Engineering Physics

Overview

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 The Ohio State University: 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.

Possible careers

Graduates of the Engineering Physics program from Ohio State University are well-rounded in the sciences and engineering, and this allows them to choose from several different career paths after they graduate. About 40 percent go to graduate school for physics or engineering to earn advanced degrees. Half of our graduates begin full-time employment in industry or government research. Others choose to pursue advanced degrees in other fields or go in to teaching or military service.    

Recent graduates of the physics program have gone on to study physics, engineering and astronomy at top universities such as Cambridge, Harvard, Stanford, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, University of Oxford, University of Hawaii and University of Chicago.

Some employers of engineering physics graduates include Accenture, Honda, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Karpinski Engineering, Stanley Electric, U.S. Air Force and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.