A Career in Theoretical Physics (incl. Survey)
Inhaltsverzeichnis
How do You Become a Theoretical Physicist?
Formal qualifications are important to employers and educators, but anyone can practice physics. Galileo was studying medicine before the Physics bug hit him. As a curious man, he developed thermodynamics, mechanics, and astrophysics. Take a page from this father of modern physics. He saw planets that he could not touch and instead produced mathematical models to better understand them.
Bachelor, Master, Doctorate
If you are enthusiastic about a subject, the learning never stops. Graduates often reject further studying; a Masters or a PhD seems like too much hard work. It is better to think of advanced education as honing tools. A bachelor’s degree will show you the basic elements of all the subjects, from areas of math you did not know existed. To being shown that some of the things you were taught at school were so oversimplified that they were wrong.
When you have finished the Bachelor, you can fine-tune the areas you enjoyed or excelled at. A Master’s degree will give you the tools to move onto the next stage, the doctorate. A theoretical Physics PhD is the philosophy behind why a thing is and how it works. Universities will offer several research projects to choose from unless you have a topic that is worth researching. This offers you the chance to collaborate with the top minds in your field, and have your thesis published.
University or College
It is a difficult subject, arguably, more difficult than a regular physics degree. Even though large universities carry a type of celebrity status, any employer will be far more impressed with the title. Larger universities may have better funding and closer ties to private institutes, but that should not determine your goal. Technical colleges can offer the same level of education as a university. If the intention is to go on to a Masters or PhD, a university will take on undergraduates from other schools.
Distance Learning
Distance learning is tricky in any discipline, it is down to your mindset, and if you can cope well with limited support. Universities not only have libraries and active seminars but also fellow undergraduates. Other students are both distracting and beneficial, and you can help each other as a team. These are complex theories developed over hundreds of years, and even in attendance, it is a steep learning curve.
How Difficult is the Study of Theoretical Physics?
The degree requires knowledge of programming, an analytical mind, and excellent mathematical skills. The course will guide you through many of the steps at an accelerated rate, but it is down to you. It is important to keep up with seminars and lectures, get help from your personal tutor, and to stay clear-headed. The hardest parts are, having to re-learn some of the teachings from earlier education, the math is also very theoretical.
General Requirements
Universities will want you to prove you will last the course and set a good example. Good A-Levels and diplomas make university acceptance easier. But a lot of universities will offer an induction period, of around 2 months, to help mature students and those with lower grades. After this period, the head of the department can determine your aptitude for physics. There is little point in enrolling in a difficult degree if you are not willing to devote yourself. Success comes to those who use all the education and resources their university offers.
Theoretical Physics
How Long is the Study Period?
Bachelor’s degrees take 3 years, and an MPhys will go on for 4 years. An MPhys is when you commit to a master’s degree before starting the bachelor's, it is treated as a single qualification. A Master's degree will take a year, and a PhD is intended to last 3 years. Though many students extend their PhDs to complete their thesis, and this can take up to 7 years in extreme cases.
Study, Design, and Timetable in Theoretical Physics
The timetable is fuller than most other degrees, to pack in the 3 main disciplines of physics, math, and computer science. This also means extra work after lectures and less time to mess about. There is some lab time, but a lot of it is spent on computer models and attending math lectures. The subject is about, getting to the fundamentals and understanding the mechanics of nature. Math theory plays a major role that takes analysis, integration, and matrices to a whole other level.
Math in Theoretical Physics Studies
Numbers become a little redundant in university mathematics. Masses relate to physical constants such as the speed of light in a vacuum. Math uses these constants in an algebraic fashion to arrive at such formulas as E=MC2. A theoretical physicist breaks up problem-solving, so that it may be applied to computer models. Theoretical physicists understand that a computer cannot jump steps and knows how to simplify it for programming.
Where Can I Study Theoretical Physics?
Major universities with a physics department will offer Theoretical Physics as a choice. This is an elite subject, and the number of universities offering the degree is limited. Most of the offerings are in the United Kingdom.
UK:
- Imperial, King’s College, Nottingham, Sussex, UCL
- Manchester, Leeds, York, Hull, Newcastle
- Edinburgh, St. Andrews
- Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Lancaster, Swansea
- Belfast
Poland
- Warsaw
The Fields of Study in Theoretical Physics
Physics is a fundamental science, even though other sciences do not like to admit to it, physics is the starting point of all discovery. Because of this, the syllabus is as broad as it gets, from LASERs to the fractals in nature, physics is the place to get answers. Some subjects are mandatory, but even at an undergraduate level, there is flexibility in many of the topics. Astronomy, modern uses in medicine, and sound production are optional modules.
Study Guide
It is easy to become overwhelmed with long lectures, rapid learning curves, and cope with the homework. A vital piece of advice is to stick with it and to attend all the lectures. Learning gaps are not easy to fill in, and a single lecture can cover a lot of information. Look at the syllabus carefully and see if there are any topics that you really do not like. If in doubt, it is better to switch lectures before a term starts, otherwise you may lose interest altogether.
The PhD Program of Theoretical Physics
Doctorates are not necessary, but they will significantly increase your chances for employment in the private sector. After acceptance into a PhD program, you will have a set number of years, funded, to complete your thesis on a single theory. On completion, senior lectures will confer and either qualify you for a doctorate or recommend changes before they will assess it again. A PhD marks you as a specialist in that field and offer the opportunity to present your findings to the world.
AFTER GRADUATION
What do You do as a Theoretical Physicist?
In a sense, theoretical physics has been around for as long as human-kinds search for fact. It starts with an idea, a problem, something that we do not understand. The need to discover the answer is not a linear process. An answer is easier to find when we know what the question is, and that is not always clear. sometimes we get to the end of theory before we ask the right question.
What Can You Do with a Theoretical Physics Degree?
Employers love people that hold physics degrees. Theoretical physics is a problem-solving subject in the broadest of senses. It teaches us that any problem is solvable if it is broken up into manageable chunks. Management skills that the finance industry, lecturing, and research institutes love. The qualification is not limited to these industries, the degree is a state of mind, thinking outside of the box and doing what you want because you can. It is not about proving how smart you are; it is more about determination.
Studied, Got the Degree, Then?
Any degree is hard work, and Theoretical Physics takes on the tough side of a regular physics degree. There are more math lectures and programming, and less lab time. Think of it as a half-mathematics and half physics degree, with programming mixed into both. The subjects are in-depth, focusing on mathematical analysis and theory. Though complex, these are the backbones of many careers that few have knowledge of.
Job Prospects
Theoretical Physics Professions
Many graduates move into accountancy, this more to do with the large accounting firms looking for strong math degrees. The firms will pay for further education and offer a rapid promotion structure to math-based degree graduates. Medical Physics takes on many graduates to develop new systems, and for their knowledge of scanning technologies. Engineering firms look to physics for computer modelling of large structures. And the space industry is alive with private space missions, desperate for Theoretical physicists. Education is a great way to hone skills developed in the study while teaching a new generation.
Overview
Theoretical Physics graduates are sought after, but there are a lot of competing degrees such as Computer Science and Pure Math. For better career opportunities, it is better to advance to a Masters or a Doctorate. A few years ago, the financing of physics departments went into decline. It is now clear to financiers that physics started all the big developments of the 20th and 21st centuries. The invention of the IoT was to share and process masses of physics data. The atom was theorized two-and-a-half thousand years ago, and since we have gone on to splitting them. Physics theories have led to the creation of millions of jobs in all industries. And these occupations call on those that understand use theories on a regular basis.
How in Demand are Theoretical Physicists?
Most theoretical physicists will look to the medical industry if they do not wish to move into teaching. The medical industry pays well; there is a range of sub-industries. such as nuclear medical physics, looking at internal scanning, and treating disease with isotopes. Magnetic Resonance Imaging is now at a fantastic level of imaging, thanks in part to the efforts of theoretical physicists.
Audio-visual companies need to understand how sound interacts with an object and the materials they are emitted from. These companies also look for a deep understanding of quantum properties to develop new imaging devices. Technology industries are competitive, for researchers that can advance physics, they pay well.
Unemployed as a Theoretical Physicist?
Unemployment is possible in any industry, companies crash, and cutbacks are a common part of the modern world. A Theoretical Physicist is not immune to redundancy, but they will always sit at the top of the list of candidates for a new position. The flexibility of the degree is far higher than most others, and it offers the chance to change industries with relative ease. Such a degree shows an aptitude for running a business and dealing with day-to-day problems in a controlled fashion.
How Much Does a Theoretical Physicist Earn?
A theoretical physicist with a post-doctorate, working as a high-end research analyst can expect to earn up to $100K per year. At the graduate level in a university, and as a first-time employee, the salary will start around $30k. And going up to $50k depending on placement and final degree results. Though university occupations take time to progress, the knowledge in such a small community makes it a great place to grow.
Employers like to see that a Theoretical physicist has made some progress in educational institutions. A good way to continue from graduate to a doctorate, by getting paid by the university to do the research and help fellow students in workshops. A student technician can expect to earn $15/hr. in such a way and higher if directly tutoring undergraduates.
?Plasma physics is HOT right now; private institutes are desperate to be first in commercial fusion power and to set an industry standard. An associate research assistant with a PhD can expect to earn over $80k per year.