Career prospects
“If what you want out of life is to get rich, then get a job in finance. If you want a job in finance, then study Physics!”
Roddy Vann, Lecturer in Fusion Physics
Physics graduates from York are particularly successful at achieving successful careers after 6 months of graduating (80% and 3rd highest in the UK - the Guardian University Guide 2012).
Physics graduates are highly sought after by employers across a range of disciplines. While many graduates go on to careers that use their knowledge and expertise in Physics, others are readily employed in other areas such as computing or electronics.
Particular skills gained through studying Physics, such as problem solving and numeracy, lend themselves well to other, often lucrative, graduate-level careers, and our students have gone onto a range of careers including:
- Management
- Accountancy
- Law
- Broadcasting
- Engineering
- Computing/IT
Of our recent graduates, 36% have gone on to further academic study.
A Physics degree is
greatly valued by employers because it contains IT and numerical skills,
teaches a logical approach to problem solving, and many other valuable skills.
Many graduates use their degrees in a Physics related area such as optics,
solid state devices, lasers, the nuclear power industry, medical physics, etc.
Others move into the IT or financial sector. Some students remain in the Department
to specialise in a particular field via a postgraduate qualification such as
the MSc in Fusion Energy or a PhD. Physics has taken me around the world, 1 km
under it in a mine in North Yorkshire searching for dark matter, and allowed me
to look at stars thousands of light years away. I always knew that it was the
right choice for me and I’m constantly grateful for the way that it has
provided me with the skills and knowledge to interpret the world around me. 
Dr Phil Lightfoot, teaching fellow
What our recent graduates say
Victoria
, Physics, 2004
Environmental Modeller with E. ON
The Physics course is very highly rated. The lecturers were very good and supportive.
I chose to study Physics both because I enjoyed it and I knew it meant
there would be a wide range of careers available for me when I
graduated.
Tomas
, Physics with Philosophy 2005, PhD 2009
Scientist, Centre for Applied Science and Technology, The Home Office
I really enjoyed my time studying in York. All the staff in the
Physics Department were very important. Staff were very open; you could
always go and chat and they were supportive in helping you apply for
jobs. I immediately found a job in Government at the Home Office.