BA/BS in Physics

Cadets who major in physics study the natural world through a heavy dose of applied mathematics, then test those ideas at the bench and on the computer. Coursework keeps theory and measurement side by side, so students learn how an experiment connects back to the equations behind it. The degree plan leaves room for electives, which lets cadets broaden their education while still building technical skill. The department runs several teaching labs covering general physics, electronics and interfacing, optics, and modern physics. A small accelerator and nuclear physics lab sits in Mallory Hall. Astronomy classes and student and faculty research also draw on the VMI Observatory, a short drive from the main post, which has a large reflecting telescope along with smaller instruments. Cadets can add a nuclear energy concentration if they are aiming at civilian reactor work, the Navy's NUPOC pathway, or graduate study in nuclear engineering. Those majoring in other fields may take an astronomy minor that draws on physics, astrophysics, and cosmology.