Academic Program

This information is part of the Colgate University catalog, 2026-27.

Faculty
Professors Balonek, Bary, Galvez, J. Levine, Metzler (Chair), Parks, Segall Associate Professors Crotty, Adhikari Assistant Professors Ilie, McCabe Visiting Assistant Professors Early, Usman Instructor Jones Postdoctoral Fellows Cardoso Isidoro

Majors in the Department of Physics and Astronomy allow students to explore interests in fundamental questions about the nature of matter and the nature of the universe, or in practical questions of engineering, applied physics, or space science. To be successful, a student should also enjoy mathematics and quantitative reasoning. More than half of the graduating seniors in this department go to graduate school in various disciplines, and many earn PhDs in physics, astronomy, and engineering. Approximately 25 percent enter technical careers directly after graduation. The others pursue careers in teaching, business (often technology-based), management, medicine, and other areas.

The department offers several courses of general interest, not intended for majors. These courses are ; ; ; and , .

To be Eligible to Graduate

To be eligible to graduate with a major in any of the programs of this department, a student is expected to achieve a grade of C– or better in each of the courses offered in the department that are required for the major. There are no exceptions to this policy. Additionally, a student's cumulative GPA for all courses counted toward the major must be at least 2.00.

Awards

The Edwin Foster Kingsbury Prizes — established as an annual award to those students whose performance and promise is judged by the department to be the most outstanding during the year of the award.

The Joseph C. Amato & Anthony F. Aveni Award for Student Research — Awarded to those students showing excellence in scientific research.

The Physics and Astronomy Alumni Awards — awarded by the department to those students majoring in physics and astronomy, who, in the opinion of the department, have made the most significant progress in the study of their major subject and the relations of this science to other fields of learning.

The Physics and Astronomy Department Founders Award — awarded periodically by the department to a senior who has demonstrated four years of outstanding progress and development of his or her understanding of physics or astronomy.

Honors

Students interested in pursuing honors in a major can find the additional requirements on the relevant major page. Use the links below in the Majors and Minor section to navigate.

Pre-matriculation and Transfer Credit

credit will be granted to students who score 4 or 5 on the AP Physics 1 exam or the AP Physics C-Mechanics exam. Credit for will be granted to students who score 4 or 5 on the AP Physics 2 exam or the AP Physics C-E&M exam.

Transfer credit and/or placement appropriate to academic development of a student may be granted to incoming first year students who have achieved a score on an international exam (e.g., A-Levels, International Baccalaureate) that indicates a level of competence equivalent to the completion of a specific course in the department. Requests should be directed to the department chair. Any such credit may not be used to fulfill the university areas of inquiry requirement, but may count towards the major.

Transfer of credit for physics and astronomy courses from other colleges or universities requires approval by the department. In particular, summer courses taken with the expectation of transfer credit must be pre-approved by the department well in advance of enrollment. Students should be aware that few institutions offer summer equivalents for major-sequence courses other than and , and also that a grade of C or higher is required to transfer coursework for Colgate credit. After matriculation, no more than 2 transferred course credits may count towards the physics or astronomy-physics major.

Placement in Required Courses

Placement into without completion of can sometimes be allowed following discussion with the department chair and the PHYS 232 instructor. Placement out of PHYS 232 and/or is atypical and depends on performance on a placement test. Students interested in taking the placement test must contact the chair of the department before the start of the semester. Department majors who do not complete PHYS 125 will be required to complete an additional upper-level course to meet the major requirements. Department majors who accept placement out of PHYS 232 and/or PHYS 233 will satisfy these major requirements by substituting an upper-level course for each course.

Pre-requisites and Minimum Grade Requirements

Prerequisite and minimum grade requirements will be strictly enforced for both majors and non-majors. Students who have not taken , and students who have received less than a C- in the lecture portion of , may take with the instructor's permission. Otherwise, students will not be permitted to take any department course that has prerequisites before achieving a grade of C- or better in the lecture portion of each prerequisite. Exceptions will be made to this policy only in extraordinary circumstances.

Related Majors

Pre-Engineering Studies

The department offers two ways to prepare for engineering: major in physics at Colgate and after graduation go to graduate school in engineering, or use one of the combined plans available in the department. To allow a student to combine education in the liberal arts with engineering training, Colgate has cooperative agreements with Columbia University, Washington University, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Students joining Columbia University and RPI can spend three years at Colgate and two at the engineering school (the 3-2 plan) to earn bachelor's degrees from both institutions. Students joining Washington University can spend three years at the engineering school and earn a master's in their third year (the 3-3 plan). The students attending engineering schools with 3-2 plans may be eligible to continue study for a master's degree, which can sometimes be completed in as little as one additional year after earning the bachelor's degree in engineering. Eligibility for the master's program is determined by the engineering school.

It is imperative for students interested in the 3-2 or 3-3 plan to begin the physics and math curriculum in the fall term of the first year. To be eligible for the 3-2 or 3-3 plan, a student must complete all physics major courses through , and (or ), plus one other upper-level physics course to be chosen in consultation with the pre-engineering adviser.

Prerequisites for admission to engineering schools vary among schools and fields of study; therefore, it is necessary to indicate an interest in pre-engineering to the physics faculty as soon as possible.

Preparation for Graduate School

Students intending to pursue graduate studies in physics, astronomy, or engineering should discuss their plans with their major advisers as early as possible. Students who wish to prepare for graduate studies in physics or astronomy should complete , , , and . To enrich the program, a student should choose additional physics and astronomy electives at the 300 and 400 levels. Advanced courses in other science departments, especially mathematics, are also encouraged.

Teacher Certification

The Department of Educational Studies offers a teacher education program for majors in physics who are interested in pursuing a career in elementary or secondary school teaching. Please refer to .