Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics

Program Features

• Physics majors enjoy the benefit of small classes, hands-on laboratories, and opportunities to engage in research under the guidance of faculty advisers.
• A dynamic freshmen physics sequence exposes our students to Classical and Modern Physics right from the start. Elective sequences in biology are available for those preparing to enter biophysics or medicine, and advanced topics for those interested in atomic, nuclear, solid-state, or theoretical physics.
• Scientific computing introduced to freshmen via Maple (mathematical and analytical software) and Python (computer programming language).
• High-Performance Computational Physics integrated into the curriculum exposes students to numerical techniques, parallel processing, electronic communication, basic computer languages and software relevant to advanced studies and research in Physics.
• The curriculum concludes with a capstone Senior Thesis project.
• Observational Astrophysics course describes the basic ideas in astronomy. It uses the Joseph R. Lynch Observatory on campus for hands on observations and analysis of data.

Areas of Research

The physics degree provides a sound basis either for entering graduate school or for pursuing a variety of industrial careers. The Department of Physics exposes students to both traditional and cutting-edge areas of physics: astrophysics and general relativity; atomic physics; biological physics; condensed-matter physics, including superconductivity and nanotechnology; laser physics and quantum optics; nonlinear physics and chaos; nuclear physics; nuclear astrophysics; and particle and cosmic ray physics.

Elective Opportunities

Virtually every course in the physics major has an associated computational component designed to extend the students' ability to handle real-world problems solved by state-of-the-art techniques. An important feature of the program is the large number of electives, which allow a student to pursue topics of special interest. There are elective sequences in biology for those preparing to enter biophysics or medicine and advanced topics for those interested in atomic, nuclear, solid-state, theoretical, or atmospheric physics. Students can also choose electives to meet teacher certification requirements.

Co-op Options

Drexel University has long been known for its prestigious co-operative education programs, which allow students to alternate six-month periods of full-time employment with their classroom studies. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in co-op to gain hands-on experience in the field(s) of their interest. The Department offers two co-op options: the Five Year, 3 Co-op Option and the Four Year, No Co-op Option.

Students in the Four Year, No Co-op Option are not required to pursue studies during any of the summer terms. However, students in this track may elect to take one six-month period of co-op employment during the spring and summer terms of their junior year.

Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Science Degree: 185.0 credits

Recommended Plan of Study

Five Year, 3 Co-op (schedule A - matriculated in even year)

Five Year, 3 Co-op (schedule B - matriculated in odd year)

Four Year, No Co-op (schedule A - matriculated in even year)

Four Year, No Co-op (schedule B - matriculated in odd year)

Dual Degree Bachelor's Programs

With careful planning, students can complete two full degrees in the time usually required to complete one. The double major option works best in closely related areas. This option gives sudents an overview of mutiple disciplines and increases the value of each degree. It offers the students an amazing breadth of knowledge that is often appealing to prospective graduate schools and employers seek.  The Students may elect to pursue research in each topic separately or in integrated projects.

For detailed information the students should contact:

Dr. David Goldberg
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Physics
goldberg@drexel.edu