7 Keys to Success with a physics Degree

As spring approaches and new graduates will begin their job search, once again we are hearing alarm bells ringing about the risk of getting a degree in physics and then facing the unemployment line. It is true that getting a physics degree is less of a sure thing than say becoming an electrical engineer. This is because electrical engineering is something that gives you a specific skill set that is in demand by industry while physics could be said to be a degree that creates a generalist with a lot of problem solving skills. However, rather than panic or lament having studied a pure science, there are steps that students can take to ensure they will be employable both inside and outside of academia. Having spent many years working in industry and the national laboratories, I have come up with 7 keys to success with a physics degree that I believe will help graduating physicists maintain employability.

 1. NOBODY CARES WHAT YOUR DEGREE IS IN, THEY CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO

The first thing I have noticed in the “real world� is that the bottom line is WHAT you get your degree in isn’t all that important. Now let’s not to carry this too far, getting a Ph.D. in English is certainly not viewed as equivalent to getting a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering. What I am saying is that basically, it doesn’t matter all that much if you get your degree in math, physics, or engineering unless you’re hot on some specific niche career. So-if learning MRI or condensed matter physics isn’t your bag-don’t worry about doing something like that simply so you can get a job after graduation. What people really care about is what type of skill set you have. Many skills you can learn in school can be applied in a wide variety of areas. This leads us to key number two.

2. DIVERSIFY YOUR ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

While in school, students are primarily focused on completing their degree requirements and getting out as soon as possible. This is a mistake. While satisfying degree requirements and making sure you complete that physics degree in a timely manner is important, you should take advantage of the fact that you are in school and therefore have access to a wide pool of knowledge that can help you in the work world. As a physicist, by the time you finish your junior year you are prepared to do well in just about any technical discipline. Take advantage of this fact to learn at least two subject areas related to physics that are of use in industry. For example, you might consider taking a look at the electrical engineering department and taking focused courses in a particular subject area, such as signal processing, optics, or semiconductors. Let’s consider signal processing. A student could take courses in signals and systems, digital signal processing, random signal processing, and circuit analysis. Then take courses in Fourier analysis and wavelets in the math department—making sure to take a course that included some study of Fourier analysis and wavelets using a computational tool like MatLab. As another example, instead of taking a minor in math, take a minor in mechanical engineering. Heat transfer and fluid dynamics aren’t required for a physics degree, but take an extra semester and take them anyway.

There are also several options right in the physics department that students interested in astronomy or theoretical physics might be avoiding. Take courses in optics, laser physics, and computational physics. Do some laboratory work in optics. By taking courses like these, the student will put him or herself in a position where they are viewed as worth hiring in industry “despite� having a physics degree-even if you specialize in something as esoteric as quantum field theory or astrophysics.