Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Professional Pathways

Physics provides a strong background for students who plan to pursue careers in areas such as biophysics, astrophysics, astronomy, health physics, geophysics, oceanography, meteorology, nuclear physics, optical physics, engineering, operations research, teaching and medicine. Because physics is interested in first causes, it also has a strong connection to the study of philosophy.

Some HWS graduates have gone on to pursue careers in fields other than physics such as law, business and accounting, while others have chosen to continue their studies at top-ranked graduate schools and professional programs.

What happens after you earn a degree in Physics?

It could be graduate school. HWS graduates have gone to graduate school in everything from applied physics and optics to medicine and engineering.

It could be industry. Perhaps you will follow in the footsteps of some of our other graduates and find a career as a programmer in the telecommunications industry or a job in computational biology.

It could be teaching. Some students choose to major in Physics and receive certification in Education.

It could be research. Other Physics graduates have gone into the field of research and work with optical equipment at science facilities or work on a team of researchers trying to learn more about the mysteries of AIDS.