Pursuing a Master's in Physics After an Architecture Degree

[lucija_z]

hi, is it possible after a bachelor's degree in architecture to pursue a master's degree in physics and how?

 

[Choppy]

Possible? Sure.

But not without a whole lot of work.

A lot depends on the details of your undergraduate degree, which courses you've taken as options, and how flexible the program is that you're applying to. But as a general rule, you need the equivalent of an undergraduate degree in physics. This means that you need to have completed senior undergraduate courses in core topics like classical mechanics, statistical mechanics and thermodynamics, electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, and mathematical methods for physicists. Ideally you would also have taken a senior level introductory course in the sub-field you want to specialize in, if it's available.

I don't know the details of an architecture degree at your school, but I suspect it's unlikely for graduates to have covered all or even a substantial portion of that material. What that means is that you would likely have to go back and fill in the necessary courses. Programs can offer some leeway for exceptional students, but in most cases there are only a fixed number of positions and the queue of applicants is full of exceptional students who all have the necessary coursework.

 

[gleem]

Are you ready to graduate or are you still a year or so away? Perhaps it would be worthwhile to take a course in mechanics or electricity and magnetism to see if you can handle them.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Architecture varies a lot. Some programs are more like civil engineering and some are more like art,

In the US, there is a path. It's called "full pay" - you enroll in a MS program and take the BS physics classes that you are missing. The problem is that you will end up paying the full cost of tuition and fees, which will be very expensive.

 

[jtbell]

It probably also makes a difference which country you received your architecture degree in, and where you want to go for your master's, because of differences in academic climates and bureaucracies. I mention this because your username suggests that you might not be in the US. On this forum, people tend to give US-centric advice if they don't see anything that points elsewhere.

Here's another currently ongoing discussion about a similar question.

https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...-get-into-a-physics-graduate-program.1048807/

It seems to assume the questioner is in the US.

 

[osilmag]

Nothing is guaranteed about your acceptance either. I had over a 1300 on my GRE and above a 3.6 GPA and I wasn't accepted in a handful of graduate programs. So, choose your school wisely.