Physics 2.2 degree disaster?

Hi guys,
I'm wondering what you can actually do with a 2.2 in a physics degree aside from lab technician. Seems like the most useless thing ever. :frown:

Any ideas?

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

Nitebot

I think you're underestimating the value of your degree. You might find that it will be rated quite highly by non-science employers. Everyone knows a physics degree is difficult. I think you could apply for anything which doesn't require a specific degree. Try the business/retail sectors.

Reply 2

pandapanda

Original post by Draya

Hi guys,
I'm wondering what you can actually do with a 2.2 in a physics degree aside from lab technician. Seems like the most useless thing ever. :frown:

Any ideas?

Don't turn your nose up at lab technician. Once you've got a job, any job, in the field and are starting to earn experience then your degree becomes less and less important and your experience says a lot more in a job application or an interview than your degree does.

Reply 3

Mbob

Original post by Draya

Hi guys,
I'm wondering what you can actually do with a 2.2 in a physics degree aside from lab technician. Seems like the most useless thing ever. :frown:

Any ideas?

Depends on your skills/ interests. Maybe:

- Teaching
- R&D : A Master's Degree followed by a PhD and your 1st degree would not longer matter.

Reply 4

Balloon Baboon

Original post by pandapanda

Once you've got a job, any job, in the field and are starting to earn experience then your degree becomes less and less important and your experience says a lot more in a job application or an interview than your degree does.

This.

A degree only shows an employer that you have the ability to learn and take in knowledge at a high level. Experience however is what most employers are looking for.

Reply 5

gunner4lyf44

Original post by Mbob

Depends on your skills/ interests. Maybe:

- Teaching
- R&D : A Master's Degree followed by a PhD and your 1st degree would not longer matter.

It would be very hard for him to find a PhD programme that will accept a 2:2.

Reply 6

DynamicSyngery

Original post by pandapanda

Yeah sort-of, but it's more like a snowball effect because the experience itself typecasts you into a particular career path. Where does lab technician career path lead? Chief lab technician?

---

OP, there are three decent routes you could investigate:

1. A lot of science and engineering grad schemes only ask for a 2.2. Look on milkround or somewhere for companies that consider 2.2s. I believe MBDA and possibly BAE do, but there are a lot of others.

2. Some industries that really want 2.1s have 'alternative access' for 2.2 and A level students. The only one that comes to mind is accounting, but that's a big industry and I have friends who have successfully got jobs in this way.

3. In academia a good masters can 'recover' a 2.2 for PhD applications. Be extremely careful about this route, however. First, it does not work for grad schemes. They will still consider you a 2.2 graduate and not consider your masters, for the most part. Second, the academia career path isn't all that great; it's very difficult to even get a job. If you end up with a PhD and no job in academia, what do you do? Third, it costs money, usually cash rather student loan debt, and puts off earning another year, so there's a possibly substantial financial risk depending on your circumstances. Finally, all of this is predicated on you being able to do well in the masters. Why did you do badly in your first degree and why will it be different? If you think it won't be different, don't touch this option with a barge pole.

Reply 7

Mbob

Original post by gunner4lyf44

It would be very hard for him to find a PhD programme that will accept a 2:2.

Many will following a good performance in a Master's degree, especially given the difficulty in recruiting candidates for Physics PhDs (other than the top few Universities).

Reply 8

Draya

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'm thinking accountancy is the best option atm.

Reply 9

pandapanda

Original post by DynamicSyngery

Yeah sort-of, but it's more like a snowball effect because the experience itself typecasts you into a particular career path. Where does lab technician career path lead? Chief lab technician?

You can't really see things strictly in terms of a career path, people don't really stick to just one job their whole life these days, particularly at the start of your working life you need to be more flexible.

If he gets experience as a lab tech at one company that will give him experience of working in a lab, basic techniques and other general skills/knowledge of the field that will put him in a good position to apply for a higher up job in another company. That could really put him ahead of another candidate with a better class degree with less/no experience.

Reply 10

DynamicSyngery

Original post by pandapanda

Fresh graduates aren't the competition at that point, it's people with experience at other companies. If what OP really wants is to be an accountant or a company director, people who went straight into accounting or a corporate grad scheme will have more desireable experience for those sorts of roles.

Reply 11

SnoochToTheBooch

a mate of mine with a 2.2 is now a school physics teacher.

Reply 12

daisy_1

Original post by Draya

Hi guys,
I'm wondering what you can actually do with a 2.2 in a physics degree aside from lab technician. Seems like the most useless thing ever. :frown:

Any ideas?

My boyfriend has been a lab technician for 3+ years on 20k a year! and he's in the middle of being promoted internally for another job that starts on 30k a year...so don't diss lab technicians!

Reply 13

Freier._.lance

Original post by Draya

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'm thinking accountancy is the best option atm.

Is it a Bachelors or a Masters?

Reply 14

Freier._.lance

Original post by gunner4lyf44

It would be very hard for him to find a PhD programme that will accept a 2:2.

Although people with an upper second or first degree are at an advantage, it definitely doesn't mean a 2.2 makes it considerably harder for someone to get into a Ph.D program. I know a few people doing Ph.D's at top universities having obtained 2:2's.

Reply 15

lubus

Original post by daisy_1

My boyfriend has been a lab technician for 3+ years on 20k a year! and he's in the middle of being promoted internally for another job that starts on 30k a year...so don't diss lab technicians!

i dont think you could live on much less than 20k

Reply 16

siani-chan

I shall be watching this thread - I'm in my second year and my grades aren't exactly brilliant.. I want a 2.1 but I think I need to be a bit more realistic. :frown:

Reply 17

Aylish

I'm sure theirs a lot you caan do with it try business administration

Reply 18

Procerus

I did a summer placement at a london insurance company which was full of physics and engineering degree holders because the company specialised insuring large construction projects