Traditionally, physics majors have gone on to graduate work in physics, high school teaching, or employment in industrial or government laboratories. Other opportunities which have recently become interesting for physics graduates include atmospheric physics (including air pollution studies), geophysics, radiation safety, oceanography, astrophysics, technical administration, biophysics, computer science and medical instrumentation development.
The program for a bachelor of arts degree in physics provides basic knowledge in the main subject areas of physics as well as an opportunity for students to elect a considerable number of courses in other disciplines. This is a good choice for students planning careers in high school teaching. The bachelor of science program includes additional course work in physics and related fields which further prepares a student for employment or graduate work.
The Applied Physics option is designed to prepare students for direct employment in high-technology firms upon graduation. For traditional design tasks, high-technology firms typically hire applied physicists with a flexible and creative technical ability who can address a wide range of technical problems and develop an experimental system to attack problems. A solid understanding of theoretical physics across the curriculum is required and the ability to design, interface and control experimental apparatus.