Delve into the theoretical and practical aspects of physics — a field fundamental to the science, engineering and technology industries.
Benefit from innovative teaching methods with an emphasis on active classroom experiences. Learn in cutting-edge environments, guided by the best ideas from leading physics education researchers.
Enjoy a learn-by-doing approach that begins with a first-year introductory class taught without formal lectures and continues in upper-division courses where students work on sophisticated, open-ended projects.
“Doing summer research has been extremely beneficial to me. I can talk to several professors in my department and try on different approaches to research. And I think it also is extremely helpful in applying to graduate schools, because they really prize that experience of working in a lab and being able to demonstrate the level of self-motivation and responsibility to work on a less tightly defined project.”
— Shannon Gallagher '21
Diverse Real-World Experience
In Pacific's physic program, you will work with a diverse group of peers: 30 percent of our physics students are women and 30 percent are from Hawai‘i. Together, you will work in teams to make a wide range of computer-aided measurements to study physics principles and collect and analyze real data (the way a professional scientist would) to discover how physics works in the real world.
Headlines
Engineering physics major and astrophysics minor join a robust Physics & Engineering Department that offers hands-on experience. The new major and minor open to students in Fall 2023.
Following a grant from the Oregon National Space Grant Consortium, physics alumnus Huy Nguyen '21, along with Physics Professor Todd Duncan built a three-dimensional model showing the optimal orbit for spacecraft to "park" between the earth and moon. The model will be exhibited at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville.
Jasper Riogeist ’21 was named Pacific University’s Outstanding Senior in Physics.