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Should I major in mathematics, physics, or engineering?
lovelybones221
5 replies7 threads New Member
After some time in college I've realized I want to major in the STEM field, because I love solving complex problems and a challenge. Math and physics are challenging and require critical thinking, and I enjoy studying hard to understand the concepts. But I don't know if I should major in math, physics, or engineering, because all three fields are intriguing in their own way. Which of these require the most creativity and critical thinking/problem solving? Topics that I find fascinating include astronomy, aerospace, string theory, the physics behind rollercoasters/cars/airplanes, calculus, trigonometry, and other topics as well. Also, I hate being bored. I get anxiety when I'm bored, so I need to major in something that allows me to constantly be on my feet and doing things. I wouldn't even mind a career path that would allow me to work outdoors and away from artificial light, and if not that, then something hands-on perhaps like engineering. However, another part of me doesn't know if I will be truly satisfied as an engineer, because I'm afraid my job will be stagnant, and I won't be able to learn more and expand my mind to new theories and ideas. And yet another part of me dreams of being able to solve math problems all day and just appreciating the beauty of math, because I truly and strongly believe that math is just as much an art as it is a science. So anyone have any ideas of what should I major in?
13 replies This discussion has been closed.
Replies to: Should I major in mathematics, physics, or engineering?
Engineering BS, if you want a high paying job in four years.
I know UTexas Math BS graduates that work at box stores. Of course they weren't the best if the best.
Note, however, that math and physics majors often end up working in other jobs, though sometimes in jobs requiring more math skills like finance, actuarial, operations research, and computing.
Engineering jobs can obviously be affected by industry cycles.
I think my comment was not as clear as it should have been. My time guestimate was total time BS through PhD... 8yrs
So you are saying 10.5 on avg.
http://bulletin.case.edu/schoolofengineering/engineeringphysics/
In this particular example, the major includes a concentration in a sub-field of engineering.
If you started in such a major, you could fairly easily shift either toward theoretical physics and math, or toward a more traditional engineering major. The major also offers broad enough preparation to apply to a range of grad programs, in engineering or physics. (CWRU is also great in terms of complete freedom of mobility between majors - this can really be a plus when you're not quite sure what you want.)
Other schools that offer engineering physics majors include Stanford, Dartmouth, Berkeley, UCSD, Stevens, Santa Clara, Brown, Cornell, UW-Madison, Fordham, CO-Mines, UMinnesota, and many more.
You can always switch to engineering for grad school or remain an experimental physicist. Both get lots of hands on experience (depending on field).