"At last, a physics program that doesn't assume I'm going to be a physicist."

If you want a broad background in physics or physical science as part of preparation for your career in business, education, law, medicine, or as part of a more comprehensive liberal arts program, here is a major for you. Indeed, you may find that the analytical and problem solving skills you learn in studying physics are even more important to you in the future than the specific scientific knowledge. This is a message we get from a large number of our physics graduates over the last 25 years. Even those whose jobs have little to do with physics feel that these skills learned in physics complemented their courses in the humanities and social sciences to such an extent that they still regard their physics major as their best choice.

Formerly, all physics majors took the same upper-level courses, ones that become progressively more abstract and mathematical, with a primary objective of leading on to even more advanced courses and to graduate courses in physics or related areas. Such a program serves extremely well those students who aim to become professional scientists or to pursue careers in physics related areas. But it may not be what you need.

Now there is a new physics major leading to a BA degree that provides the same broad introduction to basic physics and to problem solving skills, but culminates in two new upper-level courses that are designed to integrate the basic principles you have learned and to introduce more advanced topics in physics from the perspective of modern applications. In these courses, Physics 311, 312, Widely Applied Physics, you learn the principles that underlie materials science ( from metals and semiconductors to bone and tissue), electronics and computers, nuclear energy, medical physics (cell processes, vision, nuclear techniques, X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging ), aeronautics and space flight, communications technology (radio, TV, radar, navigation systems), lasers, and weather.

Following one of the introductory physics sequences, these two courses, together with a year of chemistry, complete the requirements for a BA in Physics that gives a broad foundation in physical science. Instead of chemistry, you can complete the degree by taking one more upper level course in physics; for example, one good choice is Physics 315, Electronics.

^{If you are curious about how a physics major may fit your interests, please contact one of the physics undergraduate advisors listed below to learn about the various possibilities and to design a program to fit your specific needs.}

^{Physics Department Office - Room 101, Jesse Beams Laboratory of Physics, 205 McCormick Rd.,}

^{University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903 Phone: 804-924-3781}

^{Undergraduate Advisors Office Office Phone}

^{Arthur S. Brill 305 Physics 924-6570}

^{Bascom S. Deaver, Jr. 311C Physics 924-6574}

^{Alan T. Dorsey 327C Physics 924-6584}

^{James S. McCarthy 311B Physics 924-6783}

^{Stephen E. Schnatterly 303 Physics 924-6798}