Physics Teachers, Postsecondary

• Summary

• Details

Work Activities

• Act as advisers to student organizations.
• Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
• Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
• Maintain and repair laboratory equipment.
• Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
• Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment.
• Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
• Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
• Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
• Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
• Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
• Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
• Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as quantum mechanics, particle physics, and optics.
• Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
• Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
• Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
• Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
• Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
• Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
• Participate in campus and community events.
• Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
• Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
• Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
• Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
• Supervise students' laboratory work.
• Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment.
• Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
• Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
• Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
• Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
• Maintain and repair laboratory equipment.

Skills

• Equipment Maintenance
  • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
• Science
  • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
• Equipment Selection
  • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
• Operation and Control
  • Using equipment or systems.
• Repairing
  • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
• Active Learning
  • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
• Speaking
  • Talking to others.
• Operations Analysis
  • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
• Complex Problem Solving
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
• Active Listening
  • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
• Installation
  • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
• Troubleshooting
  • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
• Quality Control Analysis
  • Testing how well a product or service works.
• Judgment and Decision Making
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
• Systems Analysis
  • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
• Systems Evaluation
  • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
• Management of Material Resources
  • Managing equipment and materials.
• Management of Personnel Resources
  • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
• Instructing
  • Teaching people how to do something.
• Service Orientation
  • Looking for ways to help people.
• Mathematics
  • Using math to solve problems.
• Coordination
  • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
• Technology Design
  • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
• Monitoring
  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
• Writing
  • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
• Critical Thinking
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
• Negotiation
  • Bringing people together to solve differences.
• Time Management
  • Managing your time and the time of other people.
• Management of Financial Resources
  • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
• Learning Strategies
  • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
• Operations Monitoring
  • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
• Programming
  • Writing computer programs.
• Reading Comprehension
  • Reading work-related information.
• Social Perceptiveness
  • Understanding people's reactions.
• Persuasion
  • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

Abilities

• Visual Color Discrimination
  • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
• Sound Localization
  • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
• Originality
  • Creating new and original ideas.
• Static Strength
  • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
• Glare Sensitivity
  • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
• Visualization
  • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
• Time Sharing
  • Doing two or more things at the same time.
• Near Vision
  • Seeing details up close.
• Oral Expression
  • Communicating by speaking.
• Memorization
  • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
• Response Orientation
  • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
• Dynamic Strength
  • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
• Perceptual Speed
  • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
• Manual Dexterity
  • Holding or moving items with your hands.
• Stamina
  • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
• Night Vision
  • Seeing at night or under low light.
• Speech Recognition
  • Recognizing spoken words.
• Depth Perception
  • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
• Control Precision
  • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
• Gross Body Equilibrium
  • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
• Oral Comprehension
  • Listening and understanding what people say.
• Number Facility
  • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
• Explosive Strength
  • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
• Hearing Sensitivity
  • Telling the difference between sounds.
• Written Comprehension
  • Reading and understanding what is written.
• Written Expression
  • Communicating by writing.
• Selective Attention
  • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
• Fluency of Ideas
  • Coming up with lots of ideas.
• Category Flexibility
  • Grouping things in different ways.
• Finger Dexterity
  • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
• Information Ordering
  • Ordering or arranging things.
• Wrist-Finger Speed
  • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Extent Flexibility
  • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Reaction Time
  • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
• Far Vision
  • Seeing details that are far away.
• Problem Sensitivity
  • Noticing when problems happen.
• Multilimb Coordination
  • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
• Gross Body Coordination
  • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
• Peripheral Vision
  • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
• Speech Clarity
  • Speaking clearly.
• Speed of Limb Movement
  • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
• Dynamic Flexibility
  • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Flexibility of Closure
  • Seeing hidden patterns.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
  • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
• Mathematical Reasoning
  • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
• Spatial Orientation
  • Knowing where things are around you.
• Inductive Reasoning
  • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
• Speed of Closure
  • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
• Rate Control
  • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
• Trunk Strength
  • Using your lower back and stomach.
• Auditory Attention
  • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
• Deductive Reasoning
  • Using rules to solve problems.

Knowledge

• Education and Training
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Administrative
  • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
• Food Production
  • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
• Administration and Management
  • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Production and Processing
  • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Sales and Marketing
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Foreign Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
• Physics
  • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
• Public Safety and Security
  • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Design
  • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Fine Arts
  • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
• Chemistry
  • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Telecommunications
  • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
• Law and Government
  • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
• Mathematics
  • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
• Biology
  • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• Economics and Accounting
  • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
• Computers and Electronics
  • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Engineering and Technology
  • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Geography
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
• Medicine and Dentistry
  • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
• Mechanical
  • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Psychology
  • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Philosophy and Theology
  • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
• Transportation
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
• Personnel and Human Resources
  • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
• Sociology and Anthropology
  • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
• Building and Construction
  • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
• Therapy and Counseling
  • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
• History and Archeology
  • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
• Communications and Media
  • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Education

Education

Doctoral or professional degree

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

No on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

×

Education and Training Opportunities

• Central Washington University
  400 East University Way, Ellensburg WA 98926
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  10,000 - 19,999

  Financial Aid 509-963-1111
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  http://www.cwu.edu/
  Program Name
  Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Physics, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

• Eastern Washington University
  526 5th Street, Cheney WA 99004-2496
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  10,000 - 19,999

  Financial Aid 509-359-6200
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  http://www.ewu.edu/
  Program Name
  Physics, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Master's degree, Bachelor's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Physics Teacher Education
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

• Gonzaga University
  E 502 Boone Ave, Spokane WA 99258-0001
  School Type

  Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  5,000 - 9,999

  Financial Aid 800-986-9585
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  https://www.gonzaga.edu/
  Program Name
  Physics, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

• Heritage University
  3240 Fort Rd, Toppenish WA 98948
  School Type

  Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  Under 1,000

  Financial Aid 888-272-6190
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  http://www.heritage.edu/
  Program Name
  Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree, Master's degree
  Save

  ---

• Pacific Lutheran University
  12180 Park Ave South, Tacoma WA 98447-0003
  School Type

  Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 253-535-7411
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  http://www.plu.edu/
  Program Name
  Physics, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

• Seattle Pacific University
  3307 3rd Ave W, Seattle WA 98119-1997
  School Type

  Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 206-281-2000
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  https://spu.edu/
  Program Name
  Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Master's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Physics, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

• Seattle University
  900 Broadway, Seattle WA 98122-4340
  School Type

  Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  5,000 - 9,999

  Financial Aid 206-296-6000
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  http://www.seattleu.edu/
  Program Name
  Physics, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Physics Teacher Education
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

• University of Puget Sound
  1500 N. Warner Street, Tacoma WA 98416
  School Type

  Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 253-879-3100
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  https://www.pugetsound.edu/
  Program Name
  Physics, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

• University of Washington-Bothell Campus
  18115 Campus Way NE, Bothell WA 98011-8246
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  5,000 - 9,999

  Financial Aid 425-352-5000
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  https://www.uwb.edu/
  Program Name
  Physics, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

• University of Washington-Seattle Campus
  1400 NE Campus Parkway, Seattle WA 98195-4550
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  20,000 and above

  Financial Aid 206-543-2100
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  https://www.washington.edu/
  Program Name
  Physics Teacher Education
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Master's degree, Bachelor's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Physics, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
  Save
  Program Name
  Physics, Other
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
  Save

  ---

• Walla Walla University
  204 S College Ave, College Place WA 99324-1198
  School Type

  Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 509-527-2615
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  https://www.wallawalla.edu/
  Program Name
  Physics, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

• Washington State University
  French Administration Building, Pullman WA 99164-5910
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  20,000 and above

  Financial Aid 509-335-3564
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  https://wsu.edu/
  Program Name
  Optics/Optical Sciences
  Length
  Less than one year
  Award Level
  Postbaccalaureate certificate
  Save
  Program Name
  Physics, General
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Doctor's degree - research/scholarship, Bachelor's degree, Master's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Health/Medical Physics
  Length
  Less than one year
  Award Level
  Postbaccalaureate certificate
  Save

  ---

• Western Washington University
  516 High Street, Bellingham WA 98225-9008
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  10,000 - 19,999

  Financial Aid 360-650-3000
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  http://wwu.edu/
  Program Name
  Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Master's degree, Bachelor's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Physics, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

• Whitman College
  345 Boyer Ave, Walla Walla WA 99362
  School Type

  Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 509-527-5111
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  http://www.whitman.edu/
  Program Name
  Physics, Other
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Physics, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

• Whitworth University
  300 W Hawthorne Rd, Spokane WA 99251
  School Type

  Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 509-777-1000
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  http://www.whitworth.edu/
  Program Name
  Physics, Other
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save
  Program Name
  Physics, General
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

  ---

Close

Pay

Washington Annual Salary

83350/yr

Washington Employment Trends

Currently Employed

400

Yearly Projected Openings

40

Personality

Social: People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking. They do well at jobs that need:

• Innovation
• Achievement Orientation
• Intellectual Curiosity
• Integrity
• Attention to Detail
• Dependability

Tools

• Calorimeters
• Compact disk players or recorders
• Desktop computers
• Digital camcorders or video cameras
• Digital cameras
• Digital video disk players or recorders
• Epidiascopes
• Geiger counters
• Global positioning system GPS receiver
• Holography apparatus
• Inkjet printers
• Laser fax machine
• Laser printers
• Lasers
• Liquid crystal display projector
• MP3 players or recorders
• Microphone stand
• Microphones
• Multimedia projectors
• Notebook computers
• Overhead projectors
• Parabolic mirrors
• Photocopiers
• Pocket calculator
• Portable data input terminals
• Projection screens or displays
• Scanners
• Simple harmonic oscillator
• Slide projectors
• Special purpose telephones
• Spectrofluorimeters or fluorimeters
• Spectrometers
• Tablet computers
• Teleconference equipment
• Televisions
• Touch screen monitors
• Ultracentrifuges
• Video projectors
• Videoconferencing systems
• Web cameras

Technology

• Analytical or scientific software
• Calendar and scheduling software
• Computer aided design CAD software
• Computer based training software
• Desktop communications software
• Development environment software
• Electronic mail software
• Graphics or photo imaging software
• Information retrieval or search software
• Internet browser software
• Object or component oriented development software
• Office suite software
• Optical character reader OCR or scanning software
• Presentation software
• Spreadsheet software
• Word processing software