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Faculties & Departments
Department of Experimental Physics
Where To Now?
4th year party May 2008 - ASTRO students
If you've come to the end of 3rd year or are beginning 4th year and are wondering about the future, read on....
The work is piling on. Your main focus is the approaching final exams but it is also vital at this stage that you take time out to figure where you are going at the end of 4th year. Will it be postgraduate research study - at home or abroad, a higher diploma or other additional qualification, straight into that big wide world of employment, or a year out travelling? It is essential that you gain some idea of where you are heading in the short term and the longer term, and begin to plan accordingly.
References
In all of the following options you will, at some stage, require a reference. Applications for further study tend to rely on academic references but in the case of employment a combination of academic references and ordinary references is the norm. The academic reference would usually be from your 4th year thesis supervisor. If a second is requested consider the members of staff you have worked closely with and ask them if they would be willing to consider giving you a reference.
Checking in regularly with your academic department is always a good idea as it means the staff are aware of who you are, and you will ensure that you keep up to date with all the latest information about your course and will be one of the first to hear any news in the pipeline. However, the need for a quality comprehensive reference is one very strong reason for establishing a good working relationship with members of staff in your final year. So, cultivate your student-staff relationships, drop into the department to discuss your course with staff, ask questions - be more than just a number. Yes, it is strategic, but it benefits both sides - you get to know them and they get to know you. Developing working relationships is a skill you will need for the rest of your adult life. You might as well start now.
Postgraduate Research Study
So you want to continue studying for an MSc or PhD ? Well, there are several questions you should ask yourself preferably before starting your final year. You will need to do as much research as possible about areas of research which interest you, universities involved in these areas, and available funding.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Which area or field of research interests you?
- What institutes specialise in your area of research? Do they have postgraduate placements available? What funding do they have available?
- Do you want to study at home or abroad? Language and costs are key elements here.
- How much of the institute's funding will cover your own costs - university fees, research expenses, cost-of-living expenses?
- Do you qualify for council grant funding? Are there any scholarships or student research grants which you can apply for?
- When is the grant application date? - though these dates are usually in January/February, you should be talking to tutors, getting references, and transcripts as early as Oct/Nov at the beginning of your final year.
- Remember since 4th year results are unavailable when you apply for the grant/funding, 3rd year results are essential elements of your application details - make sure they're good!
Useful links:
- Careers Office guidelines for PG study funding
- HEA website for student funding
- Postgraduate Research in Experimental Physics
- Postgraduate studies at NUIM
- ResearchCareersIreland.com
- IRCSET scholarship
- John Hume scholarship
- FAS Science Challenge - bursaries, 6-month internships, summer internships
HDip / Additional Qualification
Despite your 4 years of intensive (and, at times, not so intensive!) study, depending on the area of work you wish to go into, you may need a finishing qualification -e.g. HDip Ed for teaching.
Many of these have minimum requirements in terms of your final degree grade e.g. minimum 2(1) or 2(2). Having a target in front of you helps you focus on reaching your goals. It is possible you might also have to tailor your choice of final year modules to suit this area of additional study. Forward planning is key. The following checklist may prove useful:
- What postgraduate courses are available in your area of interest?
- What are the minimum requirements?
- What is the application closing date?
- What grants/funding are available?
Useful links:
- Higher Diploma in Applied Physics, NUIM (1 year taught course)
- Higher Diploma in Education
- Postgraduate Diploma course in Nuclear Medicine, TCD
Employment
Enough of study - lets get out there and start earning a wage. If employment is your goal after graduation then a clearly defined strategy, begun at least 6 months prior to graduation, will pay dividends later.
- What area do you want to work in?
- Who do you want to work for? - remember that the interview process is as much about you finding out if the company will suit you, as it is about the company finding out if you will suit them. Do your research - online, through contacts, business sections of the newspapers, careers office etc.
- Compile a professional CV - advice on this is covered in special classes given during 4th year. Make sure to tailor your CV to suit the company and the job, highlighting experience or education that suits the job requirements.
- Have you advertised all your skills? Remember to look at extra-curricular activities for additional skills: were you sports captain - leader, society secretary - organiser, treasurer - numeracy skills , participant - team player. There are skills in everything you do; take the time to see them and use them to your advantage. Check the IOP Guide for Graduates link below for additional tips.
- Brush up on your interview techniques. Again, this is covered in special classes during 4th year. However, there is also a wealth of information on this topic online, in books (try the Library!) and in leaflets etc. available from the Careers Office. Ask family members to help out by conducting mock interviews with you. Feedback like this can be very helpful, and practice is essential in making you more confident and relaxed when it comes to the real thing.
- Draw up a list of possible employers and write an introductory letter asking about employment possibilities, outlining your qualifications to date and your aspirations for your future career. Be sure to outline clearly what you have to offer them. Show enthusiasm! Enquire about the possibilities of internships which can prove the foot-in-the-door you need. Establishing an avenue of communication with contacts within the organisation can be an essential factor in securing a position over someone else. Don't give up - keeping in touch with possible employers means that your name will spring to mind when that position opens up. Check out the speculative applications page on the Careers Office website
- If you have a Bebo or Facebook page, it might be wise to edit the content prior to sending out application forms. Employers do check these websites for an insight into the real you!
Useful links:
NUIM Careers Office - tips hints and strategies for your job search.
GradIreland.com - the website used by all Irish universities as a one-stop shop for graduates.
IOP Guide for Graduates - how to get the most from a physics degree.
Year Out - Travel
The world is your oyster. Where you go, what you do, and for how long is entirely up to you. However, before you go is the best time to plan for when you come back. All of the previous options are available when you return but with some careful planning before heading for sun, sea and adventure, you could be secure in knowing that when you return you have a course/job/research position waiting for you.
Since most applications are required 6-8 months before they begin, it is unlikely that you will remember to make the application when you're in the middle of deepest darkest Peru, searching for enlightenment in Tibet, or admiring the scenery on a beach in Oz.
Many grants secured for funding research study for PhD or MSc can be secured in 4th year and then postponed for a year.
Additional qualification courses can likewise be secured and postponed for a year.
Jobs are trickier. If your qualification is sufficiently impressive to secure the support of a company, some negotiation may be possible about taking time out before committing to employment. It may be that they would be prepared to wait a shorter term - 3 or 6 months. The best way to approach this is to discuss your options with the company involved.
Either way, a bit of longer term planning can reap dividends and allow you to relax fully on your time out secure in the knowledge that you will not come home to unemployment and an uncomfortable gap in your C.V.
Useful Links:
Travel the world - tips and hints
Note: This page is a work-in-progress. Any suggestions for additional information should be forwarded to grainne.roche@nuim.ie.
Astro & 4th Year Students 2007
Last edited: Monday, 27-Apr-2009 12:53:17 IST