9 Applied Physics Preparatory Programs

Our mission is to enhance our students’ intellectual skills through the rigorous study of physics. We offer a spectrum of courses that reflects both the integral character of physics in the liberal arts curriculum and its essential role in engineering and technology.

Physics builds a foundation for careers in science, engineering, technology, health fields, education, and many others. We offer classes that include topics such as classical physics, electricity and magnetism, wave motion, optics, thermodynamics, and fluids.

The A.S. degree in Physical Science provides students with a breadth of understanding of the physical sciences, in addition to a depth of knowledge in the specialized fields of astronomy, chemistry, geology, and physics. The program is designed to prepare students for transfer to baccalaureate institutions as majors in Physical Science or related science disciplines.

Physics students will be trained in the research groups working on the new Fermilab initiatives, the mu2e, muon (g-2), Nova experiments, as well as future neutrino physics experiments, or in the Fermilab group which collaborates with the cms experiment at CERN, or in the theory group. for some students, the internship may take place in other US laboratories or universities.

The applied physics option is designed to extend knowledge of the principles of pure physics to the development of new technologies. Research in applied physics focuses primarily on problems of technological importance. Current areas of specialization within applied physics span a wide range of topics such as Photonics, Solid-state materials, Biophysics, Plasma-physics, and Hydrodynamics.

This course explores topics such as the foundations of physics, forces, and motion, electrons, waves and photos, astrophysics and particles, along with developing your practical physics skills.

Are you interested in understanding how atoms can be cooled and trapped using lasers and magnetic fields, investigating fundamental symmetries in particle physics, or studying the evolution of galaxies over cosmic time? Want to perform experiments using X-ray diffraction, lasers, and a Michelson-Morley interferometer? At Colby, you can.

Students choosing the Physical Science concentration receive a strong foundation in chemistry, physics, and mathematics qualifying them to enter the junior year of a science/math program of study at a four-year college or university.

The Certificate in Quantum Engineering is designed to give students a solid foundation in the principles of quantum technology. It covers key topics like quantum mechanics, quantum computing, and quan...