Program Details
Program Details
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Bachelor of Science
William & Mary
Program Details
Physics - Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of SciencePhysics - Bachelor of Science
William & Mary
Traditionally, many physics undergraduates continue in graduate school in pursuit of Ph.D. degrees in physics or engineering. Previous students who have completed a physics major also enter a variety of other fields, including among many others, archaeology, astronomy and astrophysics, biology, mathematics, computer science, high school teaching, law, medicine, environmental sciences, operations research, technical sales, industrial management, engineering and oceanography. Because physicists are scientific generalists, undergraduate work in physics followed by specialization in other areas has become one of the preferred preparations for many activities that are setting new directions in society. The requirements for major in physics are relatively flexible, and are designed to prepare people for either graduate work in physics or for later specialization in other areas.
Program Overview & Guidance
Delivery Mode
In-Person
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Delivery Mode
Online
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Delivery Mode
Hybrid
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| Program Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
|---|---|
| Considerations for Selecting Degree | |
| Program Requirement Notes | Program Requirement Notes Students who major in Physics have the option of adding one of the following concentrations: Eng Physics & Applied Design; Medical Track Physics |
| Considerations When Selecting Courses |
|
| Program Requirements Beyond Specific Courses | |
| Doing More With Your Degree | |
| Program Successes & Highlights |
Program Credit Requirements
Credit and Course Requirements for the Program are expected in a future release. Please look above to see if a Transfer Guide is available for this program. If you are a current Virginia Community College student or are planning to start at a Virginia Community College before transferring to this institution and program, please follow the Transfer Guide to plan your courses at the community college.
If you wish to see how your credits may apply, you can:
If you wish to see how your credits may apply, you can:
- Contact the institution where a staff member can help you map your credits to the requirements for this program.
- View the program requirements listed in the institution's catalog.
Applicable Admissions Agreements
The table below lists admissions agreements between William & Mary and partner institutions that may guarantee admission to this program if you meet the required criteria. Click on the title name of the agreement to view a summary of those criteria.
You can view the full text of these Agreements in the Resource Center
What If I Have An Associate Degree Or Credit For Prior Learning?
| Transfer Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
|---|---|
| Associate Transfer Degree Completion | If you are applying to W&M as a true transfer student, meaning you have graduated from high school AND have at least one full time semester in college SINCE your high school graduation, AND you have earned an Associates of Arts, Associate of Sciences, or Associate of Arts and Sciences degree in a baccalaureate-oriented program from the Virginia Community College System or Richard Bland College you are granted junior academic status (you'll get at least 54 transfer credits). You will also have some of our general education requirements met via your Associates degree. An associate's degree in General Studies is not considered a baccalaureate-oriented program, unless approved as such by the State Council on Higher Education for Virginia. Students transferring (not new freshmen) who have earned an Associates degree after their High School graduation date, with an Associate of Arts, Associate of Sciences, or Associate of Arts and Sciences degree in a baccalaureate-oriented program from the Virginia Community College System or Richard Bland College are granted junior academic status (defined as at least 54 credits). An associate's degree in General Studies is not considered a baccalaureate-oriented program, unless approved as such by the State Council on Higher Education for Virginia. |
Completion of Associate Degree Concurrent with High School | Students entering as new freshmen, who have earned an Associates degree concurrent with their High School graduation date, will NOT have the same guarantees as a Transfer student who has earned an Associates degree post their High School graduation date. |
| Credit for Prior Learning | William & Mary does accept as transfer credit, credit for prior learning. Please check out this webpage to view the places where we do award transfer credit. https://www.wm.edu/offices/registrar/studentsandalumni/transfercredit/apib/index.php |
| Did You Know That... |
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College Level Information
Number of Transfer Students
275
Percent of Accepted Transfer Students
W&M typically admits 40-60% of transfer applicants, depending on the cycle and strength of the applicant pool.
Our most...see moreW&M typically admits 40-60% of transfer applicants, depending on the cycle and strength of the applicant pool.
Our most competitive students have at least a 3.5 GPA and have taken a variety of courses across disciplines.
| College Fit Guidance | What You Need to Know |
|---|---|
| Is This College Right For Me? | Answer these questions to help you decide if William & Mary is right for you! Do you want to go to school in a small-ish town, but has easily accessible larger cities nearby (like Washington DC, Richmond, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach)? Do you want to conduct research with a factulty member as an undergraduate? Do you want to have (mostly) small class sizes? Do you want to take part in service activities? Do you want to have fun, like take part in the "Seventh Grade Comedy Club", or participate in club sports and organizations? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then William & Mary might be right for you. Our students work hard and play hard. Be sure to dig deep into our web page to find out more about all there is to learn and do at W&M! |
| Transfer Student Catalog Year | Catalog year determined by first semester of attendance. Https://catalog.wm.edu |
| First Year Student Catalog Year | Catalog year determined by first semester of attendance. |
| Applying for Guaranteed Admissions | https://www.wm.edu/admission/undergraduateadmission/how-to-apply/transfers/vccs_students/index.php |
Where Can This Degree Transfer
This section displays degrees most closely related to this program
and to which you may be able to transfer. So, you can use this list to find the
next degree you can complete in your major. Please click the degree name to
visit that program page.
| Institution | Title | Degree | Award Name | Award Level | Delivery Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wytheville Community College | Associate of Arts & Sciences Degree in Science | Associate | Associate of Arts & Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Hollins University | BA in Physics | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Mountain Gateway Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Science | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
| Germanna Community College | Associate of Arts & Sciences Degree in Science | Associate | Associate of Arts and Sciences | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| J Sargeant Reynolds Community College | Associate of Science in Science | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| Brightpoint Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Science | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Northern Virginia Community College | Science, A.S. | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
| Virginia Peninsula Community College | Associate of Science in Science | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
| Tidewater Community College | Associate of Science - Science | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person |
| Virginia Western Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Science | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Wytheville Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Science | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
| James Madison University | Bachelor of Science, Major in Physics | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| James Madison University | Bachelor of Arts, Major in Physics | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Longwood University | Physics: Biophysics BA | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Longwood University | Physics: Biophysics BS | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Longwood University | Physics: Dual Degree Engineering BA | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Longwood University | Physics: Dual Degree Engineering BS | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Longwood University | Physics: General Physics BA | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Longwood University | Physics: General Physics BS | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Longwood University | Physics: Teacher Preparation in Physics BA | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Longwood University | Physics: Teacher Preparation in Physics BS | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Longwood University | Physics: Engineering Physics Concentration BA | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Longwood University | Physics: Engineering Physics Concentration BS | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Richard Bland College | Associate of Science-Physical Science | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Roanoke College | Bachelor of Arts in Physics | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Roanoke College | Bachelor of Arts in Physics Education | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Roanoke College | Bachelor of Science in Physics | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Radford University | BS in Physics | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| George Mason University | Physics, BS | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Old Dominion University | Physics-BS | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Old Dominion University | Astrophysics-BS | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | Not Specified |
| University of Mary Washington | BS in Physics: Applied Physics | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| University of Mary Washington | BS in Physics | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Randolph College | Bachelor of Arts in Physics | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Randolph College | Bachelor of Science in Physics | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Physics Bachelor of Science | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Physics with concentration in Nanoscience, Bachelor of Science | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Physics with concentration in Pre-Medical, Bachelor of Science | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Emory & Henry University | Philosophy (BA) | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Emory & Henry University | Physics (BA) | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Emory & Henry University | Physics (BS) | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Randolph-Macon College | Physics (BS) | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
Careers Where This Degree Applies
| O*Net Code | Name | Description | Parent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11-9121.01 | Clinical Research Coordinators | Plan, direct, or coordinate clinical research projects. Direct the activities of workers engaged in clinical research projects to ensure compliance with protocols and overall clinical objectives. May evaluate and analyze clinical data. | Management Occupations |
| 11-9121.00 | Natural Sciences Managers | Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these fields. | Management Occupations |
| 19-2012.00 | Physicists | Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories. | Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations |
| 25-1054.00 | Physics Teachers, Postsecondary | Teach courses pertaining to the laws of matter and energy. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research. | Educational Instruction and Library Occupations |
| 25-2031.00 | Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level. | Educational Instruction and Library Occupations |
| 11-9121.02 | Water Resource Specialists | Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues. | Management Occupations |
Cost To Complete