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I am currently doing a bachelor's degree in maths, mainly taking stats (statistical inference, data science), mathematical physics (Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, general relativity), and numerical methods (Monte Carlo simulations, finite difference schemes) modules.

I understand that it is not uncommon for maths students to do theoretical physics PhDs, but what about experimental physics? I would be good at data analysis and simulations, but main thing I see being a barrier is that I have no lab experience.

I was wondering how realistic it would be to do introductory labs in grad school, or even gain lab experience through summer research placements to make up for it?

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    Where to you wish to study? The US and the UK might be very different. Likewise Germany. Commented 2 days ago
  • I'm not particularly fussed as long as I can study what I want. I am in the UK right now but get the impression that this would be more possible in the US with their two years of coursework first. Commented 2 days ago
  • Is there a reason that you can't take a lab class? Commented 2 days ago
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    @ChessieD These two years of coursework in the US sound exactly like the EU masters degree, which you'd be expected to do prior to enrolling in a PhD program Commented yesterday
  • It looks like the real question is, "Will a bachelor's in mathematics satisfy the admissions requirements for a PhD physics program?" Commented yesterday

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Note that for many PhDs in mainland Europe (a highly heterogeneous collection of places) it would be required that you complete a masters degree first. Completing a master's in experimental physics may be a suitable way to transition.

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  • This is true, but one challenge will be that in order to enroll for a physics master you need to have some of the mandatory lab courses of the bachelor. Commented yesterday
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    @pyrochlor the three (German) universities I looked into let you redo such required courses in a summer school type arrangement for most of their masters courses Commented yesterday
  • @QuestionablePresence where were you looking? Commented 16 hours ago
  • I am considering doing something like that in Europe. It is just a shame that after Brexit I will have to try to find funding like Erasmus Mundus because I would have to pay tuition fees now. Commented 16 hours ago
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It depends strongly on the exact nature of the PhD position. If you join a group, that is mostly using devices "from the shelf" and if the experiments are ready to run, then I don't see a problem with your stated experience. For example some groups do evaluation of data from larger instruments. Still classified "experimental" physics, but you do rarely anything yourself.

If you are joining a group that builds their experiments themselves, it's different. There you should have some experience in basic electronics, soldering, and such stuff. Which can be a surprisingly large part of the daily work.

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    And in other groups conducting one's experiments can involve machining or chemistry work, for example. Commented 2 days ago
  • I do have some electronics experience but not formally (just kits at home with breadboards and Arduinos and Raspberry Pis). So if I say looked at groups that analysed data from large particle physics experiments where they wouldn't be touching the experiment, my experience would be more suitable? Commented 16 hours ago
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This is for the US and probably wrong in lots of other places. Here, it is common to change fields between a bachelors and a doctoral program. But this is because of the nature of both. The undergraduate program here is very general. Math students study not only math but science, philosophy, history and other fields, often including language. In other places the undergrad program is often much more focused.

So, if you have a UK bachelors and it is tightly focused on math, then it will be harder even here to enter a doctoral program in a different field. The "preliminary" coursework in a doctoral program is generally advanced courses, not introductions. So, I'd guess that you have some gaps to fill in switching fields. I wouldn't say "impossible", but I'd suggest it will be a challenge.

Note that as a US math undergraduate I did actually have a bit of physics lab experience.

I suggest that you talk to someone in physics near where you are to get a local answer. And you only really learn whether you can be accepted by applying.

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