What can I do with a degree in a Physical Science?
Sixty to sixty-five percent of graduates with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry or physics work in private sector, including industrial settings, creating products or processes for consumers or businesses (Source: American Chemical Society and the American Physics Society). A physics or engineering degree gives you important analytical, mathematical and computing skills that many employers find invaluable. Examples of industries that employ physical science graduates include the energy industry, medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry, petrochemicals, the coatings industry, and food sciences. At Benedictine, we have structured our programs so that our majors get as much laboratory experience as possible. Our students learn instrumentation, lab techniques, scientific calculations, problem solving and more in our labs, all of which are key skills for success in industrial careers. Our innovative first-year and second-year labs for majors are oriented around research themes, giving students further practical skills.
Much of the background required for post-graduate education in the healthcare field lies in the department of physical sciences. As a result physical science majors are very well suited to careers in healthcare, ranging from physicians, dentists and pharmacists to public health professionals and health clinical technicians. The physical science programs at Benedictine provide flexibility to create and explore interests that are relevant to a wide variety of health careers. The College of Science at Benedictine also enjoys partnerships that provide pathways to a wide variety of healthcare careers. To learn more about health professions and our pathways to success, visit our pre-medical and health professions website.
From the monitoring and analysis of factors affecting our air, water, and soil to the shaping of public policy around issues of the environment, there are a variety of careers available to physical science majors interested in many areas of environmental science, including new product development, analytical testing and hazardous waste management, safety & regulatory issues, and public policy. Stewardship is a hallmark of Benedictine education, and so our core mission is uniquely aligned with environmental themes. Employers in this area are searching for candidates with strong analytical skills and interdisciplinary expertise. Benedictine’s program sharpens those skills by exposing our students to wide spectrum of physical science disciplines and linking our research opportunities to real-world questions and concerns.
Research chemists and physicists study the physical universe, using the latest scientific tools and techniques in both laboratory settings and the field. Chemists and Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena encompassing all scales: from sub-atomic particles to the behaviour of atomic and molecular interations, to mass material and energetic interactions of our world and the universe. In industry these scientists are exploring new ideas to expand the number and quality of products and materials that influence our lives. Novel polymer and alloy development, pharmaceutical breakthroughs, static and dynamic mechanics, aerospace delivery systems, and myriad aspects of the food industry are a few examples. In universities and colleges, professors in the lab or fields pursue scientific questions for the sake of knowledge alone and mentor students with projects and direct research programs.
There is a vast array of careers available to degree holders in the physical sciences, some resources to explore further are listed below.
The Benedictine Benefit
Benedictine University has a tradition of excellence in undergraduate science programs. The College of Science at Benedictine offers degrees that provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to enter rewarding careers. Our degree programs in the Physcal Sciences are proven platforms for career successes and exceptional placement into graduate and healthcare professional schools. Our faculty are nationally recognized for their research and teaching excellence.
William R. Law, Ph.D.
Dean of the College of Science
Tonia Rucker, Assistant to the Dean
Email: trucker@ben.edu
Phone: (630) 829-6187
Fax: (630) 829-6186
Dean's Office Hours:
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Dean's Office Location:
Birck Hall Room 119
