A physics BA degree from John Carroll University gives you a broad overview of the physics discipline. It’s ideal for students who want a solid foundation in physics, but don’t necessarily want to pursue further education in physics or a career as a physicist. The flexibility of the physics BA program allows you to tailor your education to your interests and walk away with a broad range of marketable skills. All physics students take the same courses during their first two years, providing them with the same sturdy foundation of core physics principles, and leaving two years to explore more specialized subjects.
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Physics
Physics at John Carroll
At John Carroll University, you’re more than just a data point. With an average class size of 20 students, you won’t find yourself lost in a lecture hall or locked out of an important class. You’ll leave knowing not only how to design an experiment, but think analytically, communicate clearly, and be a responsible citizen. You can get a physics degree anywhere, but only John Carroll University can offer the perspective of a liberal arts school grounded in Jesuit values.
2022-2023 Sample Course plan:
Top Employers
1
How physics majors rank among other majors (at both JCU and nationwide) in LSAT performance
95
Percentage of JCU students employed, in grad school, or doing voluntary service 9 months after graduation
$1 million
The 40 year return on investment of a liberal arts education
BA in Physics Program Highlights
Industry Careers
A Bachelor of Arts in Physics prepares you to pursue business, law, or medical school, and makes you a good candidate for a career teaching high school level physics. It’s also what students pursuing the 3-2 dual degree program with Case Western Reserve University will complete at JCU. It’s also a great complement to a second major in things like math or another science.
Spotlight
As a senior, you’ll spend 1-2 semesters working on a research project under the guidance of a faculty member. Many students gain hands-on experience even before then; 85% of students complete an internship before graduation, and the department offers paid summer research positions in faculty labs. Current faculty research explores the fields of biomedical applications, green energy materials, and atomic and molecular laser physics.
Featured Faculty
“Studying everything from the behavior of atoms to the physics of new materials in a liberal arts environment will give you a perspective that many other institutions can’t provide. In addition to your technical training, you’ll have superior oral and written communication skills that employers and graduate schools value.”
— Jeffrey Dyck, PhD, Professor of Physics and Department Chair
Featured Courses
PH 365 ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM
Classical theory of electricity and magnetism. Electrostatics, dielectrics, magnetic fields, electromagnetic induction, Maxwell’s equations, and radiation. Mathematical concepts that arise in E & M, including boundary value problems.
PH 445 QUANTUM PHYSICS
The foundations and fundamental principles of quantum physics. Hilbert space formalism, operators, eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Landmark experiments in quantum physics. Application of quantum theory, including angular momentum, one-dimensional systems, atoms and molecules.
PH 330 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
Development of the theory of atomic and molecular structure. Applications of the theory to optical spectroscopy and laser physics.
Crew Weunski, '20
Crew Weunski graduated with a physics degree in 2020, having spent two years during his time as a student working at the Cleveland Clinic assisting in the development of a novel augmented reality-based medical imaging platform. He immediately pursued a master's degree at the University of Notre Dame, and was hired by Mediview Xr Inc. a company that designs surgical tools using augmented reality 3D visualizations. He works as a bridge between the development and business teams, seeing new products from design to market.
Other recent graduates have gone on to study Environmental Law at Vanderbilt University, STEM and entrepreneurship at the University of Notre Dame, and business at JCU.
Physics Alumni Across the Region
John Carroll University alumni live, work, teach and support communities throughout the region from Northeast Ohio to Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit, Columbus, Buffalo, Rochester, Pittsburgh, New York City, Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia.