Physics

Physics

Physics – The Foundation for Everything

Physics can be considered the most fundamental of sciences, because, ultimately, all natural laws are laws of physics. By studying how fundamental principles can be applied to produce new insights, physics majors become near-universal problem solvers.

Request info Apply

What Will I Learn?

The fundamental areas of physics are

• Mechanics: The study of forces, particles and their interactions. The foundation for phenomena such as stability of buildings and jet propulsion.
• Electrodynamics: The study of electromagnetic fields. The foundation for wireless communication.
• Quantum mechanics: The study of the amazing world at the nanoscale and beyond. The final frontier for computer design and approaches to computing.
• Relativity: The study of gravity and particles at high speeds. The new frontier for study of the early universe.

Active areas of research include computer simulations of solid-state and polymer systems, nuclear theory, experimental atomic and molecular physics, optics and computational ocean acoustics. Undergraduates will participate in a research project as part of the curriculum.

Mike Vera, Advisor to the Society of Physics Students

Our chapter of the Society of Physics Students regularly visits local schools and presents science demonstrations intended to excite interest in science among younger students. Members also participate in regional meetings and travel to sites of scientific interest.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

Programs at the University of Southern Mississippi that prepare students for licensure in Physics (Licensure), B.S. is designed to meet the licensure standards set by the Mississippi Department of Education. 

Students seeking licensure in another state are advised to contact the appropriate licensing board in that state to determine specific requirements of guidelines for reciprocity. For information about professional licensure determinations made to comply with federal regulations requiring disclosures as to whether a program that is marketed or designed to lead to licensure or state certification leads to professional licensure or state certification, see the following:

General professional licensure/state certification information

https://www.usm.edu/professional-licensure-certification-disclosures/index.php

For questions regarding professional licensure, contact the program coordinator for your specific program.  Program coordinators are grouped by college.  To access the list click the 'Professional Licensure and Certification Boards by USM College' button at the top of the main Professional Licensure and Certification web page (https://www.usm.edu/professional-licensure-certification-disclosures/index.php).

For questions, please contact Dr. Christopher Sirola, Christopher.SirolaFREEMississippi, 601-266-4935.

Availability