University of Illinois At Urbana Champaign

In the Physics (Engineering) program, students will study, measure, and manipulate the fundamental interactions of matter, energy, space, and time. This fundamental branch of science forms the foundation of all natural sciences and engineering disciplines. Students in this major will gain a deep conceptual and mathematical understanding of the world through their coursework and hands-on learning opportunities. This program will give students the tools to quantitatively break down complex problems to solve scientific mysteries and reveal the inner workings of nature. Further, the program will provide students with the keys to a wide range of challenging and fulfilling careers, whether they plan to enter a graduate or professional school or join the private-sector workforce after graduation. There is also the option for students to earn a Secondary Education minor and obtain certification to teach Physics in high schools.

The Physics (Engineering) program provides a solid training in fundamental physics, but also allows space for electives through a diverse range of technical options. This provides students flexibility to take more advanced Physics coursework or pursue other interests. Students may select from a list of pre-approved options or design a custom option, subject to departmental approval. The current pre-approved options, requiring 12-22 credit hours of course work, are:

• Acoustical Physics

• Astrophysics

• Atmospheric Science

• Biophysics

• Business

• Computational Physics

• Computer Engineering

• Energy/Sustainability

• Materials Science

• Nuclear Physics

• Optical Physics

• Law

• Professional Physics

• Solid State Electronics

• Pre-Med

• Pre-Law

The course work is selected in consultation with the student's advisor to address an intellectually coherent body of knowledge. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for a wide variety of technical and professional careers, including graduate study in physics or a closely allied field.