Know All About Physics From An Expert: Subjects, Career Options, And More

Subjects In Physics

Let us first take you through the different subjects in Physics.

Cosmology | It is the study of the universe at the largest possible scale. The study depends on observation.

Astrophysics | It is the study of stars and their constituents and includes laws of Physics and astronomical observations.

Astronomy | This subject in Physics deals with the the study of motion and luminosity of stars. Historically, Astronomy is observation of bodies and Astrophysics explains heavenly bodies and their motion.

Geophysics | It is the Physics of the earth and its surrounding environment like of what lies inside the earth, movement of the earth, the oceans, and the atmosphere. Specialisations include Oceanography, Seismology, Volcanology, and Geomagnetism.

Oceanography | It includes the study of the physical, chemical , biological and geological aspects of oceans, and is a remarkably interdisciplinary subject.

Biophysics | An interdisciplinary field that uses tools of Physics to study Biology. It includes Nanobiophysics, Nanomedicine, Molecular Biophysics, Radiation Biophysics, and Pharmaceutical Biophysics for drug delivery.

Molecular Physics | This subject in Physics deals with the study of molecules and how they bond with other molecules.

Atomic Physics | It is the study of nucleus, electrons, and primarily the electron structure.

Nuclear Physics | It is the study of what happens inside the nucleus, its reaction , and creating fusion in a controlled manner in a lab so that we are able to produce energy .

Nuclear Physics Is The Study Of What Happens Inside The Nucleus

Particle Physics | It is high-energy Physics where we study the fundamental particles and the laws that govern them.

Condensed Matter Physics | It is the study of how matter is formed from atoms and molecules, and how it gets its physical properties.

Statistical Physics | It is the study of laws derived from first principles using laws of probability and a large number of molecules. The laws provide a mathematical framework to deal with systems with a large number of subsystems.

Plasma Physics | This subject in Physics talks about the ionised state of matter and the ionosphere around us. It also talks about how high temperature plasma enables light elements to fuse together, releasing nuclear energy.

The above mentioned will open up new doors for students to wish to have their careers in physics.

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What After 10+2 With Physics?

• After your Class 10, a combination of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, and Mathematics is a good choice. Having these subjects in class 12 will help you open up more horizons in context to your career. Doing a Bachelor’s in Computer Applications or Bachelor’s in Business Administration are some good options with Physics and Mathematics background of Class 12.
• If you wish to take a slightly different direction, BSc and MSc in Forensics or Actuarial Sciences can be promising careers, but of course, you need to be interested in and have an aptitude for them. Actuarial Sciences is a growing field and has a lot of scope nowadays, essentially because they make an assessment of the financial risks involved in any venture that is taken up.
• Other options are going for BSc in Physics (with Maths/Statistics/Chemistry/ Electronics/IT), or an integrated 5-year BSc+ MSc from central or private universities.

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What To Do After BSc Physics

For those who wonder what to do after BSc Physics, one option is the Joint Admission Test for Master’s (JAM). Clearing the JAM makes you eligible to take admission in a large number of MSc courses across IIT’s. Let us discuss a few of them.

Master’s In Geophysics | This has a lot of scope in context to jobs in the private and government sectors. It has many sub-branches like Petroleum, Mining, Environmental, Oceanography etc. Roughly, Geophysics is all about the earth and its atmosphere. There are many MTech courses on Climate Science which are essentially a part of Geophysics.

Master’s In Medical Physics | People with a degree in this can work with hospitals, in radio-oncology departments.

Diploma In Radiological Physics | This is a one-year course after which students can go for an internship in the radiation-oncology departments of hospitals. They help the radio-oncologist in designing treatment plans for cancer patients. You can also be a Radiological Safety Officer (RSO).

What To Do After MSc Physics?

To have a good career after MSc Physics let us take a look at the different possible pathways.

Qualifying Examinations

Everything that we do after a bachelor's degree can be done and pursued as a career after MSc Physics. But first and foremost, you need to qualify the NET, GATE, and JEST examinations, since these open up many options later on. For employment in a large number of public enterprises and government organisations, eligibility is a good GATE score. Public Sector Undertakings also now employ people based on the GATE score and an interview. Qualifying national level examinations would help you to evaluate yourself, and make you eligible for admissions. The NET examination instantly provides you with a fellowship. This could be a promising pathway to a career after MSc Physics.

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Teaching And Research

Depending upon your interest, teaching and research is a satisfying career, particularly if you enjoy reading. Teaching in schools would require an additional BEd, while PhD is more preferred for in a college. To teach at a university, having an MSc is mandatory, however, people with a PhD and some experience of post-doctoral work are given the most preference.

Research At Govt. Organisations

You may choose a research career after MSc Physics, that is, one as a research scientist or a scientific officer in one of the many government organisations like DRDO, ISRO, BARC, NPL. In the context of pursuing a PhD program, there are a large number of institutions to pursue it from but choosing one which has a robust environment is important because that is where the camaraderie of research is.

Physics, and Science in general teaches us to question and that is what makes us understand matters differently. We look for causation, beyond correlations.

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