Physics (BA)

College of Arts and Sciences

Program Website

Program Description

The Physics Major: Two Routes to a Promising Future: The analytical and problem-solving skills and the fundamental conceptual and practical understanding of how the world works provided by an education in physics have allowed physics majors to pursue careers—and have major impacts—not just in physics, but in engineering, education, medicine and the life sciences, the military services, computer and information sciences, earth and environmental sciences, law, finance and economics, management consulting, philosophy of science, forensics, and public policy. Reflecting this breadth of opportunity, the Physics Department offers two approaches to the major:

  • The concentration within physics ("inside concentration") is the principal path to professional or graduate work in physics and closely related fields, and is also the best choice for students who wish to obtain maximum benefit from rigorous studies in physics. The inside concentration consists of the core physics courses plus electives taken within the Physics Department.
  • The concentration outside physics ("outside concentration") provides more flexibility for those wanting to develop skills in physics but whose career interests lie elsewhere. For example, a premedical or biophysics student might concentrate in biology; a pre-law student might concentrate in business, history, or public policy; and a student planning graduate work in econometrics or on pursuing an M.B.A. might concentrate in economics. Students interested in education careers, and in capitalizing on the critical national shortage of high school physics teachers, may concentrate in education.

Physics majors—especially those concentrating within physics—are advised to start the introductory physics sequence in the first semester of their first year, as a delayed start can reduce flexibility in future course scheduling. We strongly encourage prospective physics majors with AP credit in Physics to forfeit their AP credit and begin with PHYS 1116 Physics I: Mechanics and Special Relativity. Students who switch to the physics major after taking introductory physics in their sophomore year can usually still complete an outside concentration. Students may apply to join the physics major after completing two full semesters of physics courses at Cornell, together with the appropriate mathematics prerequisites. In order to join the major, students must have at least an average grade of B- in their Cornell physics and math courses, and have no physics or math grades lower than C-. Prospective physics majors with any physics grades lower than B- should as soon as possible meet with the director of undergraduate studies to discuss their preparation. Grades of at least C- (or S for S-U only courses) are required in all courses counting toward the physics major.

Advising

Prospective majors are urged to meet with the Physics director of undergraduate studies for advice on advanced placement credit and on program planning. Based on their specific interests, students will be matched with a major advisor by the director of undergraduate studies. The student and major advisor will then work out the details of the major course program.

Achieving success in a physics course is easier if you have the proper preparation. Each physics course description lists prerequisite courses that develop mastery in the needed mathematics and physics. Students who wish to enroll in a course but lack the listed prerequisites may be able to succeed with an appropriate work plan, especially if they have other relevant prior experience. These students must discuss their preparation with the course instructor and with their advisor before enrolling.

Overview

The total required minimum credits to fulfill a physics major is 62, if you are an outside concentrator. Inside concentrators must fulfill 68 credits. All core courses (with the exception of PHYS 2216 Introduction to Special Relativity) should be taken for a letter grade. No more than 4 credits of Independent Study/Senior Thesis can be applied to an inside or outside concentration. No more than 4 credits of S/U classes can be applied to the inside or outside concentration. The physics major is a full-time program and can be completed over 8 semesters. Students are encouraged to visit the A&S Career Development Office to look for internships, externships and other employment opportunities. Within the Department, students are informed of summer research opportunities both within and outside of Cornell when the Department is notified. Students are encouraged to participate in research. The Director of Undergraduate Studies holds a variety of Information Sessions with students on topics such as graduate school admissions and acceptances.

Honors

The Honors criteria described here will start for all graduates in the 2026-2027 academic year. Honors in Physics requires maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.7 or higher as well as either:

1) completing a senior thesis with a A- grade or better in the senior thesis courses,

2) being nominated by a faculty member who the student has conducted research with (by emailing physicsdus@cornell.edu).

Double Majors

Students are welcome to pursue a physics major concurrently with another major; either in the college of Arts and Sciences or in another college through the concurrent degree program. No course used to satisfy a requirement of another major can simultaneously be used toward satisfying the outside concentration for the physics major. An outside concentration may not be in the same subject as that of a second major.