Physics

Westminster College has an especially rigorous physics program compared to many other colleges. From the first day freshman year and throughout the curriculum, students are taught to consider relativity and the atomic nature of matter, use Python programming, apply fundamental principles rather than secondary formulas, and make approximations to model real physical systems – things that are often only added as afterthoughts or in higher-level courses.

Students are required to conduct research with faculty members in specialized topics such as condensed matter physics, materials science, computational physics, dynamical systems, astrophysics, and cosmology. Students make use of our scanning tunneling microscope, professional observatory, GPU computer cluster, electronics lab, advanced physics lab, general physics lab, machine shop, planetarium theater, and other resources. Weekly departmental lunch talks help build community, give students the chance to develop presentation skills needed for scientific careers, and keep everyone up-to-date on the latest worldwide physics research.

Most of all, students at Westminster benefit from small class sizes, ready access to faculty, and close collaboration with faculty not typically available to undergraduate students in physics departments at larger universities. Nearly all of our graduates are employed in physics- and engineering-related fields or conducting graduate study.

You may also be interested in our Engineering program.