Phd Definition and 1000 Threads

Hi My ultimate goal is to get a PhD in physics but I also love engineering Can I do both? Is it easier to switch from physics into engineering or engineering into physics? I was thinking about getting a degree in engineering (possibly engineering physics) and then going on to do a...

Hi. Here is my story: I received my engineering BS and MS from universities that are both highly ranked. After working in industry for 1-2 years I am back in school pursuing my PhD. The program I am currently at is not well known and has only just started a PhD program. The lab is well funded...

One of the lecturers at my uni has traced his PhD lineage back to the 17th century (Bernoulli, if you can believe it). Has anyone here done the same? Any interesting results?

Hi, So I am currently interested in attaining an advanced degree in Biophysics (preferably a PhD) but have half a year before I start applying to programs since I have already graduated. I dot want to waste the extra time I have and will be seeking an appropriate internship meanwhile. I will...

Hello everyone, I am a student in particle physics and cosmology in some Belgian university. I'll finish my master degree in June of this year. I am searching for PhD studentships in Europa or US, but it is very difficult to get a place somewhere. I applied to some universities, I'm still...

I recently finished a PhD Physics, and am finding the job market is very tight, as has already been extensively discussed on these boards. Noticing that engineering jobs are more plentiful, I have an idea to go back to school for a MS in Engineering; assuming I can get admitted, it would only...

Hey I am a Physics student in UK. I will be finishing my second year at the end of this month. Then, I would have 2 graduation options 1. I can graduate in 2013 with a BSc in Physics OR 2. I can graduate in 2014 with a MSc in Physics I want to apply to US universities for my PhD. So, I...

My question is pretty much what i wrote in the title, I'm wondering how hard a phd in mathematics from mit or an ivy league univ would be.

Hey all , I have been a not-so-active member of this wonderful site for about three years .These days I'm going through a deciding phase of my life as I'm so close to finish my bachelors in Computer Science and Engineering .I thought this would be a perfect place to get some expert view from...

I'm having a hard time choosing between different supervisors. There is one option of a younger supervisor who is earlier in his academic career and has only just got a grant to do new research and take on new PhD students. He is very friendly and helpful and aware of his students needs. On the...

I currently attend a community college and holding a 3.9 GPA...I realize I don't have many options in my state to transfer because the "good" schools are almost impossible to transfer into even with a 4.0 GPA and I don't know what other credentials they are looking for, and the other reason...

do you think you're an expert on your field? or just about as competent as your advisor? like i just want to know how it feels, i spent lots of hours on this one computer game , i can sort of feel what's like to be very good at one thing. i wonder if that's how you feel after completing a...

I'm in high school right now, but I already am fascinated by science, predominately physics and medical or biomedical sciences and my goal is to become a surgeon. I'v heard of people getting MD PhD double degrees and was wondering what are these good for, are they worth it, and then with one...

im an undergraduate and this is my first semester as a physics major. i was talking with another person in the physics program and he was mentioning that the minimum gpa to get into my current schools graduate program is a 3.9 and while it is a good school it isn't MIT or Cal tech. i was...

For a variety of reasons I did not do very much work in my degree and will probably get a 2.1 Physics MSci. I feel sure that I could have got a 1st if any of these things - combination of illness, personal problems and initial lack of motivation - had not happened. I was not initially sure I...

I'm going to finish my PhD in maths in a few next months. I'm looking for a new job for the future. I really exciting in looking for a job in Finance. But, I don't know where is the starting point. I have learned a course on maths finance when I was in master program. So I understand a little...

Backstory (feel free to skip): Last year, I applied to a bunch of PhD programs in applied math. I got accepted into a couple, but Northwestern offered me an interesting option. They rejected me from the PhD program, but they said that they would accept me into a masters program (which I'd have...

I have a few queries related to Phd in photonics from USA: 1)Which are the best universities in photonics? 2)How long will it take for obtaining a doctoral degree in USA for international students? 3)I have a dream to do Phd in photonics after obtaining Mtech in photonics here in India...

Hello, I am deciding on which PhD program to accept, I have narrowed it down to to three choices: 1. UC Merced physics Program 2. Nebraska University at Lincoln 3. Kansas State University in Manhattan Kansas. I am leaning towards Nebraska, though I am still interested in UC Merced...

what are the physics institutes we have for doing MS or PHD?

Hi everyone. I'm a senior undergrad and about to obtain a bachelors in physics from a top US university. I specialized in solid state physics and am doing my undergrad honors thesis in graphene synthesis and characterization. I want to eventually work in the semiconductor industry or with...

Suppose that I would like a master's in physics, but not a PhD, and consider a university that offers a funded master's program. I understand that universities prefer to take PhD students rather that MS students (since one may squeeze more cheap research labor out of a 3+ year grad student...

Hi guys, After taking some time off after my undergraduate degree in Math (in Australia), I've decided to go back and do a PhD in Mathematics. I applied for a variety of postgrad programs in the US and Australia. Due to the break between undergrad and postgrad, and a few holes in my...

So I have 2 PhD offers at the moment for Theoretical Physics. Both of them are to work on quantum gravity/strings etc. One is at Liverpool University and the other is at Swansea University. I am not sure how to decide between them. At the moment, I have: Liverpool>Swansea: (i) Liverpool is a...

Hi all, I'm trying to decide where to go for graduate school, and I'm wondering how much attention I should pay to the rankings. Is a top 10 significantly better than a top 20, 20 better than a 30, 30 better than 40 etc. My 5 - 10 year plan is a good post doc(s), and to at least try to end...

I understand that PhDs tend to take several years to complete due to a variety of reasons. It depends on your field and the type of research as well as personal factors I am probably not aware of. I was wondering how people complete their degrees in as little as three years. I'm not going to...

Hello everyone, I feel that I can complete a thesis within a year but its quality would not be as great if I spend two years in it. However, I would like to complete my thesis so that I can begin during research on my own and enjoy the privileges of having a PHD whatever they might be. The...

For the longest time, I've wanted to get a PhD in physics, because I just found everything involving it facinating. I found both the microscopic and the macroscopic worlds it describes very interesting. In light of my academic progress in maths, I don't appear to be getting it, despite my...

This is an entirely new question - you really should start a new thread, to stop confusion. If by `abroad' you mean the states, then yes, you'd need to take the GRE. However, you wouldn't need to take it if you were going to, for example, the UK. As for `how hard', I think the best way of...

Hi, I have a B.sc with first class honours, with a major in biochemistry and I want to do a phd in astrophysics. I have two years of undergrad physics and a good knowledge of vector calculus, DEs, linear algebra, etc. What are my chances of getting into a program? I know in america you guys have...

In the US, there is an FE, and a PE (fundamentals, and principles/practice of engineering) Where do those fall on the continuum of ongoing education relative to a masters or PhD program? Should I look at the PE before or after a masters program? What did you do? Why? thanks!

Hi All, I am doing PhD in Physics and interested in medical physics. I am wondering what I should do to switch to medical physics? I was told that I should do two years training after my PhD and pass ABR exam. Is that all it takes to switch to medical physics? Where can I look for more...

Besides having the best academic record and publications, what else can one do to improve his chances to be accepted to this prestige club? Just a dream... :-(

So I would like to do an MS in medical physics from a CAMPEP accredited program. Ultimately, I would want a PhD in medical physics. I currently have a job that I obtained with my electrical engineering degree in the automotive industry. I also have 50K in student loans from undergrad. I...

Hi, Prospective physics undergraduate. Interested in topics of applied mechanics - fluids, dynamical systems, biomechanics, etc. "How fish swim?" or "How bubbles go pop?" are questions I find myself interested in. Not saying I don't like fundamental physics, just that I am interested in such...

Hi all, Today I got my mensa test scores back , it was 104 ..Im a 3rd year theoretical physicst in one of the top universities in the US , with a first in my first year and 2nd year . I was planning to do a PHD later , but this test has dented my hopes ..I am quite good at maths , maybe the...

I'm initially doing PhD programs in Science Education, but because of funding problems, the department decided to let go a couple of students. I was unfortunate as the department has decided to stop funding my PhD. :cry: Not all was lost, though. I'm now doing Master in Physics, and almost...

While searching for a job, a number of people have suggested that I leave the PhD off my resume when applying for positions that don't require it. I haven't tried that yet, but am considering it. The alleged benefit is that fewer employers will be scared off by the "overqualified" PhD label...

I was browsing through a few schools websites, and apparently, UCR, UCLA and UCSD do not force Chemistry PHD candidates to take a written comprehensive exam! However, the Physics PHD candidates take a brutal and long comprehensive exam consisting of 2-3 quarters each of advanced quantum...

I attended a workshop for phd interviews a couple of weeks ago and basically had two positions I was gunning for. A few days after the workshop I got an immediate rejection from one, but the other has yet to email me almost 2 weeks after. The deadline for accepting/declining offers was supposed...

Is it possible, or worth the trouble? A little background info: I'm currently a freshman at a small liberal arts college. I didn't give much thought to anything outside of the humanities when I chose to come here because I wanted to go to law school, which doesn't require any prerequisites. I...

Hi, Is it possible to go to the field of Bioinformatics for a PhD or industry after doing Theoretical Computer Science at the MSc level, or will it require additional training in the Life Sciences?

How do people generally go about choosing a subject to do thesis on in one's last undergraduate year (ie: year long thesis project)? Should one be picking the desired field for a phd subject as an undergrad or is it okay to "make a mistake" and apply for something different at grad school...

I stumbled across this link http://www.resumeserviceplus.com/advices.php?topic=5-Highest-Paying-Engineering-Specializations which gives data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics on engineering salaries. The second table breaks things down by education level. Can someone explain to me why...

Hey Guys. Long time lurker here :P I have a question about PhD titles. I am a mathematician. I did my undergraduate degree (BSc) in Mathematics and my postgraduate degree (MSc) in Applied Mathematics, i am now looking at doing a PhD. I found an interesting PhD in next generation...

Hello all, I am a new member here and am currently doing my PhD in nanoscience related area. My husband is a successful phd and currently in academia. I joined phd right after my masters, and hence have no industry experience. However, I am keen to enter industry after I graduate...

So I am about to finish my PhD and am stressing a lot about my future. I have two possible options which I am thinking of either staying in physics and getting a post-doc or moving into industry or perhaps finance. So this is my thought process: I really enjoy certain aspects of physics but...

Hello all, I am sure this has been asked before, but just can't seem to find a thread. To make a long story short I have been on the 10 year track to my Bachelor's degree; there are a lot of outside factors. I am getting my BS in mechanical engineering and want to go on to a PhD in...

Hi, I am looking for PhD positions at some universities in the UK still opened? I missed the application deadline at the Kings College and Imperial, and I am quite disappointed with that. That's why I am asking here, I would hate to miss other opportunities. My subject predilections are CFT...

Hello everyone, I'm about to start my honours year in a science degree majoring in nanotechnology. I am pretty confident that I'm on track for first class honours and have had a few academics inviting me to come do a PhD with them once I graduate. However, in my studies I have only completed...