Outcomes
The physics major provides students with a solid foundation for careers in many fields from research to engineering to law and beyond. Our students are particularly well-suited to collect, analyze, and interpret data, especially in quantitative science. Graduates have gone on to graduate school, engineering dual degree programs, jobs with government agencies or contractors, or industry.
Engineering Dual Degree Partnerships
Physics has two engineering dual degree partnerships students can pursue, one with Columbia University in New York City and one with Washington University in St. Louis. Students who complete the prerequisite courses specified by our engineering partners and who also meet specific grade requirements receive guaranteed admission (Washington University) or priority in admission review (Columbia University). Students who complete the course requirements but do not meet the minimum grade point requirements are still eligible to apply to our partner institutions under a competitive process. Physics faculty will work with interested students to figure out which program is best for them.
Career Pathways
Majoring in physics prepares you for a range of careers in different fields including, but not limited to:
- Data Science
- Education
- Engineering
- Finance
- Government
- Law
- Physics Research
If you have a dream job in mind, but are not sure how to get there, we can help! If you are interesteed in a career like one of those listed below, the physics major may be the one for you:
- Astronomer
- Automation engineering
- Cyberdefense
- Nuclear engineering
- Patent law
- Software engineering
- Theoretical physics
- Yacht design
Sneha Dixit '23
Ph.D. program at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln
MAJORS
- Physics
- Mathematics
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
- ATLAS Collaboration
- John S. Toll Research Program
- “I learned so much physics outside of my required major-related coursework doing research with Dr. Shrestha. The amount of new physics I learned—the depths into which I was able to explore particle physics—was something that I didn't know would be possible. When I was growing up, while I really liked physics, I didn't know how long I would be able to pursue it, how long I’d be able to keep studying it. Coming to Washington College I was able to study physics during my undergraduate degree and now I'm studying what I like for longer. I just want to be immersed in this field of study that I enjoy for as long as possible.”