gyro555in wrote:I graduated with a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering (2009) from India(One of Premier Engineering Institutes in India).Since I am very interested in Physics I want to pursue Ph.D in Physics, I have taken a year off to get more exposure in Physics and currently I am researching on Soft matter Physics at One of Premier Research Institutes in India (will be working till July 2010). I am giving Subject GRE(Physics) this November(Confident of getting a good score). I am also doing a course on Theoretical/Mathematical Physics and Certificate Course on AstroPhysics during the weekends.Although during my Engineering I couldn't take Physics Courses(although Mechanical Engineering is perhaps the closest to Physics amongst all Engineering Streams I reckon),I have taken plenty of math courses. Besides this I have plenty of Research & Design Experience in the field of Engineering.
I was wondering whether I can Directly apply for a Ph.D (Physics) in United States(depends on whether i am eligible and availability of funding) or to apply for a MS in Physics(not sure whether International Students are Funded) and then go for a PhD.
This is my first post..Pls Guide me...
It's difficult to say. If you go to the web page for a few physics PhD programs and look at their admissions requirements, most will say that they require a solid physics background as evidenced by significant undergraduate coursework. The grades in these physics courses and the letters of recommendation from the professors that taught them are one of the main ways an admissions committee evaluates your preparation and abilities in physics. You may find it quite challenging to get admission without those core physics classes. Furthermore, a perfect score on the physics GRE will do much less for you than it would for a domestic student, as perfect scores from IIT applicants who got their degree in physics are somewhat common. The physics GRE, in general, is given less weight in our system than consistent good grades, letters of recommendation, and research experience (although this can vary significantly from university to university--the admissions system is not standardized). However a very good score on the physics GRE, some research and some advanced physics coursework will certainly help your case. I think there are probably some PhD programs that you could get in to at this point, but I wouldn't look in the top 20.
Masters programs are easier to get in to and can indeed be a bridge to a PhD program, but in general these programs do not offer funding to their students, whether domestic or international. Your best bet for funding in a masters program is to look for terminal programs at universities that do not offer PhDs, then you may get funding as a TA or lab assistant, but it won't be a lot of money. San Jose State's master's program is an example of this. You could apply to a PhD program after finishing your masters.
