for maths / physicsDale said:Ah, I misunderstood. I guess that should be pretty straightforward to estimate just by comparing the number of applicants to the number of positions, but I don't know that number.
I guess the purpose for you is to target where you apply. If so, then there will be substantial variation between institutions. Probably the difference in "difficulty" between institutions will be greater than the difference between physics/math and engineering. If you are finding physics/math more difficult to get into then it may be that you are targeting excessively competitive physics/math programs.
What? Wasn't the question I was addressing.symbolipoint said:So that is the distinction. Entering is one thing; doing well and coming through the exit successfully is another thing.
Not in teeerms of difficulty I am after, but difficulty of landing the PhD in the first place..FactChecker said:Data on this and other aspects of getting a PhD can be found in the Survey of Earned Doctorates.
A table of the years required to obtain a degree are in Table 31 here
It looks to me as though PhDs in all three fields are roughly equivalent in difficulty in terms of years required.
Of course, your natural talents can make a lot of difference in how difficult particular subjects are. My experience in mathematics was that I had a particular knack for some math subjects but would have found other math subjects completely impossible.
number 1 was my primmary question (as I've specified in other replies) and number 3 was a seecondary question.TeethWhitener said:There seem to be some language difficulties in this thread. OP's answers can be interpreted in a number of ways. Do you mean:
1) Are engineering PhD programs easier to be accepted into than math/physics programs?
2) Are engineering PhD programs easier to complete than math/physics programs?
3) Is it easier to find a job with an engineering degree than with a math/physics degree?
The O.P. earlier comment from one of the posts:binbagsss said:What? Wasn't the question I was addressing.
Are quantum theory / mechanics / gravitaton theory type projects more competitive than engineering? do they tend to get more people applying or,?
I meant easier to get an offer, not to ' obtain ' as in complete...
Post #1 reads very strangely. Something has lead to a discussion not clearly coming from this post #1. Intention does not seem clear.binbagsss said:As a maths & Physics graduate.
This seems to be the pattern I tend to be spotting but maybe it's just a coincident?
Many thanks
How do they manage that, if being PhD student is a full-time situation by itself?FactChecker said:many Ph.D. students are working on their degree while they are employed.
symbolipoint said:How do they manage that, if being PhD student is a full-time situation by itself?
After the classes have been completed, there are some years of research on their thesis. They often work on a thesis subject that is somewhat related to their job. Their company can help them sometimes and they put in very long hours.symbolipoint said:How do they manage that, if being PhD student is a full-time situation by itself?