Why Are There So Few Physics Majors?

[Xyius]

I haven't gotten into the advanced theory based courses of physics yet, but literally in all the classes I have been in I have been either the only one, or one of a couple people who are majoring in Physics. I go to Stevens Institute of Technology and I would have thought more people would be! Seems like EVERYONE is going for engineering or engineering management. It also seems like all these kids going for engineering have no passion for what they are learning. I literally lost all respect for most people going for Engineering because it seems like you can just waltz your way through the courses and end up with an engineering degree. (I am not saying that all engineers do this! That is obviously not true!)

Why is it that there are no Physics majors? When I tell people I am a Physics major they look at me like I have 3 heads! Are Physicists not in high demand or something? (Doesn't make a difference to me, I just like to learn :])

 

[fss]

There are plenty of physics majors. Just because your day-to-day schedule doesn't cross paths with many doesn't mean they don't exist.

 

[jz92wjaz]

I share your frustration, but I majored in both Engineering and Physics. The engineering physics class, sadly, had very little application in my engineering major. I think a lot of engineers are practical to a fault. If they don't need it, they don't want to learn it. I had a lot of friends who would complain about certain topics because "they'll never use this in real life". I, on the other hand, just thought it was fun to be given a problem and then to try and solve it.

In defense of engineers, I majored in both, and Engineering was unquestionably the harder of the two. The concepts weren't more difficult in Engineering, but the time to complete assignments was much longer. In physics, I primarily solved problems. In engineering, I spent hours on end on fixing software/circuit bugs for a problem I already had solved and fully understood.

 

[Xyius]

I have been going to college for just about 3 years and I very seldom come across any Physics majors. This story isn't something that I just noticed now, it has been an ongoing situation for the three years I have been in school.

 

[Xyius]

I share your frustration, but I majored in both Engineering and Physics. The engineering physics class, sadly, had very little application in my engineering major. I think a lot of engineers are practical to a fault. If they don't need it, they don't want to learn it. I had a lot of friends who would complain about certain topics because "they'll never use this in real life". I, on the other hand, just thought it was fun to be given a problem and then to try and solve it.

In defense of engineers, I majored in both, and Engineering was unquestionably the harder of the two. The concepts weren't more difficult in Engineering, but the time to complete assignments was much longer. In physics, I primarily solved problems. In engineering, I spent hours on end on fixing software/circuit bugs for a problem I already had solved and fully understood.

Very interesting view point! Thanks for the input :)

 

[ParticleGrl]

Also keep in mind that engineers generally have better career options and an easier time landing jobs when they graduate than physics majors. Hence, if you are capable of doing either, the future prospects might push you away from physics.

 

[Xyius]

I understand that. To me physics is something beautiful and meaningful. I learn physics not for future jobs, but for a deep understanding on how the universe works "under the hood." I don't normally see passion in engineers. It always just seems like they are in it for a job to make money :/

 

[jz92wjaz]

Well, if you get a PhD in physics, you can actually make a lot more than engineers. I only have a bachelor's, but I would at some point like to get a PhD.

 

[MATLABdude]

To the OP, are you yourself a Physics major, or are you just curious to see if they exist?

On a serious note, I'd look for the undergrad physics students' association (or whatever variant exists at your school). Unless your school just doesn't offer a Physics major (which might explain the lack of physics majors!)

 

[Chi Meson]

In defense of engineers, I majored in both, and Engineering was unquestionably the harder of the two. The concepts weren't more difficult in Engineering, but the time to complete assignments was much longer. In physics, I primarily solved problems. In engineering, I spent hours on end on fixing software/circuit bugs for a problem I already had solved and fully understood.

That is very interesting. My experience was: 200 freshmen began as physics majors (UVA in the 80s). That number was halved by the second semester. By the third-year, there were only 40. A huge number went over to engineering (after a huge number of engineering students dropped down to liberal arts). I routinely helped the engineering students in my dorm during my first year.

As far as difficultly-of-comprehension goes, Physics is much harder; but I like the idea that when one understands what they are doing, the labor required to complete an actual product according to one's understanding will intensify (my interpretation). I imagine there are a lot of engineering students who settle for a product that "works-sort of" because that's as far as their understanding would take them.

 

[Triple_D]

In defense of engineers, I majored in both, and Engineering was unquestionably the harder of the two. The concepts weren't more difficult in Engineering, but the time to complete assignments was much longer. In physics, I primarily solved problems. In engineering, I spent hours on end on fixing software/circuit bugs for a problem I already had solved and fully understood.

This is interesting. I'm not sure "harder" is the correct word. Maybe "more work" is a better way to put it. I love engineering (my father was a structural engineer), but when I was a senior Physics major in college, I was required to take a 1 credit hour lab class, for each of 3 quarters. Physics 401, 402, and 403 (or something like that). We would meet with the professor for one hour each week, at which time, he would give us our lab assignment. It was then up to us ( a lab partner and me) to complete the lab work, write up the results, and turn it in the following week. The actual labs were pretty simple, but the reports were expected to be very complete. I remember turning in lab reports that were 15-20 pages long, every week. Week in and week out. A real pain in the butt. And there were not any real short cuts, either. It was one of those things that you either did right, or did wrong. It was an absolutely momental amount of work for a 1 credit hour class. I think that was the most work I put into any class in college, and I have two degrees, in two different majors. And you had to take that course for three quarters!

But I will say this, that class really did teach (force) you to become efficient at assimilating and analyzing data.

 

[Pengwuino]

You also might want to remember that Engineering is not a major, it's a generic term that describes a multitude of majors such as mechanical engineering, electric, aeronautical, chemical, etc. The better comparison would be engineers vs. science majors.

Also I can understand why engineers might get annoyed with lower division physics courses in hindsight. At that level, students don't really have an appreciation for interdisciplinary work or the idea that you shouldn't be blind to what is happening outside of your field.

 

[Xyius]

@MATLAB dude, Yes I am a Physics major :p

Lots of really interesting insights in this topic!

 

[Pyrrhus]

I see your point. When I was an undergrad majoring in Engineering, I only met a few physics majors, very few, no more than five. However, Grad school I've met more physics majors, about 10. They go everywhere. PhD in Operations Research, PhD in Statistics, PhD in Economics, etc.. it seems like physics majors go to any quantitative field these days.

 

[jz92wjaz]

This is interesting. I'm not sure "harder" is the correct word. Maybe "more work" is a better way to put it. I love engineering (my father was a structural engineer), but when I was a senior Physics major in college, I was required to take a 1 credit hour lab class, for each of 3 quarters. Physics 401, 402, and 403 (or something like that). We would meet with the professor for one hour each week, at which time, he would give us our lab assignment. It was then up to us ( a lab partner and me) to complete the lab work, write up the results, and turn it in the following week. The actual labs were pretty simple, but the reports were expected to be very complete. I remember turning in lab reports that were 15-20 pages long, every week. Week in and week out. A real pain in the butt. And there were not any real short cuts, either. It was one of those things that you either did right, or did wrong. It was an absolutely momental amount of work for a 1 credit hour class. I think that was the most work I put into any class in college, and I have two degrees, in two different majors. And you had to take that course for three quarters!

But I will say this, that class really did teach (force) you to become efficient at assimilating and analyzing data.

I was an Electrical Engineer. More work is the better word. I would say EE can be easier or similar conceptually, depending on the classes you take. I picked dual physics/engineering classes, and my classes that didn't work for both majors tended to be heavy in physics anyway (semiconductor physics, microwaves, etc). EE students who go the digital design route deal with far less abstract ideas, but tend to have more work.

I took 4 semesters of labs for Physics classes (though two were linked to a physics class, and very easy). The first year labs for electrical engineering were easier than the physics labs, but the 3000 level EE labs were far more tedious for me than the physics labs. We had to do write ups in some EE labs and my 2 harder physics labs, but I don't remember how long. I was certainly not turning in 10-15 pages a week. My harder physics labs were 2 credits each, and we had 6 hours a week designated for lab, if I remember right. I believe I did 3 write ups and a presentation each semester, so it wasn't too bad.

Also, for what it is worth, I felt like I was generally on or near the top of the class in most of my engineering classes, but closer to average in my physics classes.

By the way, my graduating class was probably 50 engineers per physics major. The entire college of science looked tiny compared to the engineers.

 

[Triple_D]

Yeah, I think lab and field work is great. I think it's important to see how to apply the classroom material in practical applications, and it puts some fun into education. My other major was geology, and we spent loads of time out in the field, both in class and on individual projects.

I think I was about average, in both of my major fields. But I made it.

 

[jhae2.718]

Conjecture: $\exists$ no physics majors, i.e. the set of physics majors P has $|\mathbf{P}| = 0$.

But you are a physics major! Therefore, $|\mathbf{P}| \geqslant 1$.

1 > 0 for all values of 1. Therefore, there exists at least one physics major and the conjecture is disproven. QED.

 

[George Jones]

Why is it that there are no Physics majors?

I don't have to look very far to find a physics major; I share a bed every night with a person who majored in physics.

 

[Xyius]

Conjecture: $\exists$ no physics majors, i.e. the set of physics majors P has $|\mathbf{P}| = 0$.

But you are a physics major! Therefore, $|\mathbf{P}| \geqslant 1$.

1 > 0 for all values of 1. Therefore, there exists at least one physics major and the conjecture is disproven. QED.

Haha! Nice one!

 

[KingNothing]

Perhaps they are putting in a lot of hard work in an attempt to make a better future for themselves? Don't underestimate monetary motivation.

 

[fillipeano]

I've noticed in my math class that most of the students (we had around 45 enrolled, but now after those who have dropped, we are at about 20) are computer science majors. No partners for the physics majors ):