PHYS 401

I. Course Title: Career and Professional Development

II. Course Number: PHYS 401

III. Credit Hours: 2 credits

IV. Prerequisites: Senior standing

V. Course Description: 

This course will develop skills that will help students make the transition to their post-baccalaureate careers in industry or graduate study.  Two hours lecture.

VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:

This course will provide students guidance in developing skills they will need as they prepare for their post-baccalaureate careers. These skills will be common to industry employment or graduate study in a variety of fields. Topics to be covered include writing cover letters, resume writing, creating a CV, job applications, writing proposals, evaluating potential employers and graduate schools, teamwork, critical evaluation of various types of writing, professional ethics and best practices, and professional presentations.

VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:

Students will meet 2 hours per week. Students will begin by researching various career paths in physics including both employment and graduate study opportunities. Students will prepare materials for both general career paths including resumes, vitae, and other relevant portfolio items. Students will be required to work as a team to prepare a presentation on a contemporary topic in physics. This presentation will include relevant background research, the current status of the topic, and possible solutions to, or improvements involving the topic. Students will critically evaluate their peers’ work and provide constructive feedback. Students will also be assigned various out-of-class activities and presentations to attend and evaluate in various formats.

VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:

The goal of this class is to help students prepare for their post-graduate careers. Having successfully completed this course, the student will be able to 

1. Create a resume for employment or a graduate school application, 
2. Effectively search and apply for employment of post-graduate program,  
3. Create effective professional presentations, 
4. Work effectively in teams to solve a problem, 
5. Effectively evaluate works of peers and others, and 
6. Evaluate their contributions as physicists to society. 

VIII. Assessment Measures:

Assessment of student performance will be based on a combination of general class participation, active discussion participation, oral and/or written presentations, group and individual assignments, and other real-time assessments.  

Review and Approval

August 2020