- #1
cjv998
- 16
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Hi everyone. Here's my basic situation: I have my BS in physics, and am seriously considering going back to school for a BS or MS in EE (probably emphasizing on electronics).
I got my BS in physics in May '08, and took a job halfway across the country (government job, running computer modeling software). After 4.5 years, I realized I was really unhappy with where I lived, and with my job to a lesser degree. Running the software was getting really tedious and repetitive, and I hate tedious repetitive tasks. I've moved back by my family, and have been searching for a new job. I don't think I'd genuinely enjoy any of the jobs I've found that "only" require a BS in physics - plus, there simply aren't a whole lot of those jobs out there.
I've thought about returning to school. I don't think an MS in physics is right for me - I really don't enjoy most higher-level physics (quantum, thermal, etc.). Learning how the world works is awesome, but I'd really love to apply that knowledge and solve useful problems, i.e. engineering. Electrical engineering appeals to me a lot, particularly electronics design. (I don't think I'd enjoy controls or communications, though DSP could be interesting.)
A BS in EE would only require 45-50 credit hours, which could condense down into 4-5 semesters. (I've got all the math and general ed courses, I just need the "core" EE courses - I even took courses in optics and photonic devices which will count.) Alternatively, I could start toward an MS in EE after 2 semesters of undergrad "bridge" courses. Add the ~2 years of graduate coursework, and I'd be looking at roughly 6 semesters to get the MS. So that's only really 1 year more than the BS would take. However, I'd still be obviously lacking in a some undergrad EE courses and knowledge compared to someone with a BSEE, which makes me wonder how difficult the graduate-level EE courses would be. Then again, if the courses are really in areas that I don't care about, what's the difference? You can see my dilemma... :)
I definitely prefer working with hardware, but I don't mind writing some basic code here or there. I'd love to do prototyping or testing in a lab. Computer-based modeling appeals to me as well, as long as it isn't too programming-intensive. (I didn't care for my last modeling job, but that's because I wasn't interested in the stuff I was modeling.)
So, here are my questions:
Thanks for the replies! (I'm also talking to an advisor/professor at my old college, but I figure it could be good to get someone else's perspective on this too.)
I got my BS in physics in May '08, and took a job halfway across the country (government job, running computer modeling software). After 4.5 years, I realized I was really unhappy with where I lived, and with my job to a lesser degree. Running the software was getting really tedious and repetitive, and I hate tedious repetitive tasks. I've moved back by my family, and have been searching for a new job. I don't think I'd genuinely enjoy any of the jobs I've found that "only" require a BS in physics - plus, there simply aren't a whole lot of those jobs out there.
I've thought about returning to school. I don't think an MS in physics is right for me - I really don't enjoy most higher-level physics (quantum, thermal, etc.). Learning how the world works is awesome, but I'd really love to apply that knowledge and solve useful problems, i.e. engineering. Electrical engineering appeals to me a lot, particularly electronics design. (I don't think I'd enjoy controls or communications, though DSP could be interesting.)
A BS in EE would only require 45-50 credit hours, which could condense down into 4-5 semesters. (I've got all the math and general ed courses, I just need the "core" EE courses - I even took courses in optics and photonic devices which will count.) Alternatively, I could start toward an MS in EE after 2 semesters of undergrad "bridge" courses. Add the ~2 years of graduate coursework, and I'd be looking at roughly 6 semesters to get the MS. So that's only really 1 year more than the BS would take. However, I'd still be obviously lacking in a some undergrad EE courses and knowledge compared to someone with a BSEE, which makes me wonder how difficult the graduate-level EE courses would be. Then again, if the courses are really in areas that I don't care about, what's the difference? You can see my dilemma... :)
I definitely prefer working with hardware, but I don't mind writing some basic code here or there. I'd love to do prototyping or testing in a lab. Computer-based modeling appeals to me as well, as long as it isn't too programming-intensive. (I didn't care for my last modeling job, but that's because I wasn't interested in the stuff I was modeling.)
So, here are my questions:
- Should I go for a BS in EE, or should I jump into an MS program? (I've read about some issues with getting a PE license if your BS isn't in engineering. Still unclear on what my state requires, despite some google searching.)
- Could someone with a BS in EE be given a significant amount of input in hardware design, or would I need the MS for that type of work?
Thanks for the replies! (I'm also talking to an advisor/professor at my old college, but I figure it could be good to get someone else's perspective on this too.)
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