To double major or to not double major.

[Joeglaw]

I'm 34 and just starting college. I have to go the community college route. I will get a degree in physics. I wonder though if I should double major in an engineering field?

 

[bcbwilla]

What are your plans after you get your undergraduate degree? Grad school? Job? What are your goals?

 

[Nano-Passion]

What is the motivation behind double-majoring w/ engineering?

What degree are you planning to get? What career are you aiming for?

 

[Joeglaw]

Time will be getting short, so I doubt grad school will be an option. I'm considering the double major because I want to keep my options open. Just not sure if it is needed with a physics degree.

 

[Joeglaw]

I would like to work for NASA in some capacity. I grew up down the road from Johnson Space Center, and it's always been a dream of mine.

 

[bcbwilla]

If you want to be a physicist, you basically need to get a PhD.

What would you like to do for NASA? Engineering? Physics? Programming?

You need to give us a bit more material to work with.

Also, welcome to the forums!

 

[Joeglaw]

Honestly I'd like to build things that go into space I don't care what. I'm good with my hands and I love math. But that's why I asked the question I sort of don't know which direction to go. I'm just trying to get my core classes done for now. I eventually want to get a PhD, but I need to start earning a living ASAP.

 

[Angry Citizen]

Then don't go physics, go aerospace engineering. We build things that go into space, and we don't even need to get a Ph.D.

 

[e^(i Pi)+1=0]

I'm in the exact same boat. I'm 32 and in my 3rd semester of community college. Majoring in physical sciences and hoping to dual major in physics & engineering when I transfer (probably mechanical but not sure). I've always loved astronomy and astrophysics / cosmology and was planning to pursue that as a career, but I'd also be happy in the green sector, designing the next generation wind-turbines and solar panels or researching new energy sources. You might ask why dual major if my goal is astrophysics, well it's a really good fallback plan and it's also a skill set that I just really want to have.

So many important choices coming up...Any comments / feedback is welcome.

 

[Joeglaw]

I love physics and was told I could never obtain a degree, so partly It's to prove I can to myself. I would love to go into aerospace engineering but the university I have to transfer to doesn't offer it. Are there any other avenues to get in the field i.e. mechanical or electrical?

 

[daric soldar]

My university doesn't have an aerospace undergraduate program, either. I would talk to an advisor to see if you can earn a Mechanical Engineering BS (most closely related to Aerospace Engineering than any other discipline, in my opinion) with an emphasis in Aerospace courses. You might be able to take several applicable technical electives in courses such as Compressible Flow, Aerodynamics, Computational Fluid Dynamics, etc. You'll already be taking Heat Transfer and Fluid Dynamics as an ME major, which AE engineers use all of the time. That should qualify you to design rockets, etc. If your employer wants you to go on to get an MS in Aerospace Engineering, usually they will pay for your education.

EDIT: I am studying ME, and have several classmates planning to do AE. If I mentioned a blanket statement about AE that is incorrect, let me know. :)