The Physics & Astronomy Department offers a wide variety of classes, including an ambitious curriculum of advanced seminars for our physics and astrophysics majors, but also many introductory classes for all students. These include several interdisciplinary offerings from gender in science to the Earth and its climate. Emphasis is placed on quantitative, analytical reasoning, as distinct from the mere acquisition of facts. Particular importance is also attached to laboratory work because physics and astronomy are primarily experimental and observational sciences. Students in our department have many opportunities for exploration and discovery, including frequent participation in original research with faculty members. Several research laboratories are maintained by the Department to support faculty interests in the areas of laser physics, high-resolution atomic spectroscopy, plasma physics, nano physics, computer simulation, liquid crystals, and observational and theoretical astrophysics.

Learn more on the Physics & Astronomy Department website and in the College Catalog.