Studies & Degrees in Engineering Physics
Engineering Physics Study Programs
Engineering physics is a degree that combines the core of a physics degree with the design training of an engineering degree. Colorado School of Mines describes engineering physicists as people who work at the meeting point of discovery and innovation, bridging theoretical science and practical engineering. The subject suits students who like mathematics and physics and also want to build devices, instruments and systems.
Students take the mathematics and physics that a physicist takes: calculus, differential equations, classical mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. To this they add engineering science, laboratory work, programming and a design project. At Mines, for example, the final year includes a year-long, multidisciplinary capstone project for an industry partner. Later years are usually organised around a focus area. The University of Wisconsin-Madison offers three: nanoengineering, plasma science and engineering, and scientific computing. Mines lists aerospace and space physics, semiconductors and microelectronics, renewable energy and photonics, and nuclear engineering.
Qualifications and levels
Engineering physics is mainly studied as a first degree, with master's degrees and doctorates for those who continue.
- United States. The degree is a Bachelor of Science planned for four years. It carries more credits than many other bachelor's degrees: 128 credit hours at the University of Colorado Boulder and 130 credits at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Accreditation in the United States is voluntary and is carried out by non-governmental organisations; for engineering programmes the usual body is ABET. Colorado School of Mines states that its programme is one of 20 ABET-accredited engineering physics programmes in the country, so accreditation is worth checking for each school.
- Canada. At the University of British Columbia (UBC), students complete a first year of engineering or science and then four more years in the Engineering Physics programme. Four co-op work terms of four months each are built into the programme.
- Spain. Official university degrees have a fixed structure: a bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits and master's degrees of 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. The Grado en Ingeniería Física of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), for example, lasts four academic years and has 240 ECTS credits, including the final degree project. The same university teaches an official master's degree in engineering physics of 60 ECTS credits in English, open to graduates in physics, engineering physics or related engineering and science degrees.
- Doctorate. Many graduates continue to a PhD. The University of Wisconsin-Madison states that nearly all graduates of its programme go on to graduate degrees.
Where to study
SpainExchange lists 21 active schools for engineering physics. Sixteen are in the United States, two in Spain, and one each in Canada, Germany and Vietnam. The United States list includes Colorado School of Mines in Golden, the University of Colorado at Boulder, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, The Ohio State University in Columbus, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of California San Diego and smaller colleges such as Fort Lewis College in Durango. Outside the United States the list includes the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, the Technische Universität München in Munich, Vietnam National University in Hanoi and, in Spain, the Universitat de Barcelona and the Universidad del País Vasco.
Programmes in the United States and Canada are taught in English. In Spain the language depends on the university and the level: bachelor's degrees are usually taught in Spanish or in the co-official language of the region, and some master's degrees are taught in English. The name of the degree also varies. Some universities call it applied physics or engineering science, and some teach it in the physics department and others in the engineering faculty. Compare the course list and the accreditation, not only the title.
Careers
Graduates work where new physics becomes a product. Colorado School of Mines lists research and development engineer or scientist, systems or design engineer, optical, laser or photonics engineer, semiconductor or microelectronics engineer, computational physicist or simulation engineer, medical or health physicist, and data scientist or software engineer as common paths. The UPC names high-technology industry, electronics and nanotechnology, telecommunications, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, consultancy, and research and development centres.
A research career needs further study. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, physicists and astronomers typically need a PhD for jobs in research and academia, and employment of physicists and astronomers in the United States is projected to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between physics and engineering physics?
Both degrees cover the same core physics and mathematics. Engineering physics adds engineering science, design projects and a technical focus area such as photonics, microelectronics or nuclear engineering, and in North America it is often an accredited engineering degree.
How long does an engineering physics degree take?
A bachelor's degree is planned for four years in the United States and in Spain, where it has 240 ECTS credits. At the University of British Columbia it takes a first year plus four more years, with four co-op work terms included.
Can I study engineering physics in English in Spain?
At master's level, yes in some cases: the official master's degree in engineering physics of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya has 60 ECTS credits and is taught in English. Check the language of each bachelor's degree with the university.
Do I need a PhD to work as an engineering physicist?
Not for industry jobs in engineering and technology. For research and university posts a PhD is typically required, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.