Physics

Career - what can you do with a physics degree?

Information on careers in physics and astronomy can be found through the American Physical Society, American Astronomical Society, Physics World International, and Careers Toolbox for undergraduate physics students.

Internships

Students may seek employment in the department as paid research assistants. National laboratories, such as the Argonne National Laboratory, offer half-year appointments to qualified junior and senior physics majors. These students work with scientists in the laboratory on current projects and earn academic credit.

Admissions Information

High school students who are considering a major in physics should complete all college preparatory courses available in math and science. Ideally, they should be ready to begin calculus courses their first year of college. Students are encouraged to participate in any high school science clubs or science fairs that are available.

Motivated high school students are encouraged to contact the department to discuss the possibility of volunteering or working in a physics research lab at BGSU before enrolling as an undergraduate student.

Curriculum

All physics majors are encouraged to take PHYS 1910 in the fall of their freshman year to learn more about our department, our research, the careers that are available, and the pathways that lead students there. The first two years of the curriculum emphasize general physics, chemistry and calculus courses in order to build solid conceptual foundations across disciplines. Advanced courses in classical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, solid-state physics and computational physics are offered in the junior and senior years to provide our graduates with a strong grasp of the main fields of physics.

Required courses

Quality classroom experiences

Physics majors enjoy the personalized attention of small class sizes. Every physics student spends at least two semesters in a research lab working on a Capstone Project, with many presenting at local, regional, or national physics or astronomy conferences. BGSU facilities include a planetarium, observatory with a half-meter reflecting telescope, materials research laboratories, and a computational physics laboratory with access to the Ohio Supercomputer Center.