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School of Physics and Astronomy

Careers and employability

Physics and Astronomy graduates group shot
Our alumni are highly valued by employers around the world.

Our Physics and Astronomy graduates are highly sought after by today’s employers.

  • 16th for overall graduate prospects, research, and student satisfaction (The Complete University Guide 2024)
  • 94% of our graduates were in employment and/or further study or doing other activities such as travelling, 15 months after the end of their course (Graduate Outcomes Survey, Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) 2020/21)

A wide range of career options

With a Cardiff University degree, you’ll be amongst the UK’s most sought-after graduates, backed by impressive rankings.

A physics degree gives you the power to make a difference. Physics teaches you to think, to problem-solve, to explain, to grow your mathematical skills, your engineering skills, and it is versatile, looking at the near and the far of our universe, allowing you to follow so many different career paths. It's true that physics graduates are some of the most in-demand, and it's easy to see why!

Just some of the many possible job and career paths include:

  • airline pilot
  • automotive and aerospace
  • banking and accountancy
  • computer games
  • government intelligence services
  • intellectual property
  • medical physics
  • nuclear power
  • police and armed forces
  • research science
  • teaching.

Employers include exciting organisations such as Rolls Royce, Bank of England, EDF Energy and GCHQ, as well as UK and international universities.

Watch our video about the many possibilities for our physics graduates

The skills and knowledge gained in this course has allowed me to progress and achieve a job as a Graduate Process Design Engineer.

Zoe, MSc Biophotonics, 2011-12

Institute of Physics (IOP) accreditation

All of our degree programmes are accredited by the Institute of Physics (IOP).

Choosing an accredited degree will make it easier to obtain professional awards such as Chartered Physicist (CPhys) later in your career.

Professional placement

We offer a number of degree programmes with a professional placement during the third year in industry, commerce, government or some other institution.

The placement year is designed to help you further develop your problem-solving skills and encourage the use of initiative, to acquire a professional work methodology and experience some degree of professional responsibility.

We offer students the exciting opportunity to spend a summer working with our staff on a real-life project with our summer research placements.

Your dedicated Careers Advisor

We have our own dedicated Careers Advisor, who offers regular appointments to help you explore your options and plan your career journey.

This can include support with:

  • job hunting
  • CVs
  • application forms
  • covering letters
  • mock interviews.

The appointments are invaluable for helping you discover career options, decide on which direction to take, and knowing what to do next.

Our University also offers an extensive Careers Service, as well as a vibrant and social media presence so you are always in the know.

Personal Development Planning

Personal Development Planning (PDP) involves completing a number of exercises relating to academic study, personal and graduate skills, as well as completing career related activities.

It will help you to get the most out of your student experience by helping you to reflect upon your strengths and weaknesses and plan for your academic, personal and career development. It will help you to prove and document your personal and professional development and develop the confidence and ability to articulate your skills and qualities to a wide range of employers and other professional bodies.