Thinking about switching majors to either physics or computer science.

[UglyCasanova]

I'm a graphic design major right now, but I've come to realize that this just isn't for me. I know I am going to switch majors, but I am torn between Computer Science and Physics. Honestly I think I would enjoy physics more than CS, but I am not sure what kind of job market there is other than HS teachers. If I do go the physics route I am fairly certain that I will want to go on and get my PhD, even though I am sure that will put me in debt for the rest of my life. :disgust:

Also, if I do major in physics would cs be a good minor or vice versa? I'm going to talk to some people in the different departments first before I make any kind of decision, but with so many CS and physics people here I would love to hear your input. Thanks!

 

[notfred]

What physics classes have you taken so far? Any that require calculus?

 

[UglyCasanova]

Originally posted by: notfred
What physics classes have you taken so far? Any that require calculus?

Nope, I will be starting from scratch. The only physics class I have ever had was in HS.

 

[JetBlack69]

Physics would be cool.

How much do you like coding?

 

[cchen]

How good are you at math and how prepared are you to be basically doing math for the next 4 years?

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: UglyCassanova

Originally posted by: notfred
What physics classes have you taken so far? Any that require calculus?

Nope, I will be starting from scratch. The only physics class I have ever had was in HS.

Well, assuming that your school sets up physics and calculus classes the same way as mine, go ahead and take Calc 1. After that, you can enroll simultaneously in Calc 2. And the first REAL physics class. All three of those classes will be required for either the comp. sci. or physics major. For comp. sci, you'll also need to take at least one more physics class after that.

Physics and calculus are HARD classes. You'll be worknig at a level way above what you're doing now in graphic design in terms of amount of time spent studying and doing homework.

I suggest that for spring semester you sign up for calc 1, and the first comp sci programming class that CS majors at your school are required to take. See if you enjoy either of them. If you don't like calculus, you're not going to enjoy physics. Comp Sci will not involve much calculus after you pass the classes required for graduation.

I'm a comp. sci. major, and my calc. and physics classes have been the ones I liked the least. There is just too much work involved.

 

[LS20]

hm...computer science...classes with 100 guys 5 girls... 50 of whom cant dress themselves...10 of whom lug a laptop to class just to play solitaire... and all of whom ask the most obscure questions in class as a guise to show off how much they know about dead programming languages and alternative hardware and software

with a phd in physics you wont be bound to teaching... id imagine there'd be a lot of research opportunities and you can work in a host of industries

 

[UglyCasanova]

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: UglyCassanova

Originally posted by: notfred
What physics classes have you taken so far? Any that require calculus?

Nope, I will be starting from scratch. The only physics class I have ever had was in HS.

Well, assuming that your school sets up physics and calculus classes the same way as mine, go ahead and take Calc 1. After that, you can enroll simultaneously in Calc 2. And the first REAL physics class. All three of those classes will be required for either the comp. sci. or physics major. For comp. sci, you'll also need to take at least one more physics class after that.

Physics and calculus are HARD classes. You'll be worknig at a level way above what you're doing now in graphic design in terms of amount of time spent studying and doing homework.

I suggest that for spring semester you sign up for calc 1, and the first comp sci programming class that CS majors at your school are required to take. See if you enjoy either of them. If you don't like calculus, you're not going to enjoy physics. Comp Sci will not involve much calculus after you pass the classes required for graduation.

I'm a comp. sci. major, and my calc. and physics classes have been the ones I liked the least. There is just too much work involved.

I've actually already taken the first CS class and did great in it. I don't mind coding, but I'm not really sure whether or not I will enjoy it in another 20 years. I have no problem with the amount of maths I will be taking, and that is one of my reasons for switching in the first place. I don't feel like I'm actually getting a worthwhile education in graphic design.

How are the job markets for someone with a degree in either physics or comp sci? I realize that many people who graduate with a physics degree end up with a non-physics related job, but will I still be able to find a job or will I most likely end up working at McDonalds for a few years?

 

[notfred]

Comp. Sci. jobs are pretty obvious. Programmers and other people woring with software. I'm not real sure about physics, but I bet it's applicable to many areas of engineering, or you could always be a university physics professor, if you like that.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Originally posted by: LS20
hm...computer science...classes with 100 guys 5 girls... 50 of whom cant dress themselves...10 of whom lug a laptop to class just to play solitaire... and all of whom ask the most obscure questions in class as a guise to show off how much they know about dead programming languages and alternative hardware and software

with a phd in physics you wont be bound to teaching... id imagine there'd be a lot of research opportunities and you can work in a host of industries

That is what I'm hoping, as I would love to go into research. From what I've read though, the odds are against me getting a research ( or even a physics related ) job.

Well I'm about to go enjoy my wonderful job at Cracker Barrel, and hopefully make enough money to compensate for the gas spent travelling there. Any comments are welcome and appreciated.

 

[J0hnny]

Take calculus and a real physics course before you jump into a physics major. It's definitely not an easy road unless you have a knack for math.

 

[Savij]

there are plenty of physics related jobs out there. I've been looking for engineering jobs for the last few weeks and many of them say they want people with engineering, physics or some related field. Companies that I can think of that have had positions like this are: Boeing, Lockheed Martin, General Motors, IBM and other smaller companies. Just do a job search on monter or something and see.

 

[ssmithBH]

You will never make any real money with a physics degree; get into this because you love science, math and solving problems. There are no real straight physics jobs for anyone except Ph.D.s, so count on a lot of schooling ahead. Most people that ever make any money with hard science degrees (physics, chemistry, engineering, etc.) usually have business double majors or MBAs and get into the contracts side of things. For any of these hard science majors count on 4-6 calculus and higher level math courses, one year of inorganic chemistry with labs, one year of organic chemistry with labs (possible), and one year of physics with labs. After that you get into your higher level major courses. I found all of this very challenging and interesting and ended up graduating with an accounting degree to get work. Best of luck and start studying.

 

[beer]

Physicists are among the highest paid technical people.

But it's really hard for you to say if you like physics without ever taking a physics class! Declare yourself as CS and take the CS-required physics, if they are the same as physicist-required physics (at my school they aren't).

A lot of people like the idea behind knowing the 'true science of the universe.' That is, until they realize that it is often tedious, boring, and not very exciting because your first couple of years are spent doing mechanics and electromagnetism that have been finalized over 100 years ago.

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: ssmithBH
You will never make any real money with a physics degree; get into this because you love science, math and solving problems. There are no real straight physics jobs for anyone except Ph.D.s, so count on a lot of schooling ahead. Most people that ever make any money with hard science degrees (physics, chemistry, engineering, etc.) usually have business double majors or MBAs and get into the contracts side of things. For any of these hard science majors count on 4-6 calculus and higher level math courses, one year of inorganic chemistry with labs, one year of organic chemistry with labs (possible), and one year of physics with labs. After that you get into your higher level major courses. I found all of this very challenging and interesting and ended up graduating with an accounting degree to get work. Best of luck and start studying.

You have no clue what you are talking about. What you are saying applies to biology and that's about it.
My girlfriend's dad is a chemist with an MS and just bought a $600K house with cash. You may not be an executive with an MS, but you'll do well. With your accounting degree (and subsequent CPA certification, I'm sure) you can be an auditor. Whoop de fvcking do. Technical majors have a lot more options coming out of undergraduate (patent law, MBA programs, MS programs, med school, etc) wheras business undergraduates have an MBA track and a general law track and that's about it.

It sounds like you're just a bitter engineering reject.

 

[gopunk]

If I do go the physics route I am fairly certain that I will want to go on and get my PhD, even though I am sure that will put me in debt for the rest of my life. :disgust:

if it's anything near a reputable school, you will be the one getting paid. only programs where you pay will be professional types, like business, law, medicine, nursing, dentistry. if you're going to be doing research for a university, you will be getting paid, not the other way around.

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: Elemental007

Originally posted by: ssmithBH
You will never make any real money with a physics degree; get into this because you love science, math and solving problems. There are no real straight physics jobs for anyone except Ph.D.s, so count on a lot of schooling ahead. Most people that ever make any money with hard science degrees (physics, chemistry, engineering, etc.) usually have business double majors or MBAs and get into the contracts side of things. For any of these hard science majors count on 4-6 calculus and higher level math courses, one year of inorganic chemistry with labs, one year of organic chemistry with labs (possible), and one year of physics with labs. After that you get into your higher level major courses. I found all of this very challenging and interesting and ended up graduating with an accounting degree to get work. Best of luck and start studying.

You have no clue what you are talking about. What you are saying applies to biology and that's about it.
My girlfriend's dad is a chemist with an MS and just bought a $600K house with cash. You may not be an executive with an MS, but you'll do well. With your accounting degree (and subsequent CPA certification, I'm sure) you can be an auditor. Whoop de fvcking do. Technical majors have a lot more options coming out of undergraduate (patent law, MBA programs, MS programs, med school, etc) wheras business undergraduates have an MBA track and a general law track and that's about it.

It sounds like you're just a bitter engineering reject.

Damn man, relax. What the hell is wrong with all the ATOTers? So he said something you disagree with, do you need to insult the guy?

My grandfather was lead chemist for R&D at Conoco, and he did quite well; not $600k-house-in-cash well, but being from a generation with a depression he was rather parsimonious with his money. He spent all his years there loving the work, and he wouldn't continued to work for free if given the opportunity.

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: Descartes

Originally posted by: Elemental007

Originally posted by: ssmithBH
You will never make any real money with a physics degree; get into this because you love science, math and solving problems. There are no real straight physics jobs for anyone except Ph.D.s, so count on a lot of schooling ahead. Most people that ever make any money with hard science degrees (physics, chemistry, engineering, etc.) usually have business double majors or MBAs and get into the contracts side of things. For any of these hard science majors count on 4-6 calculus and higher level math courses, one year of inorganic chemistry with labs, one year of organic chemistry with labs (possible), and one year of physics with labs. After that you get into your higher level major courses. I found all of this very challenging and interesting and ended up graduating with an accounting degree to get work. Best of luck and start studying.

You have no clue what you are talking about. What you are saying applies to biology and that's about it.
My girlfriend's dad is a chemist with an MS and just bought a $600K house with cash. You may not be an executive with an MS, but you'll do well. With your accounting degree (and subsequent CPA certification, I'm sure) you can be an auditor. Whoop de fvcking do. Technical majors have a lot more options coming out of undergraduate (patent law, MBA programs, MS programs, med school, etc) wheras business undergraduates have an MBA track and a general law track and that's about it.

It sounds like you're just a bitter engineering reject.

Damn man, relax. What the hell is wrong with all the ATOTers? So he said something you disagree with, do you need to insult the guy?

i think the whole "i'm a business major, it'e better than engineering" thing just gets old after the 50th time because, at least in my school, business is your backup if you don't make it in engineering.

and fwiw, engineering is not "hard science". science and engineering are different.

 

[Chaotic42]

I'm going into Physics at USM. Go for it!

 

[jaydee]

Originally posted by: LS20
hm...computer science...classes with 100 guys 5 girls... 50 of whom cant dress themselves...10 of whom lug a laptop to class just to play solitaire... and all of whom ask the most obscure questions in class as a guise to show off how much they know about dead programming languages and alternative hardware and software

with a phd in physics you wont be bound to teaching... id imagine there'd be a lot of research opportunities and you can work in a host of industries

As opposed to the hoards of attractive young women flocking to get phD's in Physics...


Notfred's advice is sound: Sign up for Calc I and CS-101 (or whatever the first term CS class is at your school) next semester (probably throw in a chem class w/lab as well), and see how that goes. If so far so good (at least B's in all three), go for Calc II, Phys I, Chem II and you can probably take it from there. Sorry to say, if you're not sure if you want to be a physics major right now, you probably won't know for sure until you finish Phys II. Newtonian Mechanics is easy, E & M is much, much more difficult (and I'm an EE).

 

[LordMorpheus]

Originally posted by: UglyCassanova

Originally posted by: LS20
hm...computer science...classes with 100 guys 5 girls... 50 of whom cant dress themselves...10 of whom lug a laptop to class just to play solitaire... and all of whom ask the most obscure questions in class as a guise to show off how much they know about dead programming languages and alternative hardware and software

with a phd in physics you wont be bound to teaching... id imagine there'd be a lot of research opportunities and you can work in a host of industries

That is what I'm hoping, as I would love to go into research. From what I've read though, the odds are against me getting a research ( or even a physics related ) job.

Well I'm about to go enjoy my wonderful job at Cracker Barrel, and hopefully make enough money to compensate for the gas spent travelling there. Any comments are welcome and appreciated.

*GASP*

DO PHYSICS!!!

If you are lucky, you could wind up working at Fermilab or Argonlab!!!

Those are the two coolest places on Earth (CERN will be cool when they finish that monster collider they are building . . . but as of now Fermi owns them).

DO IT!!! WEEEEeeeeee e e . e .. e

(and when I visited Fermi, I didn't see a shortage of the womenses. I mean, less women physists than women bikini models, but really, the man/woman ratio in physics is not as bad as it is in CS)

 

[LAUST]

CS = no job market anymore

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: Descartes

Originally posted by: Elemental007

Originally posted by: ssmithBH
You will never make any real money with a physics degree; get into this because you love science, math and solving problems. There are no real straight physics jobs for anyone except Ph.D.s, so count on a lot of schooling ahead. Most people that ever make any money with hard science degrees (physics, chemistry, engineering, etc.) usually have business double majors or MBAs and get into the contracts side of things. For any of these hard science majors count on 4-6 calculus and higher level math courses, one year of inorganic chemistry with labs, one year of organic chemistry with labs (possible), and one year of physics with labs. After that you get into your higher level major courses. I found all of this very challenging and interesting and ended up graduating with an accounting degree to get work. Best of luck and start studying.

You have no clue what you are talking about. What you are saying applies to biology and that's about it.
My girlfriend's dad is a chemist with an MS and just bought a $600K house with cash. You may not be an executive with an MS, but you'll do well. With your accounting degree (and subsequent CPA certification, I'm sure) you can be an auditor. Whoop de fvcking do. Technical majors have a lot more options coming out of undergraduate (patent law, MBA programs, MS programs, med school, etc) wheras business undergraduates have an MBA track and a general law track and that's about it.

It sounds like you're just a bitter engineering reject.

Damn man, relax. What the hell is wrong with all the ATOTers? So he said something you disagree with, do you need to insult the guy?

My grandfather was lead chemist for R&D at Conoco, and he did quite well; not $600k-house-in-cash well, but being from a generation with a depression he was rather parsimonious with his money. He spent all his years there loving the work, and he wouldn't continued to work for free if given the opportunity.

I am sick of the 'business is twice the money with half the work of engineering' mindset that business majors have. Truth be told, they have fewer opportunities once they graduate, and while they may make competive money once they are out, they also work many more hours than engineers. An engineer can do any postgrad work that a business major can as well as pursue premed, MS, or patent law (if a business major has taken enough classes to do well on the MCAT, then this does not apply, but since that requires bio/chem/physics, that would not be a business major). Most of the engineers that I know graduated and went to big companies that make them work 9 hours a day or so. When was the last time you saw a lawyer or investment banker pull a 45 hour week?

 

[UglyCasanova]

Thanks for the replies everybody. God this is killing me, but the more I think about it the more enticing a degree in physics sounds. Even if the pay is lower than say, a mechanical engineer (or hell, maybe not. I haven't seen any numbers on engineers), I would think it would be better than a graphic designer. I shocked my parents when I told them, partly because I am doing so well in graphic design.

All of this came about in my Color Theory Class the other day. Although I am among the top of my art classes (especially when it comes to design), I just don't think I really want to do this for the rest of my life. Our assignment was to make a color grid, and so I spent 4 hours staring at a 5 x 5 grid of colors trying to make a design that "works". I realized that I am paying money out of the ass for my education as well as all of my time spent doing it, and I could be doing something else that I would consider much more worthwhile.

I'm not even sure if the first Calculus is offered during the spring quarter, but if not I think I may just take a Trig class to refresh me (It's been 2 years since I've done any so I'm sure I could use it).

I've also heard that the CS market is in a slump, is this true? If so, should one expect any sort of rebound in the future?

 

[OulOat]

Originally posted by: Elemental007

Originally posted by: ssmithBH
You will never make any real money with a physics degree; get into this because you love science, math and solving problems. There are no real straight physics jobs for anyone except Ph.D.s, so count on a lot of schooling ahead. Most people that ever make any money with hard science degrees (physics, chemistry, engineering, etc.) usually have business double majors or MBAs and get into the contracts side of things. For any of these hard science majors count on 4-6 calculus and higher level math courses, one year of inorganic chemistry with labs, one year of organic chemistry with labs (possible), and one year of physics with labs. After that you get into your higher level major courses. I found all of this very challenging and interesting and ended up graduating with an accounting degree to get work. Best of luck and start studying.

You have no clue what you are talking about. What you are saying applies to biology and that's about it.
My girlfriend's dad is a chemist with an MS and just bought a $600K house with cash. You may not be an executive with an MS, but you'll do well. With your accounting degree (and subsequent CPA certification, I'm sure) you can be an auditor. Whoop de fvcking do. Technical majors have a lot more options coming out of undergraduate (patent law, MBA programs, MS programs, med school, etc) wheras business undergraduates have an MBA track and a general law track and that's about it.

It sounds like you're just a bitter engineering reject.

WTF, my dad got a MS in chem too, and now after switch career paths to IT he makes twice as much as he ever did as a chemist. Went back to his reunion and most of his classmates already changed careers or are still making sh!t pay. Told me that unless you love chemistry, don't go into it cause you won't make jack. Your friends dad must be a very lucky man.