Academia in 2017

is the physics route sort of a waste of time at this point? it seems like everyone wants engineers and nobody gives a fuck about physics grads, even in comparison to math since they can go into CS things, finance, statistics etc... i wanted to major in it or math but i don't want to make a big mistake. Is math considered safer than physics?

bump for importance

I switched to cuckgineering out of fear of this but it turned out to be gay as fuck lol.

Applying to masters programs in physics soon but idk if its worth it breh

Employers don't want to spend money training employees. They prefer people that are already trained. I.e engineers. Because of this, colleges have essentially become vocational schools.

If you actually learn anything doing physics or math undergrad you can get those same engineering positions.

If you get a master's or doctorates then you have all that plus more possibility.

But don't you have to be a certified engineer?

Or could a physics BS take a PE exam and boom technically be an engineer?
Because I know physicists can work as engineers, but why would a firm hire someone who "could" work as an engineer vs. an actual engineer lol

idk i got a bs in physics and got hired out of school as a chemist

lmfao

I've only heard good things about physicists in my country. Heard of a grill who got a job in finance without any formal training, just because being a physicist made her good at analyzing data.

How?

No, it doesn't work like that. You have to have graduated from an accredited engineering program in order to take a PE exam. The engineering field is competitive enough to that they won't look at someone without formal training in engineering.

You'd be better off learning how to code and trying to go into CS, like a desperate math major. My cousin in law did that with a math/physics double major.

Or try to become an actuary; I'm guessing you've done probability and statistics like a math major (make sure to study a rigorous mathematical statistics book). Also learn some finance / economics in this case.

Na m8 I'm in EE but I realized once it was too late that Engr is gay af and I prefer physics and intend to pursue it in grad

Thing is, I'm heavily at a disadvantage (to say the fucking least) for grad admissions since I don't have upper division phys courses on my transcript

So it's switch to physics and try to make that phd grind (and thrash my engr degree I only have 1 year left on) or get cucked and have to do a 3 year masters (and pay for it) before I can even start a PhD

Feelsbadman

sage followup:
If I switched to phys then it's two years for BS and straight to PhD (rather than 1 year BS 3 years masters, save two years)

I am at a loss as to which is the better/worse option. Opinions/ suggestions Veeky Forums?
(considering also I'm paying for all this with student loans except for PhD which is hopefully on fellowship)

Top fucking kek.

Check the ABET site. I think there are cases where physics grads can at minimum take the FE. Not sure about PE.

Depends, a P. Eng just says that if what you make fails, you're responsible because you signed off. Need to show due diligence. Engineer's have to have presentable work, and a in great part because they need to show due diligence if something they make does fail.

Adding to this, that's why engineers can make fuck huge cha-chingas, the legal responsibility of a product falls on them, as well as it's actual design.

What the fuck country let's admission into PhD without graduate level courses via a masters?

>paying for a masters
>being a field where people actually get masters

Except you literally can't get those engineering jobs because you are required to have a degree in any engineering discipline to get an engineering job.

>wanting a "safe" major
Cuck!
Major in (eco)system/network theory/science if you want means of production 30 years from now

probably something with materials or computational chemistry

if you can't get a job in it, there is no reason to major in it and might as well do something else and read up on it in your own time.
>fact

this post is hilarious

getting a BS in physics and not going to grad school is retarded

if you only wanna do BS, engineering is vastly superior

if you wanna do PhD, pick whatever is most fun to you

>engineering
>fun
KEK
If I got the physics BS I'm obviously going for PhD, but I'm close to finishing my engr degree anyway. Long story short I'm scared of my engr degree fucking me over for physics

if you don't like engineering and want to get a physics PhD, then you were probably stupid to switch majors. just make sure you have the background knowledge for the grad program you are going into. god damn, go talk to your advisor and figure this shit out. actually you should talk to professors and students in the grad programs you are interested in. people on Veeky Forums are generally dumb undergrads, so dont take them too seriously.

In the US you can apply for Masters or PhD straight out of undergrad. Some PhD programs award masters degrees along the way.

It kind of depends on what your background is and what you want to study for the PhD. You may or may not be able to take important courses as part of a Masters degree. Also, it's generally easier to get a variety of undergrad research positions during the summers or the school year than as a Masters student.

Ideal option is to extend your Eng degree for a year or two, but that may not be possible. I am leaning toward recommending more undergrad if you are serious about the PhD, but its pretty situation dependent.

All this is assuming American system btw.

That you don't know this means you need to pay more attention.

Which country?