MISSION STATEMENT

The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers a baccalaureate degree in Physics with a concentration in Computational Physics or Health Physics. Courses are offered in Physics, Physical Science, and Astronomy that fulfill the university's General Education requirement. These courses also serve as foundation courses for majors in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Engineering. The fundamental natural laws of the physical universe and the methods of scientific inquiry are essential parts of a liberal arts education. B. S. degrees in Civil and Electronic Engineering Technology are offered in conjunction with South Carolina's Technical Colleges. The Environmental Science option in Physics offers students a B.S. degree in Environmental Science.

The Physics programs seek to offer courses in astronomy, physical science, and physics that are taught by full-time faculty members with appropriate advanced degrees dedicated to science education at the university level. The courses offered in the department range in level from introductory courses that expose non-science majors to scientific thought to advanced courses that cover current and complex topics in modern physics. The laboratory experience is required in appropriate courses to illustrate the importance of experimentation to the scientific endeavor. For the majors in physics, the opportunity to undertake undergraduate research is offered. Since part of research is the interpretation and communication of results, majors graduating from these programs in the department are expected to be proficient in oral and written communication, to be familiar with the scientific literature, and to be aware of the importance and usage of computers in science.

Students completing the majors offered by the department will be prepared for careers in industry and scientific research or for graduate school.