As an international direct student at USC, you’ll receive:

• Exclusive and rigorous academic coursework
• Priority access to in-demand courses that fit your interests
• Guidance from academic advisors and mentors
• Career development and networking opportunities
• Intensive classes with domestic students

In the Department of Physics and Astronomy at USC, our students benefit from our internationally recognized faculty who are engaged in world-class research. Our ties to several national and international laboratories and physics-related industries, as well as our interdisciplinary efforts provide students with access to cutting-edge research in almost all areas of contemporary physics. The research opportunities and classroom instruction we provide pay off, too. 

The undergraduate program in physics is designed to provide a fundamental understanding of both experimental and theoretical physics. All of the majors provide a strong basis for graduate study in physics. The applied major is designed for students seeking employment by industrial or governmental laboratories upon completing their B.S. By a suitable choice of electives students will also be prepared for graduate study in the other sciences, mathematics, medicine, or engineering or to enter the University’s special teacher education program that leads to a master’s degree and teacher certification.

In addition to acquiring specific knowledge in core areas of physics, students in our program have outstanding opportunities to participate in original cutting-edge research. The research experience provides students opportunities to develop and practice skills that are of immense value to employers and in further educational endeavors. 

The following occupations are some of the career options available to students with a degree in physics:

• Financial analyst
• Manufacturing manager
• Laboratory technician
• Nuclear physicist
• Geophysicist
• Acoustics physicist
• Hydrologist
• Astronomer
• Lawyer
• Industrial hygienist
• Cardiac imaging researcher
• Chemical physicist
• Technical illustrator
• Astrophysicist
• Surveyor
• Aeronautical engineer
• Congressional researcher
• Laser technician
• Computer specialist
• Satellite data analyst
• Seismologist
• Meteorologist
• Scientific photographer
• Quality control manager
• Forensic scientist
• Automotive engineer
• Air traffic controller
• Environmental health specialist
• Optometrist
• Oceanographer
• Biophysicist
• Biomedical technician
• Science journalist
• Energy analyst