Prepared by:
Science/Engineering Education Divisionª
Number 45, May 1999
Note: This document is available from ORISE in PDF format
The "Health Physics Enrollments and Degrees, 1998" survey consisted of 47 institutions (49 Programs) offering a major in health physics/radiation protection or radiation health, or an option program equivalent to a major (for example, in radiobiology or biophysics) that prepare the graduates to perform as health physicists. Of the 49 programs, 3 programs have been suspended but are allowing students to complete their degrees.
The total number of undergraduate enrollments decreased from 183 to 161 students, or by 12 percent from 1997. The number of full-time students decreased from 90 to 85. (Figure 1.) As in 1997, the decrease was attributed to the suspended programs and a general decline among all programs. The majority of the students were enrolled in the health physics/radiation protection radiation health major (95 percent), followed by health physics options in medical or radiological programs (4 percent).
Figure 1. Health Physics Undergraduate
Undergraduate degrees decreased from 62 to 51 students in 1998. As with enrollments, most of the degrees were awarded within the health physics/ radiation protection or radiation health major (96 percent), while all other health physics option programs accounted for 2 degrees, or 4 percent of the total undergraduates.
In 1998, the number of master's enrollments decreased from 413 students to 347, or by 16 percent, continuing the downward trend since 1993. (Figure 2.)
Figure 2. Health Physics Master's Enrollments and Degrees, 1988-1998
About one-third of the decrease was attributed to one program that is in the process of phasing out. Seventy-three percent of the students were enrolled in the health physics/radiation protection or radiation health programs. Health physics option within medical or radiological physics programs enrolled 17 percent, or 58 students, while all other health physics option programs enrolled 10 percent (36 students).
The number of master's degrees decreased from 180 to 127 students, or by 29 percent from 1997. The majority of the degrees were awarded within the health physics/radiation protection or radiation health major (70 percent or 89 students), followed by health physics options within medical or radiological physics programs (21 percent), and all other option programs awarded 9 percent of the degrees.
Doctoral enrollments decreased in 1998 by 9 percent, or from 208 students in 1997 to 190. (Figure 3.) Forty-nine percent were enrolled in health physics/radiation protection radiation health majors (93 students), health physics options within medical or radiological physics programs enrolled 38 percent (72 students), and all other option programs enrolled 13 percent or 25 students.
Figure 3. Health Physics Doctoral Enrollments and Degrees, 1988-1998
Doctoral degrees increased in 1998 by 9 percent or 34 to 37 students. The highest number of degrees (46 percent or 17 students) were awarded within the health physics/radiation protection or radiation health programs while the health physics options within medical or radiological physics programs accounted for 40 percent, or 15 students.
Of the known employment or postgraduation plans of the new graduates, 31 percent of the bachelor's elected to continue study for a higher degree, 16 percent went to work in nuclear utilities, and 10 percent were employed in academia. (Table 1.) Seventeen percent of the master's went to work in medical facilities, 16 were continuing study for a higher degree, and 14 percent of the graduates were working in other US industries. For the new doctorates, 24 percent were involved in post-doctoral study and medical facilities and US industrial employment each accounted for 19 percent of the students.
Table 1. Employment or Postgraduation Plans of Health Physics Graduates by Degree Level, 1998 (Percent Distribution)
| Employment or Postgraduation Plans | B. S. | M.S. | Ph.D. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continued study | 31% | 16% | 24% |
| U.S. academic employ. | 10% | 4% | 11% |
| Federal gov. employ. | 4% | 8% | 3% |
| DOE contractors (M&Os) | 8% | 8% | 5% |
| State and local gov. employ. | 0% | 4% | 0% |
| Medical facilities employ. | 4% | 17% | 19% |
| U.S. nuclear utility employ. | 16% | 11% | 0% |
| U.S. other industrial employ. | 8% | 14% | 19% |
| Employ. with foreign employer | 0% | 2% | 14% |
| U.S. military service | 6% | 5% | 5% |
| Other | 2% | 4% | 0% |
| Unknown | 8% | 1% | 0% |
| Still seeking employment | 4% | 7% | 0% |
| TOTALS | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Only 2 foreign nationals received bachelor's degrees in 1998 and they elected to continue study for a higher degree. Master's degrees awarded to foreign nationals decreased from 21 in 1996 to 13 students. Three students were continuing study, and state and local government and medical facilities accounted for 2 each. Of the 12 foreign national doctorates, 5 students returned to a foreign country for employment and post doctoral study, academia and other industrial employment accounted for 2 students each. (See Table 2 for percent distribution of foreign nationals.)
Table 2. Percentage of Health Physics Degrees Awarded to Foreign Nationals, 1994-1998
| Year | B. S. | M. S. | Ph.D. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 2% | 15% | 46% |
| 1995 | 2% | 17% | 51% |
| 1996 | 0% | 11% | 26% |
| 1997 | 3% | 12% | 26% |
| 1998 | 4% | 10% | 32% |
Table 3. Health Physics Enrollments and Degrees, by State and Institution, 1998
| Enrollments | Degrees | ||||||
| State | Institution | Under- graduate |
Master's | Doctoral | B. S. | M.S. | Ph.D. |
| ARIZONA | Arizona State University* | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| CALIFORNIA | San Diego State University | - | 8 | - | - | 2 | - |
| San Jose State University* | - | 4 | - | - | 2 | - | |
| University of California, Irvine | - | - | 3 | - | 1 | 2 | |
| University of California, Los Angeles | - | 5 | 39 | - | 5 | 3 | |
| University of Southern California | - | - | 2 | - | - | 1 | |
| COLORADO | Colorado State University | - | 7 | 6 | - | 3 | 1 |
| National Technological University | - | 9 | - | - | 1 | - | |
| University of Colorado HSC | - | 6 | - | - | 1 | - | |
| DIST. OF COLUMBIA | Georgetown University | - | 19 | - | - | 1 | - |
| FLORIDA | Florida A&M University | - | 3 | - | - | - | - |
| University of Florida, Gainesville1 | - | 19 | 9 | - | 6 | 2 | |
| GEORGIA | Georgia Institute of Technology | - | 28 | - | - | 12 | - |
| IDAHO | Idaho State University | 11 | 27 | 3 | 5 | 2 | - |
| ILLINOIS | Rush University | - | 3 | 7 | - | - | 1 |
| University of Illinois, Urbana | - | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | |
| INDIANA | Purdue University | 18 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | - |
| KENTUCKY | University of Kentucky | - | 14 | - | - | 6 | - |
| LOUISIANA | Louisiana State University | - | 10 | - | - | 5 | - |
| MAINE | University of Mai ty of Nevada | 15 | 9 | - | 2 | - | - |
| NEW JERSEY | Rutgers University* | - | 8 | 7 | - | 4 | 2 |
| Thomas Edison State College | 72 | - | - | 17 | - | - | |
| NEW MEXICO | University of New Mexico | - | 7 | 2 | - | 4 | - |
| NORTH CAROLINA | East Carolina University* | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill | - | 4 | 1 | - | 3 | - | |
| OHIO | Medical College of Ohio | - | 4 | 3 | - | - | 1 |
| University of Cincinnati3 | - | 10 | - | - | 5 | - | |
| Ohio State University | - | 6 | 2 | - | 3 | 1 | |
| OREGON | Oregon State University | 13 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 2 | - |
| PENNSYLVANIA | Bloomsburg Univ. of Pennsylvania | 4 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Dickinson College | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | |
| University of Pittsburgh | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | |
| SOUTH CAROLINA | Clemson University | - | 15 | 4 | - | 7 | 1 |
| Francis Marion College | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | |
| TENNESSEE | University of Tennessee, Knoxville | 2 | 14 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 2 |
| TEXAS | Texas A&M University | 6 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 3 |
| UTAH | University of Utah | - | 1 | 5 | - | - | - |
| WASHINGTON | Washington State Univ., Tri-Cities | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | |
| WISCONSIN | University of Wisconsin, Madison | - | 17 | 24 | - | 4 | 8 |
| TOTALS | 161 | 347 | 190 | 51 | 127 | 37 | |
All opinions expressed in this report are the authors' and do not necessarily reflect policies and views of the U.S. Department of Energy or the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.
Additional survey information, providing details by individual schools and by type of program, is available from:
Prepared by:
Analysis and Evaluation Programs
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
Prepared for:
Office of Energy Research
U.S. Department of Energy
This report is based on work performed under Contract Number DE-AC05-OR00033 between the U.S. Department of Energy and Oak Ridge Associated Universities.
All opinions expressed in this paper are the authors' and do not necessarily reflect policies and views of the U.S. Department of Energy or the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.
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ªThe Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) was established by the U.S. Department of Energy to undertake national and international programs in science and engineering education, training and management systems, energy and environment system, and medical sciences. ORISE and its programs are operated by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) through a management and operating contract with the U.S. Department of Energy. Established in 1946, ORAU is a consortium of 88 colleges and universities.
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