Sub-forum browsing, and education choices

[viet_jon]

I sometimes glance at the EE forums, but never find anything ineresting. Maybe it's because I don't understand any of it yet?


I love the physics, mainly quantuam forum, which I browse daily, sometimes pulling up 2-3 year old threads, and reading them hours on end, momentarily forgetting about time. I don't understand most of this neither, but the ideas are still interesting.



now the question:

Am I lying to myself, fooling myself into thinking that I'm a destined electrical engineer? I really do like electronics though. From televisions, to computers, to miicrowaves, and even the electricity that power them. How it all works is very interesting to me.


I'm very torn on what to do right now. If a bachelor's degree in physics has a good job market, and just as high pay as engineer, I would certainly go for physics.

I'll be in Uni first year this year, at 25, I can finish a bachelor's by 29-30. I really don't want to go for a Ph.d, provided that I am able, and finish by 34-35. And from information I've gathered, with just a bachelor's in physics, it's tough to find a job.

 

[Poop-Loops]

Tough situation. The cool thing about physics is that you pick up a bit of everything. I took 2 electronics courses through the physics department, the labs help a bit, etc.

All it comes down to is "Would you rather build things, or understand them?" As a physicist you tend to do both (at least in experimentalism), same as in engineering, but the goals are what I'm talking about. The goal of engineering is to make something, the goal of physics is to understand something.

I'm in my 3rd year of physics and seriously wondering if I want to go into physics or engineering, because making stuff is just so fun. However, I don't want to switch majors because I also love learning the things I'm learning about, like Quantum Mechanics, E&M, Relativity, etc. It's all very interesting.

So, what I'm trying to say is, I'm already a few years in and still have no idea what I would rather do. One option would be to get a BS in physics and then go for a Master's in engineering. Something I'm still considering.

 

[Astronuc]

If one is interested in Electrical Engineering, then please visit the IEEE website to get an idea of what choices are available.

IEEE Societies/Specialties
http://www.ieee.org/web/membership/societies/index.html?WT.mc_id=hpwd_societies

Communications Society
Components, Packaging & Manufacturing Technology Society
Computational Intelligence Society
Computer Society
Consumer Electronics Society
Control Systems Society
Dielectrics & Electrical Insulation Society
Education Society
Electromagnetic Compatibility Society
Electron Devices Society
Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society
Geoscience & Remote Sensing Society
Industrial Electronics Society
Industry Applications Society
Information Theory Society
Microwave Theory & Techniques Society
Nuclear & Plasma Sciences Society
Oceanic Engineering Society
Power Electronics Society
Power Engineering Society
Product Safety Engineering Society
Professional Communication Society
Reliability Society
Robotics and Automation Society
Signal Processing Society
Society on Social Implications of Technology
Solid-State Circuits Society
Systems, Man & Cybernetics Society
Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics & Frequency Control Society
Vehicular Technology Society

Each society has website within IEEE.


As for EE vs Physics, one could do both or major in EE and minor in physics. One approach would be to sample EE curricula at different universities and similarly sample the Physics curricula at the corresponding institutions. Make a plan/outline of what one might do in a 4-yr program.