Courses and Requirements

Physics majors are required to complete at least 9 courses in physics and 4 courses in mathematics.  The department also offers a minor, and a number of students have combined a major or minor in physics in dual programs with mathematics, computer science, chemistry, biology, a foreign language or business.

The College also offers a major in Physical Science. The Physical Science major is a highly flexible major that is suitable for students with a wide variety of career goals.  It is ideally suited for students who are considering the 3-2 or 4-2 Combined Plan program in engineering that the college has with the engineering schools at Columbia University in New York City.  Columbia's engineering school requires that combined plan students take a core set of science and math courses.  These courses are also the core courses in the Physical Science major.  Students who choose to do the 3-2 program (three years at Muhlenberg and two years at the engineering school) will leave the college without having completed their major.  Engineering courses taken over the next two years are then transferred back to Muhlenberg to complete the Physical Science major and the college's 34-course graduation requirement.  Physical Science majors who opt not to continue in either the 3-2 or 4-2 program find that the major has sufficient breadth and depth to allow them to pursue a variety of educational and career opportunities upon graduation from Muhlenberg.