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Physics and astronomy students are driven to understand the nature of space, time, and matter, from the quantum level to the outer reaches of the universe. They’re intellectually curious, bright, and confident.
Why
Study Physics and Astronomy at Iowa?
As a physics and astronomy major at Iowa, you’ll take challenging courses and be given plenty of individual attention. In addition to physics courses, you’ll study mathematics. You might also explore courses in a variety of other subjects including chemistry, electrical and/or mechanical engineering, biology, and computer science.
The department features small first- and second-year classes that teach quantitative problem-solving skills, logical thinking, and technical skills. Faculty members emphasize individual attention to students and involve students in their own research. Iowa students are extraordinarily successful in competing for summer research opportunities at other top universities, research labs, and national observatories.
Iowa’s outstanding research facilities include a full machine shop, state-of-the-art laser center, campus laboratories, 24-hour computer labs, and a student-run optical telescope.
Students
About 90 undergraduates and 60 graduate students are enrolled in the program. Small classes, usually with 15 to 25 students, allow for more individual attention from instructors.
All students participate in research projects, and eligible students may complete an honors project to receive a degree with honors.
Faculty
The department has 35 faculty members working in astronomy and nine areas of physics, including atomic and molecular, condensed-matter, high-energy, mathematical, medical, nuclear, optical, plasma, and space. They are recognized for top-notch research. The department garners more than $11 million a year in external research support.
Among the distinguished faculty are several fellows in professional associations such as the American Physical Society and American Geophysical Union, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. One of the department's most prominent faculty members was the late James Van Allen, who discovered the Earth’s radiation belts—named the Van Allen Radiation Belts in his honor.
Course
Work
If you major in physics, you will complete some General Education Program requirements in your first year. You’ll also take Physics I and Calculus I or Engineering Calculus I in your first semester. In your second semester, you’ll take Physics II and the second semester of the calculus sequence you chose.
If you major in astronomy, you’ll take the same courses as physics majors in your first two semesters, plus General Astronomy.
The BA is ideal for many pre-medicine students and those who wish to attend a professional school or pursue a career as a secondary school teacher. The BA degrees require fewer physics and mathematics classes than the BS, freeing up more time for classes required for medical school application or for College of Education classes for teacher licensure.
Other
Options-Applied Physics
Students who prefer to seek employment or pursue advanced studies in a technical field other than physics or astronomy may wish to consider a degree in applied physics. This program, which has an integrated internship or cooperative education requirement, offers specialization in computer science, medical physics, optics, and solid-state electronics. Customized programs of study also can be constructed with help from a faculty advisor.
Research
Undergraduates are strongly encouraged to participate in research, either through the University of Iowa Honors Program or hourly employment with faculty direction. In the past, students have worked on projects ranging from the development of ultrafast optical measurement techniques to use of satellite data to study interplanetary media.
Facilities
Among the department’s many highlights are two optical telescopes and a radio telescope on the roof of Van Allen Hall, a fully automated telescope in Arizona, superconducting fabrication facilities, the Iowa Advanced Technology Laboratories, and the Optical Science and Technology Center. Various labs are devoted to plasma, medical, atomic, high energy, and molecular physics, as well as several ultrafast laser labs, a III-V molecular beam epitaxy lab, and a high-resolution X-ray diffraction lab.
Iowa City is only a few hours’ drive from the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory.
Student
Activities
The active campus organization, Society of Physics Students, coordinates field trips and activities that foster student and faculty interaction and scientific learning. Students also run the optical telescope facility, used by astronomy majors for teaching and research projects.
Internships
Many opportunities for internships exist at national laboratories. Internships in this field are always paid.
Careers
With help from the department’s in-house recruiting office, graduates are recruited by many of the best graduate programs in the country. In the past three years, more than 75 percent have entered graduate school.
Physics and astronomy graduates have mastered skills that are readily transferable to a number of fields. You might choose to work in research, engineering, software development, teaching, finance, biomedical research, or consulting.
Professional physicists earned a median annual salary of $87,450, and astronomers earned $97,320, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook. The median annual salary for full-time employed American Institute of Physics Society members with a PhD was $104,000, with a master's degree was $94,000, and with a bachelor's degree was $72,000.
Scholarships
Several scholarships are available. For example, first-year students may apply for the Shoemaker-Strickler Memorial Scholarship, which offers full tuition, fees, and a book allowance; and the Strayer-Rairden Scholarship in Physics, which provides a renewable $1,000 award to a highly qualified applicant who has declared physics or astronomy as a major. Other students have been recipients of Presidential, Old Gold, and Goldwater Scholarships.
Refer to the Office of Student Financial Aid for
a complete list of available scholarships.
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