Can I get a job after a Undergraduate Physics Degree?

I'm in a bit of a pickle.
I decided to take a Physics course in University and have applied this year. However, my parents believe I won't be able to get a relevant job to my course. They would rather want me to take a Medical course as one of my cousin have been guaranteed a job straight after his course.
I personally have no interest or passion for the field of Medicine so have argued against taking such course. My parents however, want me to take a gap year and reapply for a Medicine course. However, they are open minded and willing to change if provided with sufficient reasoning.
This is why I've come here. I have done my own research but the answers aren't sufficient. So I present you with 2 questions.
Are their several potential jobs I can apply for straight after my undergraduate course(jobs relevant to the degree)?
Does a Medicine course give me a greater chance to get a relevant job(compared to a Physics one)?
Not reply important but, which(potential) job offers a greater salary?

Key Background information on me:
- I've taken Physics/Chemistry/Maths A-Levels.
- I applied to Birmingham(firm choice) for Physics and Astrophysics (they want A*AA).
- I applied to Lancaster (insurance choice) for Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology (they want AAB).

Thank you in advance to anyone helping.

Reply 1

Afterlife?

19

Yes tbh that’s probably true since most medicine people become medicine related after they graduate but a lot of physics they go into stuff like banking but what’s wrong with not being in your field and plus if you really like physics you will get a job in he field it’s just people chasing money who go into IB or smth

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 2

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

That depends what you consider "relevant to the degree". To be a "physicist" entails getting a PhD and then working in academia. However the degree is suitable background to go into a wide range of areas, including potentially: software engineering/development, banking and financial services, becoming a patent attorney, a wide range of roles in the engineering sector, and any general position anyone with a degree could apply to (such as the civil service, or a training contract at a law firm).

There are no degrees other than medicine that lead to a guaranteed job at the end, and you actually need to get through the medical degree to get that job. If you don't want to do it, and aren't motivated to do that course, then whether you even get that far is debatable. Beyond that, it is extremely bad for your would-be patients if you just went into the job with no interest in helping them and just did so to please your parents and/or society. Those people who might become your patients deserve better than that, so you should allow them that by pursuing something that interest you and benefit everyone.

Reply 3

Neptism7

OP

7

Original post by Afterlife?

Yes tbh that’s probably true since most medicine people become medicine related after they graduate but a lot of physics they go into stuff like banking

Yea, I've heard similarly. Most Physics graduates go on to take Masters aswell. But surely their must be some relevant jobs available for undergraduates.

Reply 4

Neptism7

OP

7

Original post by artful_lounger

That depends what you consider "relevant to the degree". To be a "physicist" entails getting a PhD and then working in academia. However the degree is suitable background to go into a wide range of areas, including potentially: software engineering/development, banking and financial services, becoming a patent attorney, a wide range of roles in the engineering sector, and any general position anyone with a degree could apply to (such as the civil service, or a training contract at a law firm).

There are no degrees other than medicine that lead to a guaranteed job at the end, and you actually need to get through the medical degree to get that job. If you don't want to do it, and aren't motivated to do that course, then whether you even get that far is debatable. Beyond that, it is extremely bad for your would-be patients if you just went into the job with no interest in helping them and just did so to please your parents and/or society. Those people who might become your patients deserve better than that, so you should allow them that by pursuing something that interest you and benefit everyone.

I aspire to be a Astrophysicists which I understand requires a Masters.
However, if my mind sways and I don't see my aspirations through. I want some sort of backup still relevant to what I will learn(not the skills obtained).
Is there absolutely nothing available for undergraduates in the field of Physics?

Reply 5

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post by Neptism7

I aspire to be a Astrophysicists which I understand requires a Masters.
However, if my mind sways and I don't see my aspirations through. I want some sort of backup still relevant to what I will learn(not the skills obtained).
Is there absolutely nothing available for undergraduates in the field of Physics?

To be an astrophysicist, as with any physics discipline, requires you to get a PhD, because it's an academic field and you need to be working in a university as a post-doc and then academic proper. You can't "be a physicist" with an undergraduate degree, because being a physicist (of any variety) is necessarily the process of doing original research in physics - which occurs only in academia, and requires a PhD.

However any job is likely to use some of the transferable skills from your degree (numeracy skills, interpreting things at different scales, working with data, developing mathematical models of things, computing skills, etc)., and some might involve some more of your physics background (e.g. working at the Met Office, as part of a satellite mission team, working on the technical build of a radio telescope etc). However this is all stuff you could also do from an engineering degree, or a maths degree, by and large.

Can I get a job after a Undergraduate Physics Degree?

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