Engineering Physics

What is engineering physics?

Engineering Physics prepares students to apply physics to tackle 21st century engineering challenges, and to apply engineering to address 21st century questions in physics.

The Engineering Physics was introduced at Stanford in 2006 but has a long history at a number of universities in the US and Canada; see the list at the bottom of this page for examples. You can read about Stanford's Engineering Physics major in detail in the Stanford Engineering Handbook.

What is the difference between Engineering Physics and other majors in Engineering?

Engineering Physics students study the same advanced physics topics as physics majors -- in particular, two quarters of electromagnetism, and at least one quarter each of quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics -- while most other engineering majors would take these courses only as graduate students (or not at all). An Engineering Physics degree prepares students to work in the private or public sectors or in national laboratories at the very forefront of technology, or to pursue an advanced degree in engineering or physics. Industries that need people with very strong scientific backgrounds recognize the Engineering Physics major and what it stands for.

What are some of the practical differences for a student pursuing Engineering Physics rather than Physics at Stanford?

The requirements for the Physics major add up to ~80-90 units; the Engineering Physics major requires closer to 100 units because of the extra engineering courses the major requires.

There are some really great engineering courses (e.g., courses that use the Product Realization Lab) that have limited enrollment. Students can take these courses if they are declared Engineering Physics majors; it would be more difficult for a Physics major to enroll in these courses.

Students who know they want to pursue formal theoretical physics should pursue a major in Physics (and perhaps double-major in Math), rather than doing Engineering Physics. Students interested in experimental physics or 21st century technologies should consider Physics or Engineering Physics. The courses a student would take in their Frosh year are basically the same whether they are considering a major in Physics or Engineering Physics; they will also provide very strong preparation for any other engineering major. See these six sample plans for the start of the Physics or Engineering Physics majors.

What can I do with a degree in Engineering Physics?

A significant fraction (over half) of both Physics and Engineering Physics majors go on to pursue advanced degrees (Masters or PhD) in engineering or physics. Engineering Physics majors tend to work on forefront ideas in technology and science, in either the private or public sectors or academia. Areas include aerospace, biophysics, medical physics, renewable energy (photovoltaics, battery technology, fuel cells, ...), transportation, quantum science & engineering, semiconductors, or materials development. Careers could also include systems engineering, teaching, medicine, law (especially intellectual property or patent law), science writing, history of science, philosophy of science, science policy, energy policy, government, investment analysis, or management in technical fields.

The Physics and Engineering Physics majors are great preparation for almost any career, because they teach students how to analyze complex problems and they give students a strong quantitative background that can be applied in any technical field.

How can I learn more about career in physics-related fields?

You can find information on careers in physics, engineering physics, and related fields at these very useful sites:

Do other universities offer degrees in engineering physics?

Here is a sampling of Engineering Physics programs in North America:

Princeton University
Harvard University (Engineering Physics is a 'track' within Engineering Sciences in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard.)
UC Berkeley (This is a program within Engineering Science.)
Colorado School of Mines (Engineering Physics is the only undergraduate degree offered by the Dept of Physics at CSM.)
Cornell University (This undergraduate program is within the School of Applied and Engineering Physics.)
University of Toronto (Engineering Science)
U of Wisconsin
U of British Columbia
Case Western Reserve
The Ohio State University
Santa Clara University

With whom should I meet for pre-major advising in Engineering Physics?

Contact Prof. Pat Burchat in Physics or Prof. Mark Cappelli in Mechanical Engineering. Professors Burchat and Cappelli serve as co-directors for the Engineering Physics major. They can help you determine whether the major is a good match to your interests and work with you to sketch a four-year plan.

For a list of the advisors for each of the Engineering Physics specialties see the Engineering Physics web page.

Undergraduate Contacts