After Graduation
Our graduates go on to work in a wide variety of fields and careers, and pursue graduate programs at many top schools throughout the country and world.
Physics is the liberal arts of the natural and applied sciences. By studying physics, you learn to be curious and inquisitive, think algorithmically and grapple with philosophical questions. These skills are rare and in high demand which means you can go on to do just about anything with your physics degree. We graduate many students who go on to medical and law school, into the engineering field, and on to becoming teachers.
Careers
You’ve laid a strong foundation of skills and theoretical, research-based inquiry with your degree in physics. With these abilities, you’re able to direct your career search in a wide variety of opportunities. If you start your career directly after your time at Hope, you can go into many fields. Past graduates have gone into cost analysis, petroleum engineering and technical writing. Forge your own career based on your specific interests.
Are you looking for career, internship, scholarship or research opportunities? Search these websites for guidance:
- The Nucleus
The is a great place to look for opportunities in physics, whether it’s through research and internships or scholarship information. - Career’s Toolbox
The , available from the Society of Physics Students (SPS), is a helpful website that showcases internship opportunities, research positions and grad school entrance information. - American Physical Society (APS)
Search for physics jobs, upload your resume and access additional resources from the .
Graduate School
Around 80% of all physics graduates nationwide pursue graduate education after completing their physics degrees. If you decide on grad school with a degree from our department, you have many options. View , the and the listing for more information.
Our recent graduates have enrolled in many top institutions throughout the world, including:
- Stanford
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Michigan State University
- Purdue
- University of Nevada
- Carnegie Mellon University
- The California Institute of Technology
- Many others
Alumni
Visit Hope's alumni page for information on resources and services
What graduates are saying
"Studying physics at Hope was an extraordinary experience. The degree program is broad
and comprehensive, but the true strength of Hope's physics department is the professors
and their approach to teaching and interacting with students. The opportunity to be
involved in real, graduate-level research as a junior and senior allowed me to apply
the classroom lessons to real-world problems and prepared me for graduate school better
than the average entering graduate student with little or no research experience.
But even that is not the most significant part of the Hope experience. The friendships
I forged with other students and especially the faculty have persisted to this day.
Hope faculty are now professional colleagues and collaborators of mine. Hope is truly
a unique place to 'do' physics."
–Dr. Donald Peterson, Ph.D. Research Associate, Oregon State University
Where are they now?
Learn more about where our physics graduates are .
workP. 616.395.7510
physics@hope.edu