Physics

The strong emphasis in physics on fundamental concepts and problem solving makes it one of the most versatile majors available. The Physics major provides the basis for careers in applied physics and in interdisciplinary areas such as astronomy, biophysics, engineering, environmental science, oceanography, and scientific instrumentation.

Physics is the science of matter and its motion – the science that deals with concepts such as force, energy, mass and charge. As an experimental science, the goal in understanding physics is to understand the natural world. In one form or another, physics is one of the oldest academic disciplines; through its modern subfield of astronomy, it may be the oldest of all. Advances in physics often translate to the technological sector, and sometimes influence the other sciences, as well as mathematics and philosophy.

Students who complete Physics courses will apply fundamental physical laws and equations describing physical phenomena to analyze both quantitatively and qualitatively specific problems in the physical universe, recognize, comprehend, and apply the similar principles in the various disciplines of physics and critically evaluate and analyze observations and measurements through the use of accepted scientific methods and report the results in formal papers that conform to the style of modern scientific writing.