Physics bachelors who apply to medical and law school are among the highest scorers on the MCAT and LSAT, respectively. The number of degree-granting physics departments in the US has kept stable over the past 10 years. In 2007 women made up 19% of entering students in physics PhD programs and 24% in master’s programs. The number of physics bachelor’s degrees conferred is on the rise, with 58% more in 2007 than eight years prior. These highlights are from recent reports by the Statistical Research Center of the American Institute of Physics.
One of the new reports, the Size of Undergraduate Physics Programs, presents data about US physics departments. It aims to show where the departments fit into the national context and, when necessary, help them persuade university or state administrations to keep them open. Among the findings are that two-thirds of departments that offer only bachelor’s degrees have...
