The Best Small Liberal Arts Schools for Physics TKG

The Best Small Liberal Arts Schools for Physics Physics is one of the oldest academic disciplines and the field underlies all of the natural sciences. Because of that, you’ll often come across majors, or tracks and paths, such as astrophysics, biophysics, chemical physics, geophysics, and more. There are many career paths that a physics major can take, including but not limited to: research science, teaching, engineering, and working in the healthcare and technology industries.  You’ll often see physics and astronomy grouped together as one major at liberal arts schools. We have included some of these schools on our list, only when the programs support a true emphasis on physics. In other words, do not discount a school that has a “physics and astronomy” major until you’ve done research. These programs are much smaller than those at big research universities, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t impressive. Generally speaking, this will also give you greater access to professors and smaller class sizes. Below you’ll f ind our list of physics programs that we think are worth looking into. Harvey Mudd:There are nine (!) optional programs for Physics majors at Harvey Mudd: standard physics, applied physics, astrophysics, biophysics, chemical physics, education, geophysics, mathematical physics, and physics and computers. All students are encouraged to do individual experimental or theoretical research with one of the 13 faculty members in their area of interest. Currently, student-faculty research is being done in fields such as observational astronomy, laser and atomic physics, string theory, and more.  Amherst:  At Amherst the major is technically Physics and Astronomy, and the course offerings are robust. Research both on and off-campus is encouraged, and there are also part-time jobs available in the department, which is rare. You can also stick around campus and join the summer robot challenge. Amherst also has an interterm, which is a three-week period during which students stay on campus and enroll in an intensive course. The offerings change yearly, but previous classes such as “Celestial Navigation” and “Turbine Flight” (which included a trip to an airplane hanger) have been offered.  Bowdoin:If you’re interested in becoming a physics teacher, Bowdoin could be the school for you. The physics department at Bowdoin has a grant from the Physics Teacher Education Coalition, and they offer a Physics and Education Interdisciplinary major. There is a shortage of high school physics teachers in the U.S., but at Bowdoin, you can work towards both degrees at once. The requirements are slightly different than a traditional Physics degree, but the program is worth looking into if education is in your future.  Wesleyan:One of the most impressive aspects of the Physics department at Wesleyan is the flexibility of the program. The curriculum allows and encourages students to tailor their major to their unique interests. There are seven tracks: astrophysics, biophysics, chemical physics, econophysics, general physics, geophysics, and mathematical physics. Another option is to work with an advisor to create and design your own plan of study. Econophysics is for students who are interested in “seemingly chaotic market behavior,” and the courses offered explore how physics can be used to gain a better understanding of the market and market forces. It is rare to find this discipline at an undergraduate level. Colgate:For those interested in both physics and astronomy, Colgate offers an Astronomy-Physics major, an Astrogeophysics major, and a Physical science major â€" in addition to a general Physics major. (You can also minor in Physics and Astronomy.) Colgate made our Physics list because of their courses and research opportunities, but also the facilities on campus. The Foggy Bottom Observatory is equipped with state of the art research equipment, and there is also the Ho Tung Visualization Lab, where students study planets, stars, and constella tions. Due to the location of the school (campus sits on a rural hilltop), there is limited light pollution, which makes for ideal sky studying conditions. Swarthmore: The curriculum at Swarthmore focuses on analytical reasoning and problem solving, as opposed to a “mere acquisition of facts” that you might find at a larger research university. There is a huge emphasis on studying physics within the context of a liberal arts education, and the goal is to provide an understanding of the fundamental laws that govern the physical universe. In other words, Swarthmore emphasizes teaching their students how to think about physics. There are interdisciplinary offerings, including gender in science and the earth and its climate. Another stand out feature is the colloquium schedule, which is a monthly lecture series that introduce students to topics in the field. Plus, they serve pizza at the meetings!Williams:Every member of the Physics faculty at Williams has active research programs, and because there are no graduate students at Williams, undergrads often work directly with professors on their projects. In addition to these research opportunities and course offerings that are similar to the rest of the schools on this list, Williams is known for their tutorial courses. In the tutorials, students (usually in groups of two) learn about advanced topics and solve problems while a professor oversees, asks questions, and critiques their work. Pomona:Pomona puts a huge emphasis on research, and the research being done by Pomona students speaks to the great access you’ll have to professors and high tech facilities on campus. The physics major offers several tracks: general physics, astrophysics, astronomy and the earth, and planetary and space sciences. In addition to a senior thesis, students are strongly encouraged to take on an independent research project, which are done in conjunction with a faculty research program. Need help figuring out which program is the be st fit for you? Call us, we’ll walk you through the research.