Physics Graduate Programs Involving Internships in Industry

[jonesje]

Hello PhysicsForums!

I'm currently a senior undergraduate physics major looking at grad school options. I hope to pursue a future career in industry rather than academia. I've found a couple graduate programs that are very interesting to me.

1) Georgetown University Industrial Leadership in Physics (ILP)
http://physics.georgetown.edu/graduate-studies/graduate-studies/industrial-leadership-physics

2) University of South Florida
http://physics.usf.edu/graduate/phd/

Both programs offer some kind of "Industrial Practicum or Industrial Apprenticeship" as part of their program.

I'm wondering if there are any other programs out there that have similar programs? So that industry experience and connections will be gained during graduate school.

Thanks!

 

[Arsenic&Lace]

Look at applied physics programs. The professors often have direct connections to industry (they do at my institution). An internship may be unnecessary but it certainly isn't a bad thing.

 

[Jakeness]

After a quick search, I was only able to find http://internship.uoregon.edu/overview.html Apparently it is only for those four listed fields, though.

Look at applied physics programs.

Given that one is already intent on going into a field relevant to indstury (e.g. condensed matter, accelerators, or optics), how much of an advantage would an applied physics MS or PhD have over an experimental one?

 

[Arsenic&Lace]

It's just a name, for instance there are numerous groups at my institution who do more or less applied physics even though there is no official applied physics group.

A different way of interpreting my advice is that you should consider getting in touch with research groups of interest irrespective of whether or not an internship is offered and figure out where graduates go and what sorts of connections exist, since some of these groups probably funnel students into industry with or without an internship.

 

[Matrix0]

As a fellow physicist, I can understand your interest in pursuing a future career in industry rather than academia. Both the programs you have mentioned seem to provide valuable opportunities for gaining industry experience and connections during graduate school. I would recommend researching other universities and their physics graduate programs to see if they offer similar opportunities. You could also reach out to professionals in the industry and ask for their recommendations or insights on graduate programs that have a strong focus on industry internships. Additionally, networking and attending conferences or career fairs can also help you discover potential graduate programs with industrial internships. Best of luck in your search!