B.S. Physics
Physics addresses the material universe at its most fundamental levels. It helps us
organize the universe, deal with the fundamentals of life, and understand the connections
between seemingly different phenomena. Physics gives us powerful tools that allow
us to express our creativity, see the world in new ways, and discover how to change
it. The laws revealed by careful study and experiment often apply from subatomic to
cosmological scales. With currently understood physical laws and mathematics as a
foundation, the goals of physics are to push to still deeper levels of understanding
and to push forward, extending our understanding to more complicated systems: molecules,
fluids, solids, galaxies, living things.
Physics is perhaps the most basic of the sciences; it lies at the core of many fields.
An undergraduate degree in physics provides an excellent basis not only for graduate
study in physics and related fields, but also for professional work in such fields
as astrophysics, biophysics, engineering and applied physics, geophysics, management,
law, economics or medicine.
Concentrating in physics will not only teach you about the structure of physical law,
but it will allow you to take part in its discovery. Along the way you will learn
to "think like a physicist" -- a hard-to-describe skill combining practiced intuition,
the scientific method, and a knack for approximation -- and you will develop powerful,
broadly-applicable problem-solving skills. It's important to recognize that physics is a problem-solving discipline. Your physics professors will stress major themes and principles, and one major goal
is that you, the student, will be able to apply these principles to understand and
solve problems. You should remember and focus on this fact: in a physics course, you
are expected to solve problems.
Never regard study as a duty but as an enviable opportunity to learn...
- Albert Einstein (Physicist)
Physics is challenging, make no mistake. This one aspect alone is what scares off
many students, but it is also one of the most important reasons why you should study
physics! College physics courses are challenging because they require us to master
the many concepts and skills that make training in physics so valuable in such a wide
range of careers.
Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice
and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.
- Pele (Brazilian Soccer Player)
If you are interested in being a physics major and learning how a degree in physics
can open the door to an endless world of possibilities, please contact us at physics@obu.edu.
