What can you do with a degree in Physics?

Team StoryWeavers|April 06, 2019, 07:23 IST| 16

Have you ever walked across your room to open the door but got a shock instead? Perhaps you took off your sweater on a dry winter day and had a “hair raising” experience. Or maybe you performed magic tricks to you friend by lighting a bulb with a wire and potatoes.

Do you think there’s a logic behind these phenomena or is it plain magic? No, it’s not magic. These events can be logically explained through the simple laws of physics. While other disciplines of science offer explanations to how these phenomena occur, physics addresses the ‘why’ aspect behind these occurrences.

Physics is a part and parcel of our everyday existence. Great inventions and discoveries in this discipline have redefined the world today. Some of the greatest physicists who have made outstanding contributions include Aristotle, Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Graham Bell, and Michael Faraday among others.

Opportunities and career options

With a degree in physics, you can explore a wide range of career options in many fields.  Besides, you can explore academics and take up teaching or become a writer like Stephen Hawking.

Let’s explore what  you could do with a degree in physics:

What it takes to be a physicist?

While it may seem that a degree in physics is reserved only for the direct descendants of Einstein and Newton, you don’t have to be a certified genius to study physics. All you have to do is:

  1.   Be strong with numbers
  2.   Have a good grasp over scientific principles
  3.   Have a keen interest in learning about the world of physics

Getting into the best college

Your exams scores are important to secure a seat in a good college. Here’s a list of top colleges in India to help you get started.

  1.   Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology – Bhubaneshwer
  2.   Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) – Bombay
  3.   Indian Institute of Science (IISc) – Bangalore
  4.   Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) – Kharagpur
  5.   Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) – Guwahati
  6.   Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Mumbai
  7.   Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology (IIST), Trivandrum
  8.   Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences- Pilani
  9.   Indian Institute of Science Education and Research – Pune
  10.   Hans Raj College – New Delhi

Apart from colleges in India, there are plenty of colleges abroad where you can pursue a degree in any field related to physics. Some reputed ones are – California State University, Harvard University, National University of Science and Technology MISiS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Southern Illinois University, and Stanford University among others.

Get started!

Physics is the foundation of modern science and it has redefined the way we live.

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About the Author


Books are Tanaya Goswami’s first love and cheesecakes come a close second. Talking about movies, music, calligraphy, politics, and Elon Musk will get you listed under the friends’ section of her diary. Ever since moving on from her job as an English lecturer, she spends her time at BYJU’S crafting stories filled with emotion and sprinkled with sarcasm. Outside of work, she’s either learning something new (French, most recently!) or is curled up with a book and a cup of coffee. She firmly believes that discovering what you don’t know is the key to knowledge and is constantly working towards improving herself. Drop in a line at storyweavers@byjus.com if you liked her stories, have something nice to say, or if you have compelling ideas to share!