B.A. in Physics

B.A. in Physics

Bachelor of Arts in Physics

Rowan's Physics major balances general physics courses that develop analytical skills needed for any career direction with more advanced courses in highly technical areas. The department also offers coursework in astronomy and astrophysics. Personal attention is a hallmark of the program: enrollment in laboratory-based physics classes is limited to 24 students per section, and all lectures and labs are taught by faculty, not teaching assistants. In our junior-level Research Methods courses, students will have access to state-of-the-art equipment as they plan and execute a project under the direction of our research faculty. Physics majors can enter fields such as education, going on to teach at the secondary level, or pursue an advanced degree to become a college profesor and/or conduct research; others may enter fields such as busiess, computers, engineering, finance, law, and medicine.
 

Research Opportunities

Physics and Astronomy faculty members encourage students to collaborate in their ongoing research projects, in order to prepare for their own research-related activities in the future. Many students present their work publicly at national conferences or collaborate on papers for publication. during the junior year, all Physics majors take part in an group research projects, which allows them to integrate the concepts learned in classes into a single activity each semester.  Opportunities to continue this work, or branch out to other sub-fields, exist for the senior year with our independent research courses.

Career Opportunities

The most obvious career tracks for Physics majors include secondary education, technical support for research & development (R&D) activities, sales representatives for high-tech companies, technical or scientific writing, and a variety of computer application and support opportunities. However, a degree in Physics provides strong preparation for any career where analytical and computational skills are important, such as economic analysis and actuarial work.  Students have choosen to pursue graduate study in physics, engineering, law, medicine, or business.

Facilities

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is located in Science Hall, a 44-million-dollar building designed to support the classes and reserach in the physical and life sciences. The building includes 27 teaching laboratories, a planetarium, and rooftop observatory with state-of-the-art telescope which all serve to further enhance the teaching of science at Rowan.

Physics students have access to several reserach labs in areas of astrophysics, atomic & molecular physics, optical physics, biomedical physics, condensed matter physics, particle physics, physics education, and planetary science. 

Each general physics laboratory features twelve experimental stations configured with computers and instrument interfaces which are used in introductory classes for data collection and analysis, allowing students to concentrate on physical phenomena rather than tedious measurements. Research laboratories also take advantage of computer-interfaced data acquisition and analysis using additional Macintosh, Windows, and Unix/Linux operating systems.

Educational Preparation

Students who are interested in majoring in Physics should take a full range of high school math courses, including pre-calculus, as well as physics.

Curriculum

Rowan's Physics program begins with general physics courses geared toward the development of mathematical and analytical skills. Upper level courses refine these skills and shape the advanced problem-solving capabilities that are important to current areas of scientific inquiry and many carrer choices.

 

B.A. in Physics Program Requirements

 

Opportunity to earn a Master's Degree with only one additional year

The B.S. degree normally can be completed in four years; however, highly motivated students have the opportunity to streamline their academic career to earn both a B.A. in Physics and an M.A. in STEM Education in five years rather than six. This “4+1” program requires fewer credits to receive both degrees than when obtaining them separately. Hence, it saves students both time and tuition!