BSc in physics - what other options in grad school besides MSc in physics?

[shadowysun]

Hi all,

I was just wondering if anyone had any idea about the options available in grad school for a physics undergrad. For example, would one be able to segue into chemistry or geology or some kind of Earth/environmental sciences?

The reason I ask is that I'm getting more and more interested in the Earth sciences courses offered at my University as the year goes on, and was wondering if I'd be able to go into Earth science in grad school after getting a degree in physics (I'm in the physics specialist program right now). For instance, courses like physical geography or some of the 2nd year geology courses interest me - but 1st year chemistry is a prerequisite, and I transferred from engineering, so I didn't take any chemistry. However, I've been looking at the upper year physics courses and some of the courses such as physics of the earth/atmospheric physics really interest me at the moment.

Thanks in advance!

 

[fasterthanjoao]

Since no-one else has replied to your thread, i'll give a short answer, and all I can speak for is the UK: Yes.

Lots of graduate programmes here are self-contained; that is, as long as you have a 'physical sciences' degree you'll be able to work in lots of different areas of physical science: it really depends on the institution and the course. An Msc in plasma physics, for instance, might require either physics or math graduates whereas an Msc in medical engineering will accept physics, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemists, mathematicians etc. Geophysics is an area that would spring to mind that is directly applicable to physics graduates.