Undergrad EE to physics MS advice.

[Huskyguy]

Sorry if this has been answered before. However I looked through a few threads and I didn't find any useful information.

My dilemma is as follows: I am a senior in EE and graduating this spring, but from what little experience I've had in the world as an engineer (doing senior project design) I have noticed that there is usually a PhD physicist at the top of a design project. I have been thinking about going for my MS in physics, but I don't know what kinds of classes I need to take in order to get accepted. I have always loved physics, and I probably would have majored in it in the first place had they offered it at my campus. I only have around a 2.9GPA from my EE classes, but my physics classes average at around a 3.0 (including applied electromagnetics).

Here are a couple questions:
1) is it realistic to think that any company would pay for me to get a MS in physics?
2) If I do need to take additional classes, what types of classes should I take before applying/taking GRE?

 

[analogdesign]

You must have had unusual experience. Did you work at a National Lab on a physics experiment?

In 99% of real-world EE projects an EE is leading the development, not a Physicist. The only place I've seen Physicists run projects was in National Labs, and even then it is usually in a management capacity.

An MS in EE is more employable than an MS in Physics by far.

More to your point:

1. No it is not realistic that a company would pay for an MS in Physics. It is becoming quite rare for a company to pay people to get graduate degrees. I think a few defense contractors still do it somewhat but it is rare these days. If you can find it, then good for you, you beat the system.

2. I think getting into Physics grad programs is more competitive than EE grad programs. You need to take upper division physics classes (like QM, stat mech, atomic/nuclear, solid-state, etc)