What Will I Learn in My First Year of Electrical Engineering or Physics?

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In the first year of either Physics or Electrical Engineering (EE), students will encounter a heavy emphasis on mathematics, including calculus and possibly linear algebra and differential equations. Physics courses typically cover topics such as electricity, magnetism, and may include modern physics, but particle physics is not always required. Electrical Engineering programs often incorporate computer programming, particularly in C/C++ and assembly language. Students in EE can expect hands-on projects, like building remote-controlled devices, which can be challenging but educational. Ultimately, choosing a concentration should align with genuine interest, as the difficulty level can be significant.
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Hey all,
I'm currently confused of what to study in college. I'm thinking about two options, Physics or Electrical Engineering.

Anyway, what physics classes will I be taking, I know electricity and magnetism, but will I be taking quantum or particle physics or even relativity?

And could you just give me some tips or advices regarding EG?

Thanks in advance! :wink:
 
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either one is cool..
the physics i took was physics w/calculus 1 & 2.. with Halliday & Resnick books
then i had a relativity course , Modern Physics..
this was for EE..
the first one covered Motion , the second covered magnetism & electricity..
the third covered quantum physics & relativity..no particle physics was required..
i don't know what physics courses you would be taking as a physics major..
 
I took a semester in electrical engineering at the university of maine and dropped out of the program and transferred to Mathematics. Your first year in either area of concentration will basically be identical, and will consist of heavy math (typically up through calculus 3, possibly also linear algebra and differential equations), physics, and all of your general schooling requirements. ECE will include computer programming, typically in C/C++ and assembly. Electrical engineering tends to be (subjectively speaking) the hardest area of concentration. If you choose it, be damn sure you *really* want it. I am an avid computer programmer and math geek and considered myself substantially ahead intellectually against my peers, but I had a harder time with the course because it was not what I wanted to do.

What we did in electrical engineering 101:
We assembled a small remote controlled car in teams of 3. The car was controlled by an infrared signal. Everything that could be made by human hands, we built. It was the hardest thing I've ever done and I got a D in the course. However, to be fair, I did learn a lot and I'm not bitter, I was just a casualty of joining a program I wasn't actually interested enough in. And of course we also learned the basics of electricity, including ohms law, capacitors, how timers work, how logic gates work, how to build the most efficient systems of gates, stuff like that.
 
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