If you have an interest in a successful career in physics, engineering, mathematics, teaching high school physics or related fields, UC’s physics program is a great place to start.

The physics faculty is committed to providing the solid foundation that is integral to achieving these goals. You will have opportunities to cultivate critical thinking skills; to apply physical principles; to develop skills in experimental physics; and to extend your mathematical prowess. As you develop these cognitive skills, the program also encourages you to recognize your professional and ethical responsibilities to society.

As a physics student, you’ll have access to high quality equipment for problem solving, computation and data acquisition. The department maintains accessible computers in both the mathematics tutoring laboratory and the physics laboratory. The physics laboratories are equipped to help students learn both at the introductory and advanced levels. Student experiments range from the traditional “inclined plane” to sophisticated computer data acquisition systems.

The success of the program is evident in the numerous alumni who have pursued advanced degrees in physics, statistics or engineering, as well as alumni who have entered directly into the workplace.

What Can I Do With This Degree?

Physics teachers have a passion for physics and a desire to pass on their knowledge to the next generation of students.  Both private and public high schools employ physics teachers to teach not only physics, but also physical science.  Due to the limited number of physics courses taught, smaller schools hire teachers that can also teach mathematics or chemistry.   A teaching career is not only rewarding, but is always in demand.

At UC, we encourage students to combine physics with either mathematics or chemistry in order to increase their career prospects.  Our physics graduates have followed a variety of paths into physics education:  the traditional physics education major, physics minor with a mathematics or chemistry major, physics major followed by a graduate degree in physics, and physics major followed by a Master of Arts in Teaching.

If you would like more information about careers in physics education, we recommend the following Internet sites:

• American Physical Society – The Physics Career Resource (http://www.compadre.org/careers/)

• Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook – Teachers – Secondary (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos318.htm)