Numbers up in undergraduate physics, astronomy

Across the US, 4553 bachelor’s degrees were awarded in physics and 325 in astronomy in the class of 2003. Those numbers represent a 25% increase in physics over a low four years earlier, and an unprecedented jump of 66% in astronomy over the same period. The experiences and plans of the new bachelors are discussed in a recent report by the American Institute of Physics.

Physics and astronomy accounted for only 0.3% of all bachelor’s degrees awarded in the US in 2003; they made up 2% of degrees awarded in math, science, and engineering. The representation of women in undergraduate physics and astronomy increased 50% over a decade earlier. The most frequent reason respondents gave for choosing physics was interest in the subject matter; many majors also listed the influence of a high-school teacher or a professor, with more women than men citing this as a reason.

More than one-third of seniors in physics and nearly half in astronomy had double majors, compared with only 5% of bachelor’s recipients across all fields. Nearly three-quarters of physics seniors participated in undergraduate research, and those who did were three times more likely to enter a graduate program in physics or astronomy than were their counterparts without research experience.

In 2003, the percentage of physics seniors planning to pursue graduate studies in physics or astronomy had increased by 8% since 1998, a shift offset by a decline in the percentage planning to enter the workforce. Some 39% of men and 34% of women physics seniors said they planned to continue with graduate studies in physics or astronomy. Forty-one percent of seniors in physics and 43% in astronomy said their long-term goal was to secure an academic position at a college or university (see table).

The Physics and Astronomy Senior Report: Class of 2003 is available online at http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/undergradtrends.html .