r/ECE • u/KeyEastern2905 • 1d ago
CAREER Not sure what to go into as a grad student
Hey everyone! So I am planning on heading into my Accelerated Bachelors Master program. I won't start until Fall 2027 and I've been told it would reduce my time significantly at my university even if I pursue a PhD. So what I want to do is design the hardware what I am looking into and actually am good at is Digital Circuit design in VLSI, ASIC/FPGA, CMOS, and possibly Computer Arch if I can fit it in, I highly doubt I can. Point is I am already an undergrad researcher and in a fellowship. I am actually not doing research in my field but it is consider a material that translate to EE. I do not want to go into my masters and take classes that I may dislike. So far I like what I am learning but I want to make sure this is where I want to be.
What is the day to day life like?
Will I have time for my family and friends? How about hobbies?
How will I know if this is for me without getting exposure or do I actually need exposure?
I do not want to regret my decision. How did you know this was the right career path for you?
If given the stipend to continue research and pursue a masters or PhD which should I aim for?
Are there any project I can do currently?
Lastly, of course how is the salary in today's economy and is employability high for this type of work?
1
u/1wiseguy 8h ago
When I finished my BSEE, I went straight into a master's program.
I had been selecting courses for a while based on what I found interesting and challenging, and I continued to do that. I did not target any specific industry, I just learned anything that I wanted to study, and I figured I would find opportunity. I'm happy with how it worked out, but maybe there are other ways to do it.
I'm dubious of picking a job and then spending two years trying to learn the skills for that job. As Yoda said, always in motion is the future.