The Physics program at Georgia College helps students develop the knowledge and skills required to excel in a professional setting by providing a well-rounded, challenging and engaging curriculum in the physics.
The curriculum is designed to start from the very beginning of a student's understanding of physics. We do not assume that every student has the necessary math and science background to start immediately taking physics classes. Students must have a desire to understand and learn about the physical universe.
We have a novel physics program with a mission to demonstrate that physics is not for a select few, but can be enjoyed and understood by all that truly have an interest. We have a program that covers all the typical undergraduate courses generally found in physics programs such as mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics and quantum theory.
Students in the physics majors are in the same classes together to form a cohort of classes with only physics majors that will focus on collaborative techniques in learning. During the freshman year we will have students register for a two-semester sequence of techniques in Physics I and II to focus entirely on problem-solving skills associated with physics.
The American Institute of Physics indicates that Physics offers challenging, exciting and productive careers. As a career, physics covers many specialized fields - from acoustics, astronomy and astrophysics to medical physics, geophysics and vacuum sciences. Physics offers a variety of work activities - lab supervisor, researcher, technician, teacher and manager. Physics opens doors to employment opportunities throughout the world in government, industry, schools and private organizations.
Dual Degree Program with Georgia Institute of Technology
Through an agreement between Georgia College and the Georgia Institute of Technology, students may begin their college education in this exciting, challenging, creative and student-centered environment. The Dual Degree Program comprises three years of study at Georgia College and two years of study at Georgia Tech.
Although Georgia College students may transfer to any of several engineering schools, the majority enroll in the Dual Degree Program established between Georgia College and the Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT). In this program, the candidate completes 90 semester hours (about three years) at Georgia College. If students receive a good record in the Dual Degree courses, with particular emphasis on calculus and physics and receive a recommendation from the Dual Degree coordinator, their admittance to Georgia Tech is highly likely. However, the following point should be noted: At times, the enrollments in certain engineering majors at Ga Tech reach a critical level, and Georgia Tech reserves the right to place very high entrance requirements in those majors for its own students as well as for transfers. The Dual Degree Program is not recommended for international students since Georgia Tech rarely accepts undergraduate transfers on student visas. For more information see the Physics B.S.-Dual Degree Program with Georgia Institute of Technology part of the catalog.
In addition to the Georgia Tech pre-engineering requirements the Georgia College Dual Degree requirements offer typical engineering requirements such as Statics and Dynamics. Interwoven throughout this curriculum are exercises that will incorporate the MATLAB. Students will be exposed to it in the first semester class PHYS 1012, and continue through the next three years of Physics classes. MATLAB has become a necessary tool for all engineers, and Georgia College’s Dual Degree program insures that transferring student will have the skills they need to be successful in engineering school.