Internships and Careers
A physics degree opens doors well beyond the label "physicist." Our graduates go on to careers in aerospace and defense, data science and software engineering, government and national labs, biophysics and medical instrumentation, and K-12 or community college teaching, with real outcomes data to back it up. You don't have to wait until graduation to get started either: most of our majors do hands-on research with a faculty member before they finish their degree, work that's gone on to national conferences and real results. Physics-specific scholarships help make it all more affordable along the way.
📷 [IMAGE: photo of a student in an internship/research setting, career-fair type shot, or similar, TBD] 📷
Careers in Physics
See exactly where our graduates end up, research and graduate study, aerospace and defense, data science, government and national labs, biophysics, and K-12 or community college teaching, backed by real AIP data on starting salaries, employment sectors, and what graduates are doing one year out, plus a curated list of career-planning resources from AIP, APS, and IOP.
Internships
Get hands-on before you graduate. Learn how to land a paid research position with one of our faculty right here on campus (most majors do, just ask), how NSF-funded REU programs place students in paid summer research at institutions across the country, and how the Cal-Bridge Program supports students pursuing physics and astronomy PhDs. Then browse our growing Student Research Highlights to see what CSUSB students have actually built, updated with new projects each semester.
Scholarships
Beyond university-wide financial aid, our department offers physics-specific funding through the Southern California Edison Scholarship and the Keller Scholarship, plus support through the Cal-Bridge Program for students pursuing physics and astronomy PhDs. Find eligibility, deadlines, and how to apply.
Questions in the meantime? Contact our Administrative Support Coordinator, Maureen Murphy (mmurphy@csusb.edu).