Physics
Why Study Physics?
From nanoparticles to galaxies, physics provides the tools to tackle humanity's most complex challenge- understanding how the universe works. Caltech's Bachelor of Science (BS) in Physics degree program cultivates your ability to think critically and solve problems using advanced mathematical and analytical techniques. This prepares you for diverse STEM careers, including research, engineering, and data-driven fields, while fostering the skills valued in finance, economics, and business.
Why Physics at Caltech?
Caltech's rich history of innovation and exceptional facilities greatly enhance the physics major option, merging theoretical depth with unmatched hands-on research opportunities. The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) program provides paid research opportunities that lead to continued research and career jump-starts after graduation. Compared to other institutions, you can make your classes as hard as you want them to be, earlier.
As a first-year, elect to take specialized physics classes alongside a foundational sequence. Then, in your second year, you'll study advanced topics like quantum mechanics, things that only graduate students get to learn at other schools. Not to mention that you'll be learning from Nobel Prize-winning physicists and prolific researchers in experimental laboratories.
What You'll Learn
The physics major begins in the second year with intensive foundational courses that build on the core curriculum of math, science, and the humanities. From the start, if you're motivated to start researching, you can. You can also explore advanced electives, from aerospace to pure math. By the second and third year of the major, you will learn graduate-level subject matter, like quantum mechanics and electrodynamics, and gain research experience in physics labs.
The bachelor's in physics program prepares you to communicate complex scientific concepts and realize connections between theoretical frameworks and computational problem-solving approaches. Courses like the First-Year Seminar: The Science of Music, create project-based opportunities to observe and understand physics principles, like sound waves, and their interactions with biology, computation, and more. This learning doesn't stop in the classroom—it extends to NASA labs and progressive mathematical research centers.
View the Caltech catalog for degree requirements and curriculum information.
Who You'll Learn From
Study with and conduct research alongside more than 50 faculty members defining the future of physics, from leaders of Caltech and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to experts in mathematics and machine learning and world-renowned physicists. Through your first-year core curriculum, you'll also interact with leading minds across other disciplines, broadening your network and accessing research and career experiences at Caltech and beyond.
You can really choose to make Caltech as hard as you want it to be. If you want, you can start taking really hard classes as early as you want and then start doing research on top of that.
Career Possibilities
Graduates of the bachelor's in physics program at Caltech are prepared to apply advanced mathematics to technical and strategic roles, but many pursue a research pathway, going on to doctoral studies to extend their research and enter higher education. Graduates go on to impact industry, research, policy, business, and beyond as:
- Data scientists
- Financial engineers
- Research scientists
- Technology consultants
- Professors
Many also pursue doctoral studies at top institutions in fields like medical physics, theoretical physics, and even business, law, or computer science.
Curriculum Components and Prerequisites
Strong preparation in mathematics and physics is recommended, but what matters most is your passion for understanding fundamental principles of the physical world and solving complex problems. Curriculum includes:
- First-year core curriculum
- Physics and mathematical foundations
- Advanced theoretical coursework
- Computational physics and programming courses
- Electives, including options for labs and independent study
- Research opportunities and thesis
Caltech doesn't accept previous courses at other institutions or through Advanced Placement, but you may take the Physics 1c advanced placement exams the summer before starting at Caltech to place out of introductory physics courses.
Pursue a Bachelor's in Physics at Caltech
Prepare to push the boundaries of human knowledge with Caltech's physics major program. Develop mathematical expertise and intuit physics principles while working alongside pioneering researchers in state-of-the-art facilities. Our program provides the foundation for success in research, innovation, and applying physics and math to other fields.