New Choose Ohio First scholarships to support STEM students at Wooster
Awarded by the Ohio Department of Higher Education, The College of Wooster will receive a grant of $1.35 million to support STEM students between […]
Overview
Why major in physics at a liberal arts college like The College of Wooster?
Using the language of mathematics, physicists try to understand the patterns and rhythms of nature, from atoms to galaxies. Majors can take their careers in a lot of directions after graduation. Majoring in physics at a liberal arts college like Wooster gives students the opportunity to learn in small classes and conduct original research under the guidance of faculty mentors. The multidisciplinary atmosphere at Wooster allows physics majors to double major or participate in a pre-professional program in preparation for graduate or professional schools. Many physicists work as engineers, and many engineers have physics degrees, but physics majors can be found in a number of fields. The problem-solving abilities and analytical skills provided by a physics education equip physics majors to work in schools and on college campuses, in corporate settings and government labs, in the astronaut corps, or even on Wall Street. Many graduates make their way to top-tier graduate or professional programs to build careers in research, law, and more. Wooster ranks sixth among U.S. institutions where women doctorate recipients in the physical sciences earn bachelor’s degrees according to a 2019 report published by the Council of Independent Colleges based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics and National Science Foundation.
Physics at The College of Wooster
With one-on-one guidance from a faculty mentor, each physics major has the opportunity to experience the excitement and rewards of a year-long research project, culminating in a senior independent study thesis. The labs and facilities at Wooster range from a state-of-the-art computer-based lab for introductory physics courses to a scanning probe microscope used in student and faculty research. In the past, three Wooster physics majors have been selected as finalists for the American Physical Society’s national LeRoy Apker Award for outstanding undergraduate research in physics, as a result of their senior independent study work. In addition, seven students won the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for college sophomore and juniors and five students won a Graduate Research Fellowship Program Award from the National Science Foundation, which provides three years of support for their graduate education.
Faculty & Staff
Halle Bielke
Administrative Coordinator, Physics, Mathematical & Computational Sciences
Cody Leary
Associate Professor and Department Chair of Physics; Pre-Engineering Advisor Fall 2025
Susan Lehman
Victor J. Andrew Professor of Physics; Pre-Engineering Advisor Spring 2026
Timothy Siegenthaler
Instrument and Lab Tech/Machinist - Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Physics
Latest Physics News
Wooster Earth sciences and physics professors answer common questions about meteor passing through Northeast Ohio
Tuesday morning, March 17, while The College of Wooster campus was quiet with students on spring break, a meteor streaked across Northeast Ohio, causing […]
Registration opens for B-WISER summer camp inspiring STEM interests in young girls
The Buckeye, Women in Science, Engineering, and Research (B-WISER) summer camp will return for summer 2026, offering young girls currently completing grades seven through […]
Wooster physicist Niklas Manz goes beyond his discipline to study how phenomena get their names
Niklas Manz, associate professor of physics at The College of Wooster, studies the Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction, but why was it named for those two scientists, […]
Major
Physics Major
A Physics major provides a rigorous grounding in the scientific process and a firm scientific understanding of the world. It fosters critical thinking and provides broad practical training in science and technology. It can lead to graduate study and basic research (in a variety of disciplines), to stimulating jobs in industry, or to challenging and rewarding careers in teaching. Our faculty is engaged in original research, and our students are drawn early into collaborative research projects with faculty.
Fifteen courses in math and physics are needed to complete the requirements for a physics major.
View CoursesChemical Physics Major
Chemical physics provides an interdisciplinary approach to the fields of chemistry and physics using mathematical techniques. The major allows students to explore the interface between chemistry and physics by studying structure, surfaces, bonding, atoms and molecules. By combining the methodologies and knowledge of physics and chemistry, many intriguing scientific questions can be addressed by a student with a strong predilection for mathematics and the physical sciences.
View CoursesMinor
Six courses in math and physics are needed to complete the requirements for a physics major.
View CoursesIndependent Study
The yearlong senior thesis project, or senior Independent Study (I.S.), allows you to experience the beauty and cohesiveness of physics by working on an extended project closely with a faculty advisor. There are few projects, even though narrow in scope, that do not require a breadth of understanding and a dependence on the lecture and laboratory material covered in the major courses. Thus, the senior thesis is an integral part of your education. It can provide a stimulating climax to your college career while, at the same time, it can be a defining introduction to your profession.
Search the I.S. Database
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Alumni
The multidisciplinary atmosphere at Wooster allows physics majors to double major or participate in a pre-professional program in preparation for graduate or professional schools. Many physicists work as engineers, and many engineers have physics degrees, but physics majors can be found in a number of fields. The problem-solving abilities and analytical skills provided by a physics education equip physics majors to work in schools and on college campuses, in corporate settings and government labs, in the astronaut corps, or even on Wall Street.
Prizes & Scholarships
View the Physics department’s awards on the department’s website.
Physics Departmental AwardsFaculty Emeriti
Annual Report
View an archive of the Physics department’s annual reports at the department’s website.
Physics Annual Reports