B.A. Degree in Physics

The study of physics is considered the center of modern science. It has fascinated the finest minds of every age from Newton to Maxwell, Einstein, Bohr, Schroedinger, Oppenheimer, and Schwinger. The study of this diverse field encompasses such areas as optics, electricity, magnetism, and the properties of the solid state, atomic structure, nuclear structure, motion, relativity, space and time. Physics also plays a significant role in chemistry, biology, astronomy, and geology, and in the applied sciences of engineering and technology. Students who become physics majors will be selecting a rewarding and vital career. The great burst of activity during the last 20 years has instilled a new excitement in physics. Two examples are the invention of the laser and the development of high temperature superconductors. These advances have stimulated whole new areas in physics applications. After completing preparatory classes in physics, mathematics and chemistry, the physics major chooses either a set of generalized upper-division classes in physics or chooses a specialized set of courses from one of five areas: computational physics; condensed matter; foundations; modern optics; or scientific instrumentation. Career Opportunities: The career opportunities for physics graduates are as diverse as the field itself. They include: research and development; management or administration in industrial laboratories or government agencies; technical sales; electronic design; laser instrument research; and secondary teaching.