- #1
axmls
- 944
- 395
Hi there PFers
I'm looking into a variety of areas of research in electrical engineering at US universities. For instance, looking at the University of Texas page, there's a research specialty in EE called "plasma/quantum devices and optics."
Now, this looks very interesting to me. I was wondering how beneficial it would be for me to take the intro modern physics and/or the first quantum mechanics course from my physics department. I will be taking one (or maybe two, if it's offered) course on semiconductor devices from my EE department, which will no doubt contain at least some very basic QM.
Of course, tacking on the physics department course would put me at 20 hours next semester, which could potentially distract me from the research I'm doing in another (unrelated) field of EE.
So, is it more beneficial to take the course from the physics department and deal with a heavier workload (that may distract me from unrelated EE research), or just take the solid state devices courses my department offers, since there are probably engineering QM courses offered at whatever grad school I go to?
Now, I could ask for some solo project from the solid state devices professor this semester as part of an honors contract (a contract that allows me to get honors credit for the course in exchange for extra work). Assuming he would give me a suitable project, would this be looked at favorably by graduate schools? As in, could that be considered actual research, given that it's big enough? If that's the case, it may make more sense to just do that with my extra time and not take the physics course.
I'm looking into a variety of areas of research in electrical engineering at US universities. For instance, looking at the University of Texas page, there's a research specialty in EE called "plasma/quantum devices and optics."
Now, this looks very interesting to me. I was wondering how beneficial it would be for me to take the intro modern physics and/or the first quantum mechanics course from my physics department. I will be taking one (or maybe two, if it's offered) course on semiconductor devices from my EE department, which will no doubt contain at least some very basic QM.
Of course, tacking on the physics department course would put me at 20 hours next semester, which could potentially distract me from the research I'm doing in another (unrelated) field of EE.
So, is it more beneficial to take the course from the physics department and deal with a heavier workload (that may distract me from unrelated EE research), or just take the solid state devices courses my department offers, since there are probably engineering QM courses offered at whatever grad school I go to?
Now, I could ask for some solo project from the solid state devices professor this semester as part of an honors contract (a contract that allows me to get honors credit for the course in exchange for extra work). Assuming he would give me a suitable project, would this be looked at favorably by graduate schools? As in, could that be considered actual research, given that it's big enough? If that's the case, it may make more sense to just do that with my extra time and not take the physics course.