Program Overview
Physics is the study of the Universe, from particles to galaxies and beyond. Its language is mathematics, its domain is the Universe itself, and its applications are as diverse as science itself. A primary goal of physics is to discover the underlying laws that govern matter and its interactions.
The Physics program at High Point University is founded on the principle that the first day of your first year at HPU is the beginning of your career as a scientist. Your principal objective as a scientist is to seek answers to interesting questions. Your principal objective as a student is to learn the tools required for inquiry—problem solving, fundamental physics, experimental methods, computational modeling and computer programming, mathematics, and communication. When you graduate from High Point University with a degree in physics, you will have the skills, passion, and confidence of a scientist who is prepared for a career in a technical field or graduate study in any related scientific, engineering, or professional discipline.
Your classes, laboratory experiences, and independent undergraduate research projects will help you develop a scientific skill set with expertise in:
- Experimental design and data analysis
- Problem solving and analytical reasoning
- Electronics and instrumentation
- Computational modeling
- Computer programming in a variety of languages including Python, LabView, Java, and MATLAB
- Undergraduate research with faculty mentors
- Preparation of scientific articles, proposals, and posters in LaTeX
- Oral presentations of research results
- Fundamental theoretical physics in Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, and Statistical Mechanics / Thermodynamics
Career Opportunities
Upon graduation you will be well-prepared for a wide variety of pursuits. If you choose graduate school, an undergraduate degree in physics is excellent preparation for graduate studies in a number of fields including astronomy, earth and atmospheric science, biophysics, mathematics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and nuclear engineering, to name just a few.
If you are looking to enter the workforce right after graduation, your degree will open up a range of possibilities. Physics graduates work in such diverse fields as engineering, computer or information systems, medical technology, technical writing, finance, and education.
Depending on your interests, you may want to consider double-majoring while at HPU. For example, if you want to go into biophysics, you should take courses in general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and general biology, for example. If you want to go into high-performance computing or do computational physics, consider double-majoring in computer science. If theory is your thing, then double major in mathematics.
Graduate school in physics is NOT your only option. You should consider master’s programs in engineering and technology, a career as a computer programmer or engineer, a career in high school teaching, or a Ph.D. in astronomy, for example. Your skillset will open up the possibilities to numerous options.
For those wishing to go to graduate school in physics, our program will prepare you with the skills needed for independent research.
Links to SPS, AIP, and APS resources
Economics of a Physics Degree (American Physical Society)
Careers Using Physics (Society of Physics Students)
AIP Career Guidance
Typical starting salaries for those with a degree in physics
Knowledge and skills used by physics bachelor’s in industry
Physics students’ experience in undergraduate research
MCAT and LSAT scores for physics majors
Some employers who hired 3 or more physics majors, 2009-2011
- Accenture
- American Museum of Natural History
- Boeing
- Bloomberg, LP
- Brookhaven National Lab
- Epic
- Fermi National Accelerator Lab
- Gemini Observatory
- Google
- Halliburton
- Hewlett Packard
- Intel
- Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
- Lockheed Martin
- Los Alamos National Lab
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Microsoft
- MIT Lincoln Lab
- MITRE
- National Institutes of Health
- NAVAIR
- Naval Surface Warfare Center
- Northrop Grumman
- Oak Ridge National Lab
- Oregon Health & Science Univ.
- Pacific Northwest National Lab
- Raytheon
- Rockwell Collins
- Smithsonian
- Southwest Research Institute
- Space Telescope Science Institute
- Stanford Univ. National Accelerator Lab
- Thor Labs
- U.S. Air Force
- U.S. Army
- U.S. Department of Defense
- U.S. Department of Energy
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Requirements for a B.S. in Physics (62 credits)
- PHY 2001 Research and Scientific Writing in Physics I
- PHY 2002 Research and Scientific Writing in Physics II
- PHY 2010 Fundamentals of Physics I
- PHY 2020 Fundamentals of Physics II
- PHY 2030 Fundamentals of Physics III
- PHY 2100 Electronics
- PHY 3110 Classical Mechanics
- PHY 3210 Electricity and Magnetism
- PHY 3310 Quantum Mechanics
- PHY 3400 Statistical Mechanics and Thermal Physics
- PHY 4000 Undergraduate Research in Physics (4 credits required)
- MTH 1410 Calculus I
- MTH 1420 Calculus II
- MTH 2410 Calculus III
- MTH 2310 Linear Algebra
- MTH 3410 Differential Equations
- CSC 1710 Introduction to Programming
Students will be advised in electing additional courses that will complement their career goals.
