Engineering physics

Engineering physics refers to the study of the combined disciplines of physics, mathematics and engineering in order to develop an enhanced understanding of the interrelationship between them. By focussing on the scientific method as a rigorous basis, it seeks ways to apply and develop new solutions in engineering. Engineering physics or engineering science degrees are respected academic degrees awarded in many countries. It can be taught at the undergraduate level and is often designed as an honors program at some universities due to the rigorous nature of the academic curriculum which covers a wide spectrum of scientific disciplines.^[1][2][3][4]

Overview

Unlike traditional engineering disciplines, engineering science/physics is not necessarily confined to a particular branch of science or physics. Instead, engineering science/physics is meant to provide a more thorough grounding in applied physics for a selected specialty such as optics, quantum physics, materials science, applied mechanics, nanotechnology, microfabrication, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, biophysics, control theory, aerodynamics, energy, solid-state physics, etc. It is the discipline devoted to creating and optimizing engineering solutions through enhanced understanding and integrated application of mathematical, scientific, statistical, and engineering principles. The discipline is also meant for cross-functionality and bridges the gap between theoretical science and practical engineering with emphasis in research and development, design, and analysis.

It is notable that in many languages the term for "engineering physics" would be directly translated into English as "technical physics". In some countries, both what would be translated as "engineering physics" and what would be translated as "technical physics" are disciplines leading to academic degrees, with the former specializes in nuclear power research, and the latter closer to engineering physics.^[5] In some institutions, engineering (or applied) physics major is a discipline or specialization within the scope of engineering science, or applied science.^[6][7][8]

In many universities, engineering science programs may be offered at the levels of B.Tech, B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. Usually, a core of basic and advanced courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology forms the foundation of the curriculum, while typical elective areas may include fluid dynamics, quantum physics, economics, plasma physics, relativity, solid mechanics, operations research, quantitative finance, information technology and engineering, dynamical systems, bioengineering, environmental engineering, computational engineering, engineering mathematics and statistics, solid-state devices, materials science, electromagnetism, nanoscience, nanotechnology, energy, and optics. While typical undergraduate engineering programs generally focus on the application of established methods to the design and analysis of engineering solutions, undergraduate program in engineering science focuses on the creation and use of more advanced experimental or computational techniques where standard approaches are inadequate (i.e., development of engineering solutions to contemporary problems in the physical and life sciences by applying fundamental principles).

Engineering physics degrees

Some examples of universities that offer engineering physics or engineering science programs include: University of Oldenburg,^[9] University of Oxford,^[10] University of Minho,^[11] Bauman Moscow State Technical University,^[12] Queen's University,^[13] Brown University,^[14] MIT, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,^[15]Rensselaer Polytechnic, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,^[16] Stanford University,^[17] Cornell University,^[18] Tulane University,^[19] Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University,^[20]Murray State University,^[21] Wheeling Jesuit University,^[22] University of The Pacific,^[23] Polytechnique Montreal,^[24] Virginia Tech,^[25] University of British Columbia,^[26] University of Toronto,^[27] Telkom University,^[28] EAFIT University,^[29] Surya University,^[30] Simon Fraser University,^[31] McMaster University,^[32] Pennsylvania State University,^[33] University of Colorado.,^[34] ITESM Campus Monterrey, Royal Institute of Technology, and Bandung Institute of Technology.^[35]

Branches

Accelerator physics Acoustics Aerodynamics Agrophysics Analog electronics Applied physics Applied mathematics Applied mechanics Force microscopy and imaging Ballistics Biomechanics Biosensors and bioelectronics Biophysics Bionanotechnology Chemical physics Communication physics Computational physics Composite materials Control theory Data mining Digital electronics Electrochemistry Electromagnetism Energy Systems Fiber optics Fluid dynamics Geophysics Information theory Instrumentation and control Laser physics Materials science and processing Medical physics

Metallurgy Metamaterials Metrological physics Microfluidics, MEMS, and MOEMS Microfabrication Nanotechnology Neural engineering Nondestructive testing Nuclear engineering Nuclear technology Photonics and Plasmonics Plasma physics Polymer science Power electronics[36] Quantitative finance Quantum electronics Quantum information Renewable Energy Semiconductor physics and devices Soil physics Solid-state physics Space physics Spintronics, Spin engineering Statistical mechanics Systems biology Superconductors Thin films and nanostructured materials Vehicle dynamics

Professional Societies and Organizations

• Society of Engineering Science Inc..

See also

• Applied Physics
• Engineering
• Engineering mechanics
• Engineering science and mechanics
• Environmental Engineering Science
• Index of engineering science and mechanics articles
• Mathematics
• Science

Notes and references

1. "Major: Engineering sciences". The Princeton Review. 2011. p. 01. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
2. "Introduction" (online). Princeton University. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
3. Khare, P. ,; A. Swarup (January 2009 and 2010). Engineering Physics: Fundamentals & Modern Applications (13th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. pp. xiii – Preface. ISBN 978-0-7637-7374-8. Check date values in: |date= (help)
4. Engineering Physics (online). Google books. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
5. "2002 Applications for graduate study open in Shanghai Research Institute of Technical Physics (上海技术物理研究所2002年招生)". Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院). 2001-10-07. Archived from the original on 2008-06-07. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
6. Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology
7. Engineering Physics, Division of Engineering Science, University of Toronto
8. Engineering Science and Mechanics program at Virginia Tech
18. School of Applied and Engineering Physics at Cornell University
19. Tulane Department of Physics and Engineering Physics
20. Engineering Physics
21. Murray State University's Institute of Engineering - Engineering Physics Program
22. Department of Engineering
24. Engineering Physics Program at Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal
25. Engineering Science and Mechanics Program at Virginia Tech
26. Engineering Physics Program at the University of British Columbia
27. Engineering Science Honors Program at the University of Toronto
29. Engineering Physics Program at the EAFIT University
31. Engineering Physics Honors Program at the Simon Fraser University
32. Engineering Physics at McMaster University
33. Engineering Science Honors Program at Pennsylvania State University
34. "Engineering Physics: An Undergraduate Guide Academic Year (2013-2014)" (PDF). Colorado.edu. University of Colorado. 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
35. "Engineering Physics - Institut Teknologi Bandung". Retrieved 2016-04-14.
36. Program of Engineering physics, Laval University, Quebec

External links

• "US News Ranking of Undergraduate Programs in Engineering Science/Engineering Physics"