Need career guidance after masters in physics

[andrewwade]

Hey, some questions are bugging me about career choices available.
First my background> Masters in physics from non programming type degree(remove c and matlab). So as you can see from above i have to do masters again for job prospects in america ,germany,uk,canada etc.

Now questions are:what are the career prospects in degree giving(i.e germany,usa,uk,canada) nation and abroad and how tough it is.

1.if i do my masters from germany in astro or physics Then career prospects in the same(whether german speaking or not)

2. If i do my masters from Usa in same as above

3. If degree of germany is equivalent from employers point of view in usa from vice versa.

4. Everybody is saying that physics students transition into data science,software engineering etc. How to do this transition .
And what is making me competitive with CS degree holders.

Thanks

 

[CrysPhys]

* If you are seeking employment in the US, in general an MS Physics by itself affords you no additional opportunities over a BS Physics (though there will be a few exceptions here and there).

* If I understand you correctly, you already have a (first) MS Physics. You now seek employment in some field of data science, computer programming, or software engineering. To enhance your chances of landing such a job, you are now considering a second MS Physics. Is that correct? If so, in the words of Mr. Spock, "That would not be logical."

* What jobs have you applied for so far? What have been the responses?

 

[andrewwade]

Thanks for the reply.

In my country Bsc and msc are structured in a way that both add up to a german B.s physics(minus 1or 2 levels from 1 to 10)
And programming is just c++ and matlab basic.

So i am not even eligible for these jobs.
But as i am being told M.s germany physics degree creates eligibility and then you learn programming?

 

[Mark44]

And programming is just c++ and matlab basic.

Even if you had this experience, which I gather from what you wrote that you didn't, that's nowhere near enough to make you competitive with CS degree holders or those with a strong track record of developing software.

 

[andrewwade]

That's why i am asking advice for the above questions to get the lay of land. Thanks.

 

[CrysPhys]

That's why i am asking advice for the above questions to get the lay of land. Thanks.

* You need to focus this thread more clearly.

* Job markets vary substantially with location. Let's start there. Your profile has your country listed as India. Please confirm. Is that where you are now, and is that where you went to school? I ask because we have had several instances in which posters did not identify their country correctly, either through inadvertent error or because they wanted to disguise their whereabouts for whatever reason.

* In your home country, what would be the educational requirements for the jobs you seek? What is the job market like there?

* You specifically asked about MS programs in Germany. Why there? What about further educational opportunities in your home country? If you are considering educational opportunities outside your home country, have you considered constraints such as visas, financial support, and language proficiency?

 

[andrewwade]

Yes,country is India
The jobs are software dev and ops, data scientist(i am not going for a particular one).They all require corresponding degrees of engineering(CS etc.).
I don't know enough about the job market here(i admit).
Why germany?Because doing Masters is cheap,if i know german(supposedly)than german market is good(was told) for starting. Masters in physics because nobody will admit me in any other subject.(without doing certifications?).
Why not in my country - because here i have to prepare for entrance exam and even then i will not have surety of a good job.
Constraints can be somehow lessened through loan and language through TOEFL ,don't know about visa.
Thanks.

 

[CrysPhys]

We have forum members from Germany. Perhaps they will be able to assist you. Good luck!

 

[Timo]

A Masters in physics does not help with a career in Computer Science by itself. The reason why many physicists end up in computer areas are 1) being a nerd that studies physics correlates with being a nerd that learns coding by themself, and 2) a Masters in physics doesn't really prepare for any other job, either (it specifically prepares for a PhD in physics).

As I understand it, you already have, or are about to obtain, a Masters in physics. I do not think doing a 2nd Masters in another country is a good idea. You likely do not even speak the local language, and your English does not seem as good as one would expect from an academic. If you want to do a PhD, apply for one now. If you want to do data science, try to get into the field now (at least as a physicist you should know the math required). For software engineering, I don't know what you could do. Maybe take some programming courses and try to get an internship somewhere (almost all developers in my current company are former interns, and our policy for interns is much more "future prospect" than "stuff they can do right now").

 

[andrewwade]

Thanks for the answer.And can you elaborate upon the data science part?Not short one but in your experience how do i get normalised as an IT guy here.

(see writing in a mobile phone messes up everything for me that's why i think there is a gap in what i am thinking and what i am writing -as you said my english is not good.)

 

[WWGD]

Maybe @mfb or @fresh_42 can suggest something here for @andrewwade ?

 

[andrewwade]

Thanks for answering

 

[mfb]

In Germany, most people do a PhD after a master. The PhD doesn't make you rich, but it's enough to pay living expenses, and it greatly improves your job prospects. You can check university websites if an Indian MSc qualifies you for a PhD.
If not, MSc and then PhD might be an option. The university is relatively cheap but you still need to find a way to cover living expenses.

Outside of academia, people will rarely care about your specific physics knowledge (there are some exceptions), but they hire physicists as people who can approach and solve new problems analytically. Everyone wants problem-solvers.
If you are sure you want to do e.g. software development long-term, then it's likely better to look for degrees in that direction, however.

 

[andrewwade]

Thanks and for sure i will be looking for Phd prospects in germany after a thourough research in that direction.

 

[gleem]

IMO continuing in physics when you do not what to do physics is a waste of time. There are numerous online courses in data science some short and sweet and some more extensive. Some universities ( MIT, U of Texas) have online courses in data science that lead to certification. There are also online courses from the likes of Coursera leading to an MS from U of Michigan. Also, there are what are known as data boot camps teaching skills to become a data scientist. Here is a review of 28 such programs. https://www.coursereport.com/best-data-science-bootcamps

 

[CrysPhys]

Thanks and for sure i will be looking for Phd prospects in germany after a thourough research in that direction.

Do you mean a PhD in physics or something else, such as computer science? I thought your goal was to get a job as soon as possible.

 

[andrewwade]

THANKS FOR THE REPLY AND RESOURCES LIST.

Replying to GLEEN,yes i am interested in physics PHd because for Those courses you pinned, according to reviews that are given for those MOOC courses of data science etc. , they are not acceptable as a hard proof in the sense that they are not degree and not acceptable for promotion and rising up or changing jobs for a better place.They are stars upon a portfolio good enough to be seen twice even without them present.(see this is hearsay that is being told.See don't take it at point blank,i am telling you what i have been told). For CRYPHYS,see i am desperate for job but i am not going in without an insurance or good enough background in the subject of job.As i go in today as data scientist and then tomorrow i need to get out and go into another field then i need to have a background in CS enough that i can keep myself afloat for that period of sure unemployment.

 

[CrysPhys]

CRYPHYS,see i am desperate for job but i am not going in without an insurance or good enough background in the subject of job.As i go in today as data scientist and then tomorrow i need to get out and go into another field then i need to have a background in CS enough that i can keep myself afloat for that period of sure unemployment.

I wrote previously:

* If I understand you correctly, you already have a (first) MS Physics. You now seek employment in some field of data science, computer programming, or software engineering. To enhance your chances of landing such a job, you are now considering a second MS Physics. Is that correct? If so, in the words of Mr. Spock, "That would not be logical."

Getting a second MS Physics followed by a PhD Physics to seek employment in some field of data science, computer programming, or software engineering would be even less logical. But it's your call.

 

[gleem]

they are not acceptable as a hard proof in the sense that they are not degree and not acceptable for promotion and rising up or changing jobs for a better place.

some are MS degree programs including:
Carnegie Mellon University
Cornell University
DePaul University
Harvard University
Indiana University
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Michigan
The University of Texas at Austin
University of Rochester
University of California, Berkeley
Columbia University
Illinois Institute of Technology
Northeastern University
Southern Methodist University