Introduction to Undergraduate Program
At the Department of Physics and
Astronomy at The University of Georgia, we prepare our students for careers in today's
technological society in a number of ways. First, we offer a curriculum of physics courses
which provides a thorough grounding in the fundamentals of physics and supply a foundation
for further study in almost any science discipline. Second, we emphasize problem solving
techniques, which are valuable in any career, in both our lecture and laboratory courses.
Finally, we work with you to help tailor your program to match your post-baccalaureate
career plans. We offer major programs in Physics as well as in Physics and Astronomy, and
each major program has an associated minor program. Double-major programs are also
available.
You might wonder "what can I do with a physics degree?" or "how much money will I make?" or "what courses should I take?," or even "is physics really for me?" The following links might provide some answers to these sorts of questions:
- Physics Is for You—a web brochure from the American Institute of Physics, discussing what physics is and what physicists do.
- Physics Careers Information—an archive of discussions between practicing physicists and students. Looking at titles and job descriptions of the participants is informative.
- Physics Employment Statistics—various statistics and reports on what sorts of jobs students are getting these days (for B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees), salaries, employment rates, and more. Produced by the American Institute of Physics.
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Look here for current job listings at the American Physical Society.
Our Department has 25 faculty members who conduct experimental, theoretical, and simulational research in condensed-matter physics, astronomy, nuclear physics, atomic and molecular physics, environmental physics, astrophysics, and general relativity. Much of the research is conducted on-campus, and several undergraduates participate each year.
Because you will spend four or five years as an undergraduate, it is important to choose a nice place, so here are a few words about the University of Georgia. It has about 31,000 students (about 7,500 of them graduate students) and is located in Athens, in northeastern Georgia, about fifty minutes by car east of Atlanta and a little over an hour south of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Athens is a college town of about 90,000 people, with rich cultural and recreational possibilities in town and numerous nature and recreational areas in the vicinity. See more about the Athens area by visiting this page.
For more information on the undergraduate Physics program at UGA, contact Professor Dr. Craig Wiegert.
For more information on the undergraduate Physics and Astronomy program at UGA, contact Professor J.-P. Caillault.