Physics
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Major Requirements
Liberal Studies Requirements
Schedule of Classes
Department Site
To inquire about this program:
Admission Office | 312-362-8300
Our undergraduate programs are designed to prepare students for a wide range of careers and graduate work. In addition to in-class coursework, student participation in faculty research is an important component of the student experience that prepares students for independent work in graduate school or industry. Recent graduates have attended graduate school in the sciences at universities including the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, the University of Illinois, and the University of Arizona.
The Standard Physics concentration provides a curriculum based in the traditional areas of theoretical and experimental physics, while the Computational Physics concentration provides a hands-on curriculum in computational and experimental physics with an emphasis on applications in modern applied physics. Both concentrations prepare students for graduate study, either in physics or in applied sciences such as optics, photonics, scientific computing, engineering or computer science.
The department has newly implemented the Interdisciplinary Physics concentration, intended for students who wish to apply their scientific training in a career outside of physics. This concentration allows students to combine a core physics curriculum with a minor from another field. Possible minors include journalism or technical writing for students interested in a career in science writing, economics for students interested in business, or biological sciences for students interested in biophysics.
Most undergraduate physics majors participate in on-campus, faculty supervised research and have the opportunity to present their work at scientific meetings. External opportunities for research are also offered at the Adler Planetarium, Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory. Coursework includes both traditional topics in physics and advanced special topics such as laser physics, fiber optics and astrophysics.
