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 

Visit the CPDS website

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:

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. 

Linked-in

SunDevilSync

Physics Student Orgs

Find a Mentor

Use ASU's mentorship platform to connect to faculty, students, and professionals in your field of interest. 

APS Industry Mentoring for Physicists 

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.

APS 4 Corners Conference 

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

GradSchoolShopper.com is a database that compiles information on graduate programs within the physical sciences. 

Inclusion

If you would like information on the climate for women in physics, APS has compiled 92 surveys from various institutions regarding inclusion. 

Medical School 

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

General Test

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.

Physics Subject Test

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. 

Prepare for the MCAT 

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 

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

Create A 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 

Graduate Admissions Series

APS Bridge Program - Program helps recently graduated students gain experience and skills needed for applying to physics graduate programs. 

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

  1. Student must be a major within the Department of Physics 
  2. 45 hours completed
  3. At least 12 hours completed at ASU 
  4. A 2.5 Cumulative ASU GPA
  5. 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

PHY 484 Internship Application 

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