Prospective Students

A Note To All Prospective Physics Students:

It is very important that you take both PC241 and PC242 during your first year in order to prevent scheduling conflicts during your sophomore year. When you arrive on campus, you should speak with a faculty member to learn how to set up your first-year schedule in order to be on track for a physics major.

People

Faculty: Take some time to say hello to faculty when you see them around. Majors will eventually take classes with most faculty members. Take a look at the Faculty/Majors board to learn more about each faculty member and their research interests.

Staff

Courtney: You will often see Courtney in the Department office making the physics department run from behind the scenes (Barnes 230). Go to her to be added to the mailing list.

Katie: Katie helps with everything technical in the department, from setting up class demos to assisting with equipment needs in upper-level labs.

Jeremiah: Jeremiah is the Machinist for the Natural Science division of the college. He works in the machine shop in the basement of Olin. You will work with him if you take the machining adjunct.

Paraprof: The paraprof is usually a recently graduated physics major, and there's a new one every year. They help run intro labs, answer homework questions, and generally help out around the department. Go to Olin 260 to say hi! This is also a job YOU can apply for the spring that you graduate with your physics major! If you're interested, talk to Courtney!

Places

Seminar room (Barnes 213): The academic and cultural hub of student life in the physics department. A meeting place for physics students to work on homework and debate the right way to do a problem. Expect discussion, whiteboard explanations, and comradery. Once you declare your major and send the paraprof your major board info, you will get the code for entry, a cubby, and a physics major mug in the seminar room.

Department office (Barnes 230): The snack spot! Find Courtney here most of the time. You can talk to her about declaring your major and getting onto the mailing list.

Classes

As a physics major, these are the classes you will take as you progress through the major.

3 Block Intro Sequence:

• Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism (PC241/242): These will be the largest classes you take in the major (but still only 30 students!), since they also serve other natural science majors who need to take physics. They introduce you to most of the concepts you will continue to learn throughout physics at CC.
• Modern Physics (PC251): Offered in Block 3 every fall semester, it introduces you to the discoveries in physics over the last century or so that spawned new fields in the really small and really fast parts of our world. Try to take this class your sophomore year!

Lab Classes:

• Electronics (PC261): You spend your days in the electronics lab making friends with resistors, transistors, and your lab partner. This class introduces you to laboratory techniques and builds an understanding of analog circuits. Offered 4th and 5th blocks, you should take it right after Modern Physics!
• Experimental Techniques OR Observational Astronomy (PC361 OR PC362): You deepen lab skills with these classes. The Techniques class is based in the lab where you will work with experimental design, data collection, analysis, and presentation. Observational is based both at the observatory here and at another offsite observatory where you learn about astronomical data collection and learn how to reduce images and collect scientific data.

Upper-Division Classes: These classes tend to be smaller than intro classes and cover more specialized subdisciplines within physics. Class usually consists of a mix of lectures and going over problems with your classmates. There are also a lot of different paths you can take with the physics major, so a lot of your upper-level classes may be from other departments!

Other Non-Required Electives:

• Computational Physics Adjunct (PC263): Learn how to use Python to work with data.
• Machining Adjunct (PC108): Use the machine shop in the basement of Olin to create cool projects with metal, wood, and plastic.
• Observational for Amateurs Adjunct (PC132): Learn how to use the Phipps Observatory at CC.
• Engineering Half Block (PC210): Learn about different fields of engineering from CC alums currently working as engineers! 

Opportunities

Senior Capstone Presentations: All senior physics majors give a presentation in the spring semester on their capstone project. We usually have at least one presentation per week in Blocks 5 and 6, culminating in a Senior Seminar Saturday in April with five or six presentations. All are invited to these presentations, yes, including you! Keep an eye out for emails from Courtney about each presentations. RSVP to Courtney at least 24 hours before the talk to get lunch.

Grading: Want to earn some extra money? Apply to be a grader for the department! We hire several physics majors every block to grade homework for our introductory classes. This is a great way to brush up on intro physics skills and work on one's own schedule.

Research: Ask any physicist and they will tell you a research experience is a great idea for undergraduates. Some faculty will host research students during the semester in a research block or during the summer. If you are intrigued by the research interests of a faculty member talk to them early in the year about opportunities to work with them. Keep an eye out for REU workshops to learn about getting summer research positions at other schools.

Engineering: The physics department offers an engineering-oriented half-block course most years. We also have a 3-2 and 4-2 engineering combined plan. See Professor Adam Light in Olin 218 for more information about the combined plan.

For more information check out the following:
Major/Minor Requirements, Courses, and Emphases

Engineering students can pursue a major in another department while still fulfilling the engineering requirements. Colorado College has a cooperative program with Columbia University that allow students to earn a B.A. from the college and a B.S. or Masters from Columbia in only 5 years. For more information check out the Engineering Canvas page. [Please note that the Canvas is currently being updated to reflect some recent changes!]