Physics Major FAQ

To be eligible to declare the Physics Major, you will need to have completed (or transferred equivalent courses to) PHYS 20700 and PHYS 20800, and the co-requisite Math classes (through MATH 213).

You can declare your major using the iDeclare form. After you sumbit your major declaration, it will be routed to an advisor for approval.

That depends on your concentration. See this page for the concentration offerings. In general, there are a set of core physics classes all majors must complete. Then depending on the concentration, the upper level course plans will differ.

The math department has restructured their fundamental calculus sequence. The physics program used to require MATH 39200 (Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus) but now that Vector Calculus is contained in Calc III (Math 21300), physics students take MATH 34600 instead. Students who have already taken MATH 39200 do not need to also take 34600.

We have some charts available that show an example path to graduation in four years. These are just the default paths to graduation, and your case might be different. Here's one for the standard physics concentration: 4 year plan.

Please see a physics major advisor - they are listed here.

You’ll want to pay a visit to Science Advising on the 1st Floor of Marshak Science Building (and probably make an appointment). They can help sort out the general education requirements you’ll need to graduate.

You’ll need to propose a topic and plan to a faculty member. After reaching an agreement, then you can fill out the form available in MR 419 and get it signed by your advisor. A course on CunyFirst will then be created that you will be placed into.

Students can usually find research positions in a lab or group at City College. You can sometimes find paid position in labs, or apply your research towards your degree by enrolling a Research Honors Course. Either way, you'll have to take the initiative and find a mentor. Here is a list of current faculty that might have UG position available: Research for UG

After finding a research mentor and discussing your plans, you’ll need to complete the form available in MR 419. A course called Research Honors PHYS 310xx will be created on CunyFirst that you will then be placed into. You’ll need 6 credits of A level work in the Research Honors Class to qualify for the Research Honors designation on your transcript/diploma. You'll have to present on research and prepare a written report. See this page for more about Research Honors.

You’ll want to read through the web page that lists our current faculty and their research projects. Then determine a field that is of interest to you. Do you like doing physics on paper? Then perhaps a theory group is appropriate. If you’re more inclined to take things apart and build circuits and so forth, then maybe an experimental physics lab might be the place to start. It will take some effort on your part to make contact and find a suitable mentor. But, usually those who are interested in doing so will be able to find an appropriate fit. See our Research Pages for more information.

Our Physics Club hosts many physics related events throughout the year. These include outreach events for local schools, research talks, or social activities. Get in touch with them to learn more.

About 60% of US based physics majors continue their physics education in a graduate program after graduating. You can expect a few more years of course work, but the vast majority of your time and effort will be spent working on research projects, with the guidance of a faculty member. Most PhD programs in physics will come with a stipend to support your living expenses while in graduate school, as well as pay for tuition. Masters programs generally come with less support, though there are some that provide TA position and tuition waivers.

Graduate admissions committees general weight three components of your UG work: Coursework (and grades), Research Experience, and GRE scores (general and subject). You’ll want to apply with strong records in all three of these categories. A shortcoming in one won’t necessarily ruin your chances, but all three are important. Keep your grades up, do some work in a lab, and practice for the GRE and you will likely be a competitive candidate for many programs. Some of our recent Physics majors are now PhD students at schools like UC Berkley, Rice, Cornell, Johns Hopkins and more. Be sure to talk with current majors who are going through the process right now. They will have plenty of tips.

We have groups working on many subfields of Physics. We have research groups working on Photonics, Condensed Matter Physics (both theory and experiments), High Energy Theory, Biophysics, Physics Education, and Statistical Physics. See this page for the various research fields our deparment is involved with.

We don’t have a large astronomy program at CCNY, however, a degree in physics is basically all you need to prepare yourself for and astronomy graduate program. Many of our physics majors find positions in Astronomy Graduate Programs after finishing. We do offer and intro Astro Class: ASTR 30500, and an upper level introduction to Astrophysics Course: PHYS 45400. There are also a lot of other faculty members at other CUNY campuses doing astronomy research. It’s possible to work with them while you are pursuing your degree at CCNY. Check out CunyAstro to learn more.

The American Institute of Physics keeps track of what Physics major go on to do after they graduate. Here's a summary chart of their most recent data. About half go on to graduate school. Others will find jobs in technical fields.