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Major Related Resources Department of Physics Resources National Academy of | Description of MajorPhysics involves the study of the fundamental laws of nature and attempts to describe natural phenomena quantitatively. The problems of interest range from fundamental investigations of nature on scales from the very large to the extremely small, and include the practical knowledge underlying much of modern technology. The phenomena we study include black holes, the large scale structure in the universe, the electronic and physical structure of materials, and the quark structure of subatomic particles. There is also an exciting interplay between new discoveries and the development of new technologies, including the laser, MRI medical systems, superconductors and many more being among the results. Students who wish to major in Physics at IU may choose to pursue either the B.A. degree or the B.S. degree. We also offer a minor in PhysicsSkills & Knowledge Developed in this Field of StudyPhysics majors develop skills in problem solving, mathematical reasoning and modeling, computer programming, written and oral communication, and organizing and interpreting scientific data. Students also develop an understanding of nature and gain experience in working with complex equipment, applying knowledge creatively, and making precise measurements.Minors and Second Majors that Expand Career Options with this MajorMathematics, computer science, biology (if considering medical school), English or journalism (for writing careers), and education certification (for teaching high school).Career OptionsCareers Specific to the Bachelor's DegreeThe problem solving and technical skills gained during this program are in demand in a variety of fields. Possibilities include physical science research technician, computer programmer, engineer, medical or biophysical research technician, meteorologist, technical writer and others.Other Career Possibilities with a Bachelor's DegreeWith sufficient education courses for certification, high school teaching is a common career.Careers that Normally Require a Graduate DegreeUniversity or college faculty and research positions (typically in an industrial or national laboratory in fields as diverse as physics, engineering, materials research, medicine, biophysics, etc.), systems programmer, computer programmer, management consultant, waste management expert.Employment OpportunitiesJob OutlookFor recent graduates, approximately one half of the physics majors chose to enroll in graduate school, with the majority entering a physics graduate program. Of those bachelor's graduates entering the job market, approximately 70 percent were employed in the industrial sector.Salary InformationRecent median starting annual salaries for full-time employed physics bachelor’s graduates was $37,000 (industry), $30,000 (civilian government), and $26,000 (high school teaching).Potential Career GrowthVirtually all the careers available to physics graduates offer considerable opportunities for growth into higher staff levels of research, engineering, and teaching, as well as management. The skills developed with a physics major put the student in a strong position to take advantage of such opportunities.Placement Statistics for IU Graduates with this MajorOver the last four years, roughly one- third of the physics majors have gone on to physics or engineering graduate programs and roughly another one-third have gone on to technical jobs such as computer programming or support. The remainder have gone into a variety of fields, including professional graduate programs in medicine, law, and business, and high school teaching.High School PreparationBesides the basic requirements for admission to IU, students interested in majoring in physics should enroll in as many science courses as possible. Physics also requires a strong basis in mathematics, and students are urged to take additional math courses in the senior year of high school (including calculus, if possible). Background in a foreign language may benefit the student as well.Special OpportunitiesThe Department of Physics combines the best features of large and small university programs. Many of our more than 40 faculty members are nationally or internationally known for their work. All physics classes, including discussion sections in our introductory course for physics majors, are taught by professors. The average class size for undergraduate physics majors is 18 students. We’re able to offer undergraduates the opportunity to do research in several fields, including accelerator physics, astrophysics, chemical physics, condensed matter and low temperature physics, elementary particle physics, nuclear physics, and physics education. Undergraduates also participate in research at the synchrotrons at the IU Cyclotron Facility. IU’s very strong computer facilities include more than two dozen mainframes (including an SGI/Cray Origin2000 supercomputer and IBM SP_2 parallel computer). Students also have automatic Internet access and free software, as well as round-the-clock access to public computing labs. The department houses both an undergraduate majors’ lounge and a Physics Forum, which is a study room for physics students. Staffed by graduate students and faculty for about 30 hours each week, it’s designed to help both individual students and study/discussion groups learn physics. There is also a physics club that interested students can join. Outstanding students may be eligible to enter our departmental honors program, and can graduate with honors if they maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher in all physics courses. Honors students are encouraged to participate in independent research and study topics not normally included in the undergraduate curriculum. There is a small honors section of the introductory physics sequence (P221/P222) that offers an intensive introduction to computer simulation, data acquisition, and current research in physics, in addition to the standard material found in textbooks.Noted AlumniKumble R. Subbaswamy, Former Dean of the IU College of Arts and Sciences. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
