What Can I Do With A Major In Physics
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Physics is the most fundamental of all the natural sciences, and its applications extend even to other areas of human endeavor. Physics is the study of the natural world based on quantitative observations and experiments.
Physics attempts to discover simple rules by which observations of many different situations can be correlated within a common framework of fundamental ideas (physical laws). Physical laws and theories have profound influence on how we view our universe and ourselves. Ernest Rutherford said, "In science, there is only physics; all the rest is stamp collecting." Physics gets to the roots of all physical phenomena. If you can think physics, you can think anything!
Career Titles
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Employers
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- Aerospace Industry
- Aircraft & Instrument Manufacturers
- Airports
- Architectural Firms
- Astronaut Corps
- Atomic/Nuclear Labs
- Automobile Manufacturers
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
- Chemical Manufacturers
- Clinical Research
- Colleges and Universities
- Commercial Industry
- Computer Companies
- Consulting Firms
- Crime Laboratories
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Commerce
- Department of Defense
- Department of Energy
- Department of Health & Human Services
- Department of the Air Force
- Department of the Interior NASA
- Department of Transportation
- Educational Institutions
- Electrical Equipment Companies
- Engineering Firms
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Federal Agencies
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- Federal Government
- Fiber Optic Engineer
- Food & Drug Administration
- Geological Industry
- Government Agencies
- Health Care Facilities
- Hospitals
- Information Technology Companies
- Laboratories
- Launch Sites
- Libraries
- Manufacturing Companies
- Marine Industry
- Medical Schools
- Microelectronics Companies
- Military
- Mining and Petroleum Companies
- Museums
- National Aeronautics & Space Administration
- National Bureau of Standards
- National Institutes of Health
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- National Science Foundation
- National Transportation Safety Board
- Naval Research Lab
- Nonprofit Foundations
- Observatories
- Occupational Safety & Health Administration
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- Oilfields
- Patent Law Firms
- Patent Office
- Petroleum Industry
- Pharmaceutical Companies
- Planetariums
- Power Plants
- Private Industries
- Production Facilities
- Professional and Technical Journals
- Publishing Companies
- Quality Assurance
- Recycling Plants
- Research and Development Departments
- Research Centers
- Science Museums
- Smithsonian Institution
- Space Industry
- Space Research (NASA)
- State and Local Governments
- Steel/Metals Industry
- Technical Consulting Firms
- Testing Labs
- TV/Radio Stations
- Utilities Companies
- Waste Management Firms
- Weather Bureaus
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Skills
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- Ability to apply data
- Aptitude for accurate details
- Computer skills/proficiency
- Cooperative learning
- Create hypotheses
- Creative thinking
- Critiquing and anticipating problems
- Decision-making and diagnosing
- Define research problems
- Design equipment
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- Develop and write research proposals
- Develop research models
- Draw meaningful conclusions
- Establish experimental designs
- Evaluate ideas
- Gather/analyze data
- Identify/classify materials
- Investigative skills
- Maintain accurate records
- Mathematical modeling
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- Oral and written communication skills
- Organize, analyze and interpret scientific data
- Perform calculations
- Prepare technical reports
- Problem-solving
- Review scientific literature
- See relationships among factors
- Summarize research findings
- Use instruments
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Salary Information
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NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) Summer 2012 Average Starting Salary:
- Physics Bachelor's Degree: $32,900
Average Salary of SNC Physics Graduates:
- 2009: No salary data available
- 2010: No salary data available
- 2011: $30,000 - $35,000
For additional salary information, please visit
salary.com
Graduate Data
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The job titles and employers listed below are a sample of the results from the annual St. Norbert College Career Services graduate follow-up survey for the Classes of 2003-2011.
Job Titles
Employers
- Green Bay West High School
- United States Army
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Graduate Programs
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
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Graduate Schools
- Marquette University
- Ohio State University
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Alumni/Intern Profiles
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Alumni Profiles
Brian Hahn
Intern Profiles
Links of Interest
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Career Information
Career Fields
Careers in Physics
Careers using Physics
Careers using Physics (Purdue University)
Graduate Programs in Physics
Physics Careers
Physics is for You
Professional Associations
American Astronomical Society
American Geophysical Union
American Institute of Physics
American Physical Society
Institute of Physics
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Society of Physics Students
Jobs & Internships
American Institute of Physics Career Services
American Physical Society Careers/Employment Information
Jobs in Optics
Jobs in physics, astronomy and other fields
Jobs in Science
Physics Jobs Online
TIPTOP Jobs Online
Additional Information
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SNC Physics Department
Major Requirements
Academic Advising
Career Services Job Search Links
Disclaimer: The information included on this page is not all-inclusive. You are encouraged to utilize additional online and print resources when researching majors and careers. Some of the careers listed may require additional education, training, development, licenses and/or certifications. If you feel something should be added, changed, updated or removed, please contact
Career Services. The content included on this page will be updated annually each summer. Please contact
Career Services if you have any questions about the information on this page or to schedule an appointment.
