Physics
Photo: Chiara Nappi
If you are interested in the basics laws behind the complexity of the world, pursuing a physics education in one of the world's leading centers of research and discovery will be an exciting and rewarding experience. Our program of studies is rigorous and demanding, but if you find the physics courses you have taken so far interesting and manageable, you are certainly up to the challenge. An old aphorism says that a good undergraduate education should teach students how to think. We do much more: we teach students to think as physicists. The quantitative, analytical and research skills they acquire have applicability well beyond physics, from neuroscience to finance. Independent work through junior papers, summer internships and senior thesis is a crucial part of our curriculum, and open doors into real research, either theoretical or experimental, which can lead to publications in major research journals. Most of our students go on to graduate school at first-rate universities, and often become leaders in their fields. Students who use their physics training to pursue careers in diverse fields such as biology, engineering, law, medicine, and business do equally well. There is no better place than Princeton to start a career in physics, or just explore physics as a "turbocharged liberal art."
What Students Say
• What is physics?
• What can you learn from it?
• What is it like being a physics major?
• What are common misconceptions about physics majors?
• What kind of internships and international experiences have physics majors had?
• How will physics majors save the world?
• Why would anyone want to date a physics major?
What is physics?
• What can you learn from it?
• What is it like being a physics major?
• What are common misconceptions about physics majors?
• What kind of internships and international experiences have physics majors had?
• How will physics majors save the world?
• Why would anyone want to date a physics major?
What is physics?
Physics is EVERYTHING. Physics deals with objects, basically, from as big as the whole universe (and beyond) to as small as quark(and beyond). It strives to explain everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen using a set of rules, gradually discovered and implemented by generations of people. It is the ultimate integration of science and art.
One definition: physics is defined by physical quantities. Specify some quantities; physics is their study, determining relations between them through thinking and doing (theory and experiment). The first, certainly simplest, physics anybody learns is probably distance = velocity * time. Other physical quantities are: energy, momentum, and charge. Those three and space-time are, to our knowledge, all the fundamental quantities! All others (e.g mass, temperature) can be defined in terms of them. What's an object? Some charge or energy in a particular place.
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What can you learn from it?BASICALLY, EVERYTHING
Just to name a few:
- Rules that govern everything that exists (like why don't we just fly off the earth if we jump up, or why do we have mass at all)
- Quantitative and analytical skills (useful in every field, even if you don't want to do research for life)
- Ability to work in inter-disciplinary areas (Physics goes with everything — econophysics, biophysics, chem-physics, neuroscience etc.)
- Ability to identify & create art. (Seriously, most of the physics laws and equations are very elegant and beautiful. Take a course in quantum mechanics or particle physics or relativity — you'll be convinced. )
Learning physics is like eating from the tree of knowledge: you learn how to distinguish right and wrong, as dictated by reality. Frankly, this builds character. In many disciplines, there is no right and wrong, or at least the distinction is fuzzy, but in physics and hard sciences, it's razor sharp, the better to cut your ego with.
Physics is also like weight lifting. If you go to the gym and try to lift too much, you will NOT get stronger. You will only hurt yourself. You must work bit-by-bit and learn things in their proper order, and in so doing anybody can get stronger. The problem with majoring in physics is that you are always being asked to lift heavier and heavier weights.
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What is it like being a physics major?
IT JUST FEELS COOL!
The department is likely to be the best you can get. Because of the high professor/student ratio, every major receives a lot of individual attention from professors. All professors are pretty open to students — just knock on their doors and they will be willing to talk to you about physics problems, course information or anything else. The department really makes a lot of efforts to ensure that majors have the best experience. JP's and your thesis are fun to do, actually. Advisers are usually very attentive and responsible. You will learn a lot about the topic you are working on as well as develop research skills. You will feel like you have actually done something non-trivial after you complete your JP's and thesis. Also, for most courses, there will be problem sessions. So you get to interact with your graduate student TA's and your fellow majors A LOT. There will be many activities as well (talks, free pizza lunches with a speaker, seminars, piano recitals outdoor trips etc.). It is just a really fun and meaningful place to spend your undergraduate life.
One common misconception is that physics students are nerdy and dull. While some of them might be (just like any other department), not everyone is like that. There is not a stereotypical physics major. People can be very different. Physics majors have at times DOMINATED the university band, plus people are amazing at the annual physics department recital. A lot of physics majors are in eating clubs as well — so people do have fun, just like those in any other department.
Note: We do make a lot of physics jokes, and we are proud of them. Might sound a little nerdy, but you'll love them if you get into physics. (Guaranteed!)
Another common misconception is that for "some people" it's fun. Truth is, physics is not supposed to be easy, and it isn't for anyone. It takes practice, like learning an instrument, and that's rarely fun in the casual sense. Not everyone can be a concert pianist, but most people, if they practice enough, can pleasantly play the piano.
AGAIN, EVERYTHING. Everything from research (both in physics or in some other field, such as computer science, biology, chemistry, engineering etc.) to finance (yeah, firms love physics majors). As for international, it's just like any other department — choice is wide-open.
It is more difficult to study abroad as a physics major versus most other departments. It can and has been done, but you have to plan for it in your course selection well in advance.
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WELL...
1. One has to know the world in order to save it right. BINGO!
2. We can be as theoretical as we want, and as practical as we want.
3. Having obtained the best skill set, we can ace every discipline and career field. Seriously.
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1. Because we know a lot of cool stuff, and we are fun.
2. Because we are in the best department, ever.
3. Simply because we are HOT.
Note: Don't talk about physics on a date.