Physics
Study physics and you'll start to unlock the nature of the universe. Study physics at Marietta and you'll unlock your potential at the same time. Whatever your goals, our program will provide you with a rigorous and comprehensive background in theoretical and experimental physics. You'll work together with faculty members who are recognized for their research in highly specialized fields and who make that expertise accessible to students.
Marietta offers two physics programs:
The physics major will prepare you for graduate or professional study and for a career in physics or related fields.
The applied physics major offers a curriculum designed to prepare you for either the 3-2 Engineering Binary Program or employment in technical positions immediately after graduation.
Facilities
Physics classes and labs meet in state-of-the-art facilities at the new Rickey Science Center and recently renovated areas of the Selby-Bartlett building. Astronomy courses utilize the telescope in the William Chamberlain Gurley Observatory located on the roof of Mills Hall.
Required Courses
All physics majors take the following courses:
- General Physics I and II
- Modern Physics
- Mathematical Methods for Physics
- Experimental Physics I and II
- Classical Mechanics
- Electricity and Magnetism
- Quantum Mechanics
- Senior Capstone Course: Physics Research I and II
Additional elective courses in physics are also required.
Requirements for the applied physics major are flexible and depend on the interests of the student.
Requirements for a Minor
23 credit hours including Physics 221, 222, 321, 331; Mathematics 125 and 126;
and one additional 300-level Physics course.
Places a Degree Can Take You
Internships
Besides the hands-on experience you'll get in the lab working with professors,
physics majors are also eligible for a Rickey Summer Research
Grant. These
competitive grants support student research conducted either on campus or at
other appropriate sites. One Marietta student recently spent the summer at
the National Institute of Standards and Technology. A variety of other internship
programs are also available.
Clubs & Organizations
Marietta's Society of Physics Students is a student affiliate of the prestigious
American Physical Society, a group dedicated to promoting the understanding
and study of physics.
Successful Alumni
Marietta's Physics Department has a long and distinguished history of educating students who go on to become extremely successful in science, engineering, and business. They help build satellites. They're principal agents for high-technology venture-capital firms. One is even a college art professor. Other Marietta graduates have careers like:
Technical Staff, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Physicist, Sandia National Laboratory
Senior editor, Astronomy magazine
Member of Technical Staff, AT&T Bell Labs
Officer and nuclear specialist, U.S. Navy
Department head, Martin Marietta Energy Systems
Researcher, 3M Company
Scholarship Opportunities
The Rickey Scholarships in Physics support the study of physics at Marietta College. The scholarships are awarded to full-time students showing excellent academic achievement and intending to major in physics with the goal of continuing on to graduate school and a scientific or technical career. The current scholarship is $18,000 per academic year and is renewable given satisfactory progress towards the degree.
In addition, recipients of Rickey Scholarships in Physics are automatically eligible to receive up to two Summer Research Grants.