The strengths of a physics education
A physics education offers you great flexibility and an impressive set of skills that will open many doors for you. Here are a few of the skills that we will teach you that will make you a valued member of a team/company/organization:
- a deep understanding of advanced mathematics,
- the ability to create and interpret models,
- an understanding of physical laws and limits of machines,
- confidence in working with your hands using tools and test equipment,
- proficiency in writing and interpreting technical documents,
- and a general ability to think critically and apply logic to solve complex problems.
What job opportunities are open to physicists?
Many industries are interested in hiring people with the aforementioned skills. Outside of the obvious things like going to graduate school for further physics studies or becoming a high school physics teacher, there are many less obvious things you can do with your degree, such as:
- computer programming, including video game design
- development of advanced materials and new technologies in the industrial sector
- high-tech manufacturing of computer chips, new battery design, and electric vehicles
- design of alternative energy systems
- project management in government agencies
- market forecasting and financial risk assessment for investment firms
Careers of some of our recent graduates
Where our students go after graduation depends largely on which "flavor" of physics degree they get. Below are a few examples of programs, companies, and institutions that of some of our recent graduates have gone on to after SUNY Cortland.
PHY - the classic physics degree program
Companies/government: IBM, Lockheed-Martin, ConEdison, NY Department of Transportation
Graduate programs: CU Boulder, SUNY Buffalo, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
PEN - physics leading to engineering (aka, the 3+2 program)
Engineering schools: Clarkson, SUNY Polytechnic, SUNY Binghamton, SUNY Stony Brook
APM and APH - adolescence education programs for high school teachers
High schools: Archbishop Mulloy HS (Queens), Hicksville HS (Long Island), Homer HS (Cortland County), McGraw HS (Cortland County)