The BS in Physics is designed for undergraduate students who wish to pursue a professional career as a physicist. Students will acquire critical understanding of basic physics principles, an introduction to contemporary fields of research inquiry, and the skills to apply their knowledge to emerging physics questions. This degree track is strongly recommended for students planning to continue on to physics MS and/or PhD degrees.
Professional physicists typically pursue careers in teaching, research or some combination of the two. Teaching opportunities are available at the secondary, community college, or university level, where professors often engage in their own research projects. Opportunities for non-instructional research careers generally fall into two categories: the private sector (such as the computer chip industry), or national government-supported laboratories such as Argonne or Brookhaven.
Approximately 75% of UB undergraduate students in physics go on to graduate school. Many continue to study physics, but a significant number choose to pursue alternative paths, including law, business, medicine, biophysics and medical physics. Some of our outstanding recent graduates have been accepted into internationally-recognized programs at schools such as Princeton University, Cornell University, the University of Chicago, MIT and the University at Buffalo.