What can I do with a degree in Physics?
Why Warwick?
- Our graduates are some of the most targeted by the UK’s top graduate employers (annual Graduate Market report produced by High Fliers Research)
- Warwick is consistently ranked in the top 10 of major university league tables (Times and Sunday Times; Guardian)
- Employment destinations of recent graduates*: discoveruni.gov.uk/
What do graduate recruiters look for?
- A good degree from a good university
- Work experience
- Involvement in extra-curricular activities
- The ability to describe and articulate your unique achievements and skills
How does Physics prepare students for the world of work?
Here are some of the skills gained by students studying physics and sought by graduate recruiters:
- Innovative problem-solving skills
- An analytical mindset
- Critical thinking and logic
- Ability to communicate complex ideas
- Research and data analysis skills
- Advanced numeracy skills
- Laboratory developed practical skills, such as using technical equipment
- Teamwork skills and the ability to cooperate
- Project management skills
- Communication and interpersonal skills
- Effective time management and organisational skills
- Intellectual curiosity to ask questions and learn new things
- Competence at using specialist software packages and some programming
- Resilience to overcome challenges in research
What do Physics graduates do?
Sectors where graduates were working include:
- Administration
- Management and consultancy
- Education
- Engineering and manufacturing
- Financial and insurance
- Human health
- Public sector
- Retail and distribution
- Technology
- Law
Sample employers include:
- Accenture
- AON
- Atkins
- BAE Systems
- Commerzbank
- Diamond Light Source
- Financial Conduct Authority
- IBM
- Intellectual Property Office
- JLR
- Jane Street
- KPMG
- Marks and Clerk
- Met Office
- NHS
- Office for National Statistics
- PwC
- Quantexa, Thales
- University of Edinburgh
- UK Atomic Energy Authority
Further study:
Of those physics graduates who responded to the survey 38% progressed into further study.
Course choices included PhDs, MA/MSc, Postgraduate diploma such as PGCE and postgraduate professional qualifications.
What our graduates say
Richelle Xavier Warwick MPhys 2017-2021 (Junior front end developer, BGC Partners)
"During my physics Masters I acquired a range of key transferable skills that have been integral in my post-university path. To name a few, problem-solving, data analysis and report-writing have proved particularly useful when searching for jobs and working in various roles. Since leaving Warwick, I have entered the world of tech as a frontend developer, a passion that started with learning how to code in our various programming modules. My dissertation involved using machine learning methods to analyse and explain particle interactions, which inspired me to further develop my coding skills and explore the technology industry. The optional modules available to us allowed me to delve into areas that really interested me, such as particle physics and astrophysics, with professors who were truly experts in their field. On the whole, the Warwick physics department is a really supportive community of both students and academics. I thoroughly enjoyed my 4 years and am grateful for the opportunity to study physics there as it definitely set me up for a successful future, armed with a degree from a highly respected university and skills that last a lifetime!"
Opportunities available at Warwick include:
Careers support from our professionally trained staff, opportunities to meet recruiters and attend events, help finding work experience and free careers support after graduation.
Derived from the HESA Graduate Outcomes survey, carried out approximately 15 months after successful completion. Contains HESA Data: Copyright Jisc 2024. Jisc cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data.
*discoveruni.gov.uk/ includes information from the national Graduate Outcomes survey, carried out approximately 15 months after graduates complete their course. For some career paths, graduates need to gain relevant experience, often at non-graduate level. It may therefore take some graduates longer than others to secure a graduate-level job.