Physics seeks to account for nature at every scale of distance, duration and energy by developing and refining models tested against observation. Department members research astrophysics, biophysics, cosmology, particle physics, gravitation and condensed matter and statistical physics, working in campus laboratories and at outside facilities, including the particle collider at CERN and large telescopes.
The department offers courses for several groups of students, including physics majors. Students with enough graded credits in the College may earn departmental honors by meeting the major requirements and completing a research experience with a capstone project, which usually ends in a thesis.
Prospective undergraduates can consult the university bulletin page for the full list of required courses, the credit structure of the major and the criteria for honors study. Advisers in the department help students plan their sequence of courses alongside the wider requirements of their school, and many students combine the major with other fields of interest.
