[Q] What undergrad major for particle physics in grad school?

xraymancs
Wed, 03 Apr 2013 22:34:34 +0000

If you are getting a Ph.D. in physics you should not be self-financing. If you are good enough to get into a graduate program, they will support you. Yes, theoretical particle physics is a long and difficult road but I can pretty much guarantee that if you want to travel that path, you need to study physics, not computer engineering. You need all the physics and applied mathematics you can get to get into a good graduate program and that will mean a very strong physics background.

That being said, you have plenty of time to make a decision. Start by majoring in physics (better) or engineering physics (acceptable) and get involved in research. When, and if, you go to graduate school in physics, you will ahve the chance to decide your area after the first year of classes. many of us who have Ph.D.s in physics started out wanting to be theoretical particle physicists but realized after the first year of graduate studies that:


It takes a very particular kind of talent and determination to follow the theoretical particle physics road, and
It is a road that only a few people make a career of.


Conversely, experimental physics and particularly condensed matter physics has a lot more opportunities for employment.

now back to the double major thing. I agree with @GLOBAL that two Bachelor’s degrees are really not worth the extra time. A co-terminal B.S./M.S. combination is somewhat better and if you decide that the Ph.D. in physics is not your path after all, you can easily go from physics to a M.S. in Software Engineering and do very well for yourself.