Questions about Engineering Physics Degree

[Ryuk1990]

With an engineering physics degree, which concentration would bring more job opportunities? Mechanical or electrical engineering?

In terms of electrical engineering, I know an EP degree is good for going into nanoelectronics/photonics. Any other areas? Anything in power engineering specifically?

As for mechanical engineering, what areas in ME combine well with a physics background?

Is it true that upper level physics classes are a lot more mathematically intense than engineering courses?

 

[TomServo]

With an engineering physics degree, which concentration would bring more job opportunities? Mechanical or electrical engineering?

Depends on what part of the country and what industry you want to work in.

In terms of electrical engineering, I know an EP degree is good for going into nanoelectronics/photonics. Any other areas? Anything in power engineering specifically?

Many kinds of EE.

As for mechanical engineering, what areas in ME combine well with a physics background?

Many. CFD, for instance.

Is it true that upper level physics classes are a lot more mathematically intense than engineering courses?

Perhaps a tad more mathy depending on the class/school/teacher, but not "much" more than mech, aero, chem, or EE.

Howevs, there is probably more more mathematical breadth in physics.

 

[Ryuk1990]

Depends on what part of the country and what industry you want to work in.

I would prefer to work in northeastern USA. As for what industry, I would like to be involved in anything with internal combustion engines or aerospace if I do a mechanical concentration and anything to do with power (motors, generators, transformers, power electronics, and power systems) if I do an electrical concentration.

Many kinds of EE.

How would an engineering physics major get involved in motors, generators, and power electronics?

Many. CFD, for instance.

What is it about CFD that a plain old mechanical engineer wouldn't have enough knowledge about? Also, any other ME/physics collaboration examples?

 

[caldweab]

I would prefer to work in northeastern USA. As for what industry, I would like to be involved in anything with internal combustion engines or aerospace if I do a mechanical concentration and anything to do with power (motors, generators, transformers, power electronics, and power systems) if I do an electrical concentration. How would an engineering physics major get involved in motors, generators, and power electronics?

What is it about CFD that a plain old mechanical engineer wouldn't have enough knowledge about? Also, any other ME/physics collaboration examples?

Does your school not offer engineering? My school offered engineering physics but after talking to some people, almost no one knew what it was, so imagine being a human resource person who is told to hire an engineer with a specific engineering degree. What do you think is going to happen to your application when your degree says engineering physics? From all your interest it sounds like you just want to be a mechanical engineer anyway, you can always minor in physics. Leave the engineering physics stuff to those that want to do research or go to graduate school. For a job, get an engineering degree, a lot of jobs look for accredited engineering degrees and most engineering physics programs are not abet accredited

 

[Fusiontron]

I did a double degree in ME and physics (graduating in two weeks). EP is only offered at a handful of universities. Cornell and Wisconsin come to mind. I would go with what I did or better yet, a BS in nuclear engineering. Minors are generally useless.

 

[Ryuk1990]

Does your school not offer engineering? My school offered engineering physics but after talking to some people, almost no one knew what it was, so imagine being a human resource person who is told to hire an engineer with a specific engineering degree. What do you think is going to happen to your application when your degree says engineering physics? From all your interest it sounds like you just want to be a mechanical engineer anyway, you can always minor in physics. Leave the engineering physics stuff to those that want to do research or go to graduate school. For a job, get an engineering degree, a lot of jobs look for accredited engineering degrees and most engineering physics programs are not abet accredited

To be honest, I'm actually a little more interested in physics than any engineering field. However, I do have a lot of interest in mechanical and electrical engineering too. So I figured an eng. phys. degree would be perfect to satisfy my interests. I'm just trying to figure out whether physics combines better with EE or ME.

Also, I probably will go to grad school. Sorry I didn't mention that. I also talked to some professors and they said they have a strong interest in eng. phys. students applying to their research labs. (My school is big on nanotechnology research.)

As for jobs, I understand plain ol' ME and EE degrees look better than an eng. phys. degree but I should mention a few things. On my resume, I would explain that eng. phys. majors take most of the engineering classes that an ME or EE would take. Also, even though the eng. phys. program itself is not ABET-accredited, the engineering courses I'm taking are. Finally, I would also emphasize that I have a lot more internship experience than the average engineering student. Thanks to connections I have, I've had an internship since the summer after my first year in school.