Start preparing for your future
Career Events
Career and Professional Development Services
Need help planning your next steps after graduation? Career and Professional Development Services (CPDS) can help. CPDS provides in-person and virtual resources for ASU students and alumni such as:
Career Assessments Career Advising Career Exploration Resume or CV review Practice Interviews
Tips for starting your journey
Where to begin
Career Paths
Look at the career paths other physics graduates have taken. This will help you to determine what careers would suit your interests and also what it takes to get there.
Here are some resources to help get you started on career exploration:
- Career Pathways and Advice
- Physics Career Planning Self-Assessment
- Physicist Profiles
- Job Prospects in Physics
- Common Careers of Physicists in the Private Sector
- "What are the most rewarding aspects of your job?"
- "Briefly describe your duties and responsibilities in your current job."
- Research Areas - Look over the different areas within physics. Once you know what area interests you most, you will have a sense of what career will fit you best. Once you have found an area of interest reach out to faculty in that area to discuss joining their research group. Having research experience as an undergraduate will help boost your application when applying to graduate school.
Depending on the career path you have chosen, you may need a graduate degree. Use GradSchoolShopper to look up the different graduate schools that thrive in your field. Take a look at these helpful resources: Physics PhDs 1 Year Later and Who's Hiring Physics PhDs?
Interested in the medical field? There are various health related career paths you can take.
Start networking
Whether you want to go into the private sector or pursue a PhD, you'll need references. Make yourself known to your professors by attending office hours, setting up one-on-one meetings, and attending department events. The best letters of recommendation come from those that know you in and outside of the classroom.
Find a Mentor
Use ASU's mentorship platform to connect to faculty, students, and professionals in your field of interest.
Gain experience
Internship
Find an internship that is applicable to your chosen field. Gain experience early on so you can build skills that are desirable to employers. Use Handshake, Indeed, LinkedIn, and other job sites to find available positions. Sites like APS.org and AIP.org may also be helpful in your search.
Research
Research is an important part of your graduate school application. Having this type of experience shows your level of competency in a lab, your ability to work with other students and faculty, and your eagerness to contribute to the physics community.
Department of Physics Research
Research Experiences for Undergraduates
Additional Skills
Not all careers are created equal. Take time to figure out if you need additional skills that your degree did not provide. These skills could include: programming, industry knowledge, grant writing, project management, or even public speaking.
Conferences
Conferences provide students with the opportunity to learn about research conducted by their peers and in some instances provides students with the ability showcase their own research.
Undergraduate Research Symposium
Held in April, The Department of Physics provides a forum for undergraduate students majoring in physics to present their research. In addition to gaining valuable communication skills, participating students are eligible to win one of several awards.
Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics
Provides undergraduate women the opportunity to experience a physics conference, gain information on graduate schools and physics careers, network with like minded individuals and learn about current physics research.
Enables students to participate and learn about research happening in their region.
National Mentoring Community Conference
Women of Color in STEM Entrepreneurship Conference
The APS March and April meetings
provide students with...
- Undergraduate research sessions
- Career and professional development workshops
- Graduate school fair - March only
- Networking opportunities
More information on APS meetings and events can be found, here.
Applying to graduate school
Find a graduate program
Finding the right graduate program is more than just a great location. Students should consider a university's specific faculty, funding, notable research, and research area openings.
GradSchoolShopper.com is a database that compiles information on graduate programs within the physical sciences.
If you would like information on the climate for women in physics, APS has compiled 92 surveys from various institutions regarding inclusion.
Interested in studying medicine? Check out ASU's Pre-health website for information on various medical programs.
Graduate School Comparison Worksheet
Use this document provided by Career and Professional Development Services to help narrow down graduate programs.
Examinations
The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)
For information on test prep, go to career.asu.edu/grad-school-and-test-prep
The GRE (R) General Test is completed by students who wish to attend graduate school. Students are encouraged to check graduate school admissions for their specific program to determine if the GRE General Test is required. The Princeton Review Test Prep is available to ASU Students FREE of cost. Click here to register for a review.
The Physics Subject test may be required for physics graduate admission. To determine if this exam is required, check the admission requirements at your intended graduate school.
Fall Dates: September and October
Spring Dates: April
For specific test dates and registration details - https://www.ets.org/gre/subject/register/locations_dates/
The Medical College Admission Test
The MCAT is an exam completed by students who are applying to medical school.
Apply to graduate school
Recommendation Letters
Students should start communicating with their faculty recommenders first semester of their senior year. Students should seek letters from internship supervisors, faculty research advisors, faculty mentors, and instructors. The best recommendation letters are from faculty who can speak to a student's character outside of the classroom.
Personal Statement
Your personal statement is an important way to let program committees know why you are applying to their program and how you would contribute as a student.
Resume or CV
Creating a CV for graduate school will help showcase all of your achievements that may not be visible on your transcript. You'll want to include any research, internships, or community service you have participated in.
Workshops
Princeton Physics Ambassadors Graduate Workshops
P4 - Prospective Physics PHD Preview
APS Bridge Program - Program helps recently graduated students gain experience and skills needed for applying to physics graduate programs.
Internships
Here are some popular places that offer internships:
Sandia National Laboratories Fermilab APS Northrop Grumman
Brookhaven National Laboratory Los Alamos National Laboratory Textron
Research Experiences in Solid Earth Science for Students DAAD RISE
Department of Energy Scholars Program
For additional opportunities, please visit Handshake or APS website on Internships.
Internship Credit
Students are responsible for finding an internship opportunity. Once an internship is secured, students may apply to obtain credit for their experience.
Hours
Students may earn up to 3 credit hours for their internship experience. You should know the amount of hours you plan to work before applying for credit.
| Credits | Total Hours | Weekly Hours Fall/Spring | Weekly Hours Summer |
| 1 | 45 | 3 | 3.25 |
| 2 | 90 | 6 | 7.5 |
| 3 | 135 | 9 | 11.25 |
Eligibility
- Student must be a major within the Department of Physics
- 45 hours completed
- At least 12 hours completed at ASU
- A 2.5 Cumulative ASU GPA
- A 3.0 Cumulative GPA in critical courses (MAT and PHY)
Deadlines
To receive credit you must submit an application by the below dates. Exceptions will not be made for late submissions.
| Fall | August 1 |
| Spring | January 1 |
| Summer | May 1 |
Where are they now?
List of careers pursued by recent ASU physics graduates
| Career Title | Company/Organization | Location |
| Tutor/Camp Leader | All Around Math Learning | Tempe |
| Government Relations Specialist | American Physical Society | Washington D.C. |
| Process Support Engineer | Applied Materials | Chandler |
| Teacher Assistant | Arizona State University | Tempe |
| Teacher | BASIS Educational Group | Chandler |
| Technician Assistant | Don Air, LLC | Scottsdale |
| Quantitative Analyst | DriveTime | Phoenix |
| Materials Scientist | Headway Technologies, Inc | San Jose |
| Electrical Engineer 2 | Racion | Tucson |
| Test Engineer | Soraa | Fremont |
| Administrator | Stoneman Law Patent Group | Phoenix |
| Director, Photography | 282 Studios, LLC | Tempe |
| File Clerk | Aiken Schenk Hawkins & Ricciardi P.C. | Phoenix |
| Research Assistant | Arizona State University, Biodesign Institute | Tempe |
| Consultation Agent | Best Buy | Chandler |
| Director, Flight | Challenger Space Center | Peoria |
| Regulatory Affairs Associate | CR Bard | Tempe |
| Research Analyst | Global Patent Solutions | Scottsdale |
| Process Engineer | Intel Corporation | Hillsboro |
| Intern, Application | Nanoscience Instruments | Phoenix |
| Failure Analysis Engineer | Soraa | Fremont |
| Web Developer | Vuurr | Chandler |
| Engineer | - | Los Angeles |
| Mechanical Engineer | - | Tempe |
| Engineering Aide | - | Chandler |
| Process Engineer, Senior | American Society for Microbiology, Arizona/Southern Nevada Branch | Phoenix |
| Engineer | Boeing Company, The | St. Louis |
| Space Vehicle Controller | Boeing Company, The | Springfield |
| Software Engineer | Demandbase Inc | San Francisco |
| Associate, Senior | Discover Financial Services | Phoenix |
| Process Engineer | Lam Researcg Corporation | Fremont |
| Photonics Engineer | Optilab, LLC | Phoenix |
| Field Application Engineer | Radiall | Tempe |
| Associate Assistant | Discover | Phoenix |
| Corporate Accounting | - | Phoenix |
| Assistant Director, Finance | - | Sedona |
| Research Assistant | - | - |
| Tutor | Chandler-Gilbert Community College | Chandler |
| Unit Process Engineer | IBM Corporation | Albany |
| Software Engineer | Intel Corporation | Chandler |
| Systems Engineer | Orbital ATK, Inc | Gilbert |
| Traffic Support Lead | Sports Entertainment Services | Phoenix |
| Legal Assistant | Suzette Lorrey-Wiggs P.C. | Tempe |
| Tutor | Varsity Tutors | Phoenix |
