Cornell University

The concepts and methods of physics have an impact on nearly all areas of human endeavor. Thus, the Department of Physics offers courses in physics for the entire Cornell community. There are general education courses for nonscientists, well-designed introductory sequences for science and engineering majors, more advanced courses for physics majors, and rigorous programs of graduate study, up to doctoral-level independent research. We offer both a Major and Minor in physics, and encourage students to customize their program.

Undergraduate and graduate students benefit from an outstanding faculty and world-class research facilities in the Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics (LASSP) and the Laboratory of Elementary Particle Physics (LEPP). Physics faculty members and students conduct research in condensed-matter physics, nanophysics, biophysics, atomic physics, X-ray physics, high-energy particle physics, accelerator physics, classical and quantum gravity, cosmology, and astrophysics. Students are invited to attend weekly research seminars and colloquia that showcase the work of the national and international physics communities. Undergraduates are encouraged to participate in research, and many find summer employment within the department.