Career Resources at Miami University
- College of Arts and Science Academic Advising - more about what you can do with a major in physics
- Career Clusters
- Center for Career Exploration and Success
Careers in Physics
Students earning a degree in physics possess the necessary skills and the scientific and mathematics background to pursue a wide range of career paths. Many physics graduates attend graduate or professional school, specializing in physics, engineering, business and entrepreneurship, law, education, or medicine. Other graduates find employment in a variety of scientific and technical fields at competitive salaries. The semiconductor and optics industry, military service, technical positions, and teaching are common options pursued by department graduates.
Web Resources for Physics Careers
The physics department is a small and tight community, allowing me to participate in undergraduate research and various other opportunities that wouldn’t have been possible in larger departments. Miami university is also such a beautiful campus and rich in history.
Krist Ha, '26
Major: Physics; Minors: Mathematics, Ethics
From the Department of Physics Mission Statement: “The primary functional aspects of our mission can be classified as … educating and preparing students in our undergraduate majors programs for advanced study and/or employment following their graduation from Miami University….”
Orientation and exposure to career pathways.
- Students will enroll in PHY185, the Department’s First Year Experience course. The course dedicates three weeks to career topics, including a visit from CCES, and career exploration and planning. Materials from the American Physical Society and the American Institute of Physics are used. (*)
- Students are assigned a peer mentor (junior/senior physics major) through the student-run Physics Mentors program. (*)
- Students are exposed to research opportunities through an annual lab open house, the mentoring program, PHY185, and the general culture of the (*)
(*) indicates activities which are already implemented.
Continued career exploration and development of networking skills.
- PHY281 students will participate in networking activities with the Alumni Advisory Board during the Board’s annual meeting. (*)
- PHY282 or PHY293 students will complete Canvas modules developed by CCES related to career exploration and skills development.
- Students will be encouraged to network with seminar speakers by joining the speaker for lunch or by coming to the pre-seminar We intentionally include speakers who have taken diverse career paths. (*)
(*) indicates activities which are already implemented.
Support for post-graduate applications or a job search.
- Students will be required to write a mock graduate school statement or a mock cover letter and resume. This will be enforced either by modifying PHY401 (0 cr, Physics Assessment Examination) or by including it as an assignment for a course taken by all majors (e.g., PHY483). Students will receive faculty feedback. Students may be exempted by completing an approved alternative, e.g., pre-health co-majors can complete PMD301.
- We are considering reintroducing the Department Exam, an oral exam for which the committee consists of physics faculty for whom the student would like to request letters of reference. Previously, this was the mechanism by which faculty gave students formal career advice.
- Throughout their time in the Department, students receive informal advice from instructors, research advisors, and their Physics mentor. (*)
(*) indicates activities which are already implemented.