what degree do you need to be a physicist

Well, it depends on what you plan to do as a physicist. My basic advice is to take all the physics courses you can. Begin, however, with visits to the science wing of your local college or public library and start looking at the different categories of physics.

Once you get an inkling for where you want to go, THEN ask what degree(s) you need for that goal.

Hi Rylan,

In high school, read popular books on physics and try to make contact with real physicists, if possible. (Role models are extremely important. If you cannot talk to a real physicist, read biographies of the giants of physics, to understand their motivation, their career path, the milestones in their career.)

Study four years of college. Students usually have to declare their majors in their sophomore (2nd) year in college; physics majors should begin to think about doing (a) experimental physics or (b) theoretical physics and choosing a specific field.

The standard four year curriculum:

a) first year physics, including mechanics and electricity and magnetism (caution: many universities make this course unnecessarily difficult, to weed out weaker engineers and physicists, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t ace this course! Many future physicists do poorly in this first year course because it is made deliberately difficult.)

b) second year physics – intermediate mechanics and EM theory.

Also, second year calculus, including differential equations and surface and volume integrals.

c) third year physics – a selection from: optics, thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, beginning atomic and nuclear theory

d) four year physics – elementary quantum mechanics

There is graduate school. If your goal is to teach physics at the high school or junior college level, then obtaining a Masters degree usually involves two years of advanced course work but no original research. There is a shortage of physics teachers at the junior college and high school level.
If you want to become a research physicist or professor, you must get a Ph.D., which usually involves 4 to 5 years (sometimes more), and involves publishing original research.

Read more in: http://mkaku.org/home/articles/so-you-want-to-become-a-physicist/

A successful journey to you!