Post-grad Opportunities
Believe it or not, degrees in the liberal arts can actually make it easier to land a job. Each major within the School of Arts & Sciences carries with it a unique list of skill sets that more and more employers are saying they want. Across industries, employers look for a combination of skills, interests and values that match their own.
Prepared for Anything
Forget about scrolling through a list of careers physics majors pursue. There are no rules. If you choose a major you’re passionate about, you are much more likely to discover and develop your own personal skills, interests and values that ultimately, will help you find a rewarding profession.
Skills You Will Gain as a Physics Major
- Mathematical modeling
- Developing a research model
- Performing calculations
- Establishing and controlling experimental design
- Maintaining records
- Identifying and classifying materials/specimens
- Designing/using computer simulations
- Data analysis
- Scientific computing
Graduate School
Successful involvement in undergraduate level research is one of the best predictors that a student will flourish in graduate school. Recent physics students have pursued graduate degrees at the following schools:
- Princeton University
- University of Chicago
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- Johns Hopkins University
- Michigan State University
- University of North Carolina
- University of Virginia
- University of Kentucky
- University of Pittsburgh
- Virginia Commonwealth University
Interested in pursuing a graduate degree in physics? Phds.org and Dartmouth College offer great advice to would-be applicants. Richmond's Department of Physics also keeps a copy of the National Academy of Science's Careers in Science and Engineering: A Student Planning Guide to Grad School and Beyond to help physics majors plan their futures.
Get Out There
Want to learn more about the kinds of jobs that are available to physics majors? The American Institute of Physics keeps a database of job opportunities that you may enjoy perusing. You may also be interested in statistical research they have collected on education and careers in physics. The Industrial Physicist maintains a series of profiles on people who pursue careers in applied physics.
According to an article published in the Monthly Labor Review, college graduates with bachelor's degrees in physics are continually ranked among professions with the highest earning potential in all age range categories. The study, which was conducted by the NSF and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, examined the earning potentials of all college graduates during three career phases: earners aged 25-34, aged 35-44 and aged 45-64. Physics majors ranked fourth for earning potential among young professionals, fifth among mid-career professionals and first among advanced professionals.
Remember, it’s never too early to visit the Career Development Center. Exploring how your skills, experiences, interests and values can influence your career choices is something you can do from your first year at Richmond through your fourth and beyond. Whether you are searching for that first job, exploring graduate school options, or considering something unique like a bridge experience or fellowship, the CDC can help you get there.