Is quantum computing more about physics or computer science?

Question

And in which one should I get my B.Sc. degree in order to pursue a career in quantum computing?

Answer 1

You need to know both. The theory of what can be done with a quantum computer is pure computer science, while the actual mechanics of it are physics/chem/bio. My suggestion is to do a double-major so that you get the best of both worlds. People who have only one major tend to get stuck in the mindset of their discipline (for exmaple, biologists have a hard time learning how to program, and us computer people think that biologists are stupid because we don't understand just how difficult their experiments are) and if you want to be successful in a field as up-and-coming as quantum computing, you'll need to have both abilities. I did a double major for my undergrad, and i'm so glad I did.

Also, if you are applying to schools now, check the course listings for all of the different schools to see if they have undergraduate and graduate classes on quantum computing. The graduate classes are usually listed in a separate book or on a different website. The idea is that if you find professors in computer science, electrical engineering or physics that teach the graduate class, that is probably the topic of their research. you should approach this person once you get accepted to the school and ask them what they think, and they can help you design a curriculum for you that will give you success. After a few years of undergrad where you learn the fundamentals of math and science that you need, if you are still interested in quantum computing you can ask to do undergrad research, or help out in the lab.

best of luck to you!

Answer 2

I'd say physics since, except for some very primative systems with only a few Qbits designed to investigate various hardware candidates, quantum computers don't exist. The great difficulty of quantum computing is in maintaining good correlation. That means a lot of experimentation and analysis of quantum states and interactions needs to be explored. That's quantum physics. Knowledge of the very basics of computer science will need to be mastered, true. Error correction strategies and developing algorithms tayored for QC's are needed. However, 99% of what you'll study for a computer science degree will pertain to conventional computers that are qualiitatively different than a QC. A QC is very much a differenct sort of computer as far as both software and hardware are concerned.