Physics education in USA and UK

[alexandrana]

Hello,i need some info about Physics college education in USA an UK.
In my country there are 2 different Physics directions (colleges), one is educational Physics and the other is scientific Physics. The first one educates Physics professors (primary and high school) and the other one educates scientists. I am a student at educational Physics, but I would like to do a phd afterwards (possibly USA or UK). If i would do that in my country i would first have to take some exams from the scientific direction to be as equal as those students. So, I would like to know do you have those differences in Physics education?

 

[mgb_phys]

I haven't heard of educational physics in the UK.

Normally in the UK you would do a regular physics degree and then to teach in schools you would do an additional one year post graduate teaching course.
To teach in a university (or a private school) there are no fixed requirements but a PhD is pretty much a requirement for a university lecturer.

Note that in the UK/USA professor means something different, in the UK it is the senior staff or head of a university department, in the USA it is generally any permanent university staff - anybody who teaches in a school is just called a teacher.

 

[Mene]

I can say that both the USA and UK have excellent Physics education programs at the college level. In both countries, there are programs that focus on educating future Physics professors for primary and high schools, as well as programs that prepare students for careers in scientific research.

In the USA, undergraduate Physics programs typically offer a broad range of courses in different areas of Physics, allowing students to gain a solid foundation in the subject. Students can then choose to specialize in a specific area for their graduate studies, such as astrophysics, biophysics, or condensed matter physics.

Similarly, in the UK, undergraduate Physics programs also offer a wide range of courses, but students typically specialize in a specific area earlier on in their studies. This allows for a more focused education in a particular field of Physics.

In terms of the differences you mentioned in your country, I cannot speak specifically to those programs. However, in both the USA and UK, it is common for students to have to take entrance exams or meet certain requirements for graduate programs, regardless of whether they studied in an educational or scientific Physics program during their undergraduate studies. This is to ensure that all students have a strong foundation in Physics before pursuing advanced studies.

Overall, both the USA and UK have highly reputable Physics education programs at the college level, and either country would be a great choice for pursuing a PhD in Physics. I recommend researching specific programs and universities to find the best fit for your interests and career goals.