Physics degree.. what can I do in the armed forces?

Fair point, I'm just curious in all honesty. Think if i wanted to go down this sort of route I'd be better off working for the MoD with MPhys.

I think a fair number of Physicists end up working in defence. Not sure exactly what, but maybe R&D of new technologies, weapons etc.. I'm not sure they work directly for the MoD though, more like the associated companies, unless you are planning on doing things like maintaining our nuclear deterrent

Also for everyone saying a degree means you can become an officer are wrong. Unless it is a 'trade' officer you apply to i.e medical doctor/nurse, engineer etc... you will not be able to apply to become an officer unless you have 180 ucas point from A-levels or equivelant! And the grades that make up the 180 ucas points have to be grade C or above!

A degree merely gets you a higher starting salary and a few years seniority (depending on the service you join).

While it was an assumption, it was [probably] a good guess that a guy with an MPhys will have those requisite UCAS pts. And while you're right in saying the Armed Forces [of the UK, at least] require the Alevels/equivalents as a basic level, with the much reduced recruitment of the Armed Forces and the pickier nature of selection, a candidate with a degree is far more likely to get further in the process than one without.

Look at the RAF website, Bleak Lemming.

That will tell you all the requirements you need for which trade. It's obvious you havn't checked if you're thinking you need a degree to become a pilot

Actaully I'm not too sure about that either. I was talking to an Royal marines officer and he was saying that degrees mean absolutely nothing to the recruiters at least in the royal marines commandos. All they mainly look at is firstly your physical ability, and secondly you ability to lead. He said that every year they get loads of graduates at the marines poc and aib that literally think they're the best and will fly through officer selection. The kind of guys that have 1st class honours, have been leaders of extra curricular groups in uni, captain of their sports teams, basically always been high achievers and think they are the bomb because everyone has told them they are. Then they go to officer selection and get rejected because the recruiters basically think they're a bit **** and are too full of themselves and wouldn't make good leaders/officers. Then you get the guys that haven't got the 1st class degrees or any degrees at all but have outstanding physical ability and have shown that they can be molded into the type of officers the marines are looking for.

However this may only be in the royal marines though. Also he did say degrees become a bit more relevant later on in an officers career when competing with other officers for higher rank jobs. That's why loads of officers do OU degrees, even if they have a degree already.

I don't wanna be a pilot, just had a feeling every1 wud associate physics with being a pilot! :P

he was saying that degrees mean absolutely nothing to the recruiters at least in the royal marines commandos.

Yet there are more graduate RM Officers than non-graduate RM Officers. A statistic that is similar across the Armed Forces. It is part of the equation. Also, not that many Officers do OU degrees whilst serving.