The Ohio State University

Physicists are concerned with an extremely broad range of natural phenomena extending from the submicroscopic world of elementary particles to the vast reaches of the cosmos and the origins of the universe, from the simplest of everyday activities to the behavior of matter at the furthest extremes in energy, temperature, distance and time. 

The defining characteristic of physics is the quest for the underlying logic—the theoretical structure that unifies and explains all the different phenomena that are studied experimentally. Experiments and theoretical work alike are motivated primarily by this quest. As a by-product, physicists have pioneered many of the basic ideas on which our modern technology rests, such as transistors and lasers, and perhaps someday fusion energy.

There are two different options for obtaining a physics degree at Ohio State: a Bachelor of Science in Physics through the College of Arts and Sciences or a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics through the College of Engineering. Within each option there is a set of standard college requirements plus math and physics requirements that are roughly the same for both options. A student who is interested in studying physics should consider carefully which program to choose.