Physics Career Opportunities

Graduates in Physics have a huge range of career options available to them on a worldwide basis. All our degrees are accredited by the Institute of Physics and their quality is widely recognised by employers. Some graduates will wish to stay in physics all their lives, e.g. teaching or researching in universities, or colleges, or schools. Others will wish to branch out and seek employment in the diverse areas of human enterprise that appreciate the analytical and systematic approach to problems characteristic of physicists. These are found in e.g. technology, medicine, finance, safety, environment, police, or administration.

First destinations as recorded 6 months after graduation

Here (below) are the Physics Department’s most recent first destination statistics. They are derived from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey which is a nationwide survey of all those recently qualified from any university or Higher Education college in the UK. The statistics reflect the activities of our Physics graduates six months after graduation.

First Destinations First destinations of 2006/2007 graduates

What are they doing now?

A very high proportion of our graduates move into employment or further study within six months of leaving the Department, with over 50% of them in further study. Examples of employment within the science, technology and education sector include IT jobs, safety consultancy, teaching Physics in secondary schools and working, and training as Medical Physicist. A large proportion of our Physics graduates in employment are also undertaking further education at the same time.

What are they doing now? 2006/2007graduates - what are they doing now?

Physics Careers Guidance

Physics students are assisted in a number of ways in finding the career path and/or continued professional development that is best for them.

Help is provided both through Lancaster University's Centre for Employability, Enterprise & Careers (CEEC) and the Physics Department. The Physics Careers Tutor is Prof. Roger Jones (B37, Physics). The Careers Tutor will interview all undergraduates just prior to them entering their final year to ensure they are giving their continuing career some thought, and is available to give guidance at other times.

Careers information is available in a variety of forms. Within the Physics Department we have two large hard-copy careers notice boards. The one betweenB7 and B8 displays various summer jobs, undergraduate job opportunities and current events related to careers opportunities and careers fairs. The other is opposite to A21 and A22 and is mainly for graduate and postgraduate opportunities including MSc and PhD studentships and Post Doctoral Fellowships.Much of the same information is also available on the Physics electronic Careers Board.

Physics students also receive formal training in career planning through the module PHYS330 Careers & Communication Skills, which from the 2008 intake became part of PHYS132 Basic Physics Skills/ Communication Skills. This brings an awareness of graduate key skills, e.g. intellectual, practical, communication, teamwork, self-management and professional development skills. Each student prepares an occupational study, a CV, and learns and practices presentation skills. An important part of (both) current Careers-related modules is the Physics Department Careers Fair, an afternoon that students spent together in a relaxed and informal atmosphere, meet with the Head of Department, the Careers Tutor and with members of CEEC, Lancaster alumni and the Institute of Physics careers team. There is a talk by one of our previous graduates about his/her job experience since leaving Lancaster. We also have a similar event over a lunchtime to discuss postgraduate opportunities.

Careers Resources and Links

Jobs and job vacancies

Further studies, financial resources and entrepreneurship

Regular Sources of Placements and Summer Studentships