Physics departments across the world are blessed with great funding and resources. Studying physics provides its pupils with countless career choices, from government research, technology, medical devotion, industrial uses, astronomy, and studying the outer periphery of humanities knowledge. Physicists maneuver the most ambitious projects, from the Mars rovers to the Hubble Space Telescope. Governments will expend massive resources to win prestige through success in physics, as America’s moon landings, the European CERN hadron collider, and the growing interest in a mission to Mars show. You can become a physicist in any of the different fields of physics:
- Atomic, molecular, and optical physics
- Geophysics
- Cryogenics
- Fluid mechanics
- Biophysics
- Nuclear physics
Best Global Universities for Studying Physics
The QS World University Rankings is an annual publication of university rankings that comprises the global overall and subject rankings (which name the world’s top universities for the study of 51 different subjects and 5 composite faculty areas), alongside independent regional tables (such as Asia, Latin America, Emerging Europe, and Central Asia and the Arab Region). The QS World University Rankings are the most-widely read university rankings worldwide. Based on the latest rankings, the top 5 universities in the world for studying physics are described here.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
From its inception in 1865, the Department of Physics at MIT has ensured that education is a good balance of the theoretical and practical. Undergraduate degree program applicants should have completed a year of physics, chemistry, and biology in high school and math through calculus. Additionally, two years of foreign language, history, or social sciences and four years of English are essential. The acceptance rate at MIT is tough at 6.6%.
Students begin with a solid foundation of understanding in fundamental physics for graduate study in physics and other affiliated fields in the undergraduate degree program. Students can even opt for professional work in astrophysics, biophysics, engineering, applied physics, geophysics, management, law, or medicine. They can choose to pursue their degree with the focused option if they intend on a career in physics. The flexible choice is for students aiming for an unconventional career in physics. Both options lead to the Bachelor of Science in Physics.
Students are encouraged to participate in research to enhance their understanding of the subject.
MIT offers need-based financial aid to all applicants without discrimination. Students can also opt for short-term work to meet the expenses they are expected to pay. Loans that are taken can be repaid on long-term credit.
Stanford University, USA
Stanford opened in 1891, and the Department of Physics was one of the first five offered programs. Admission requirements for the undergraduate course include SAT (1465 on a scale of 1600), ACT 33 out of 36, and GPA of 3.95 on a scale of 4. This means only the best students can hope to be accepted, especially considering their acceptance rate is an exacting one at 4.8%.
Check out these exam preparation tips for Physics class 12.
Stanford has limited scholarships for international students. It has limited financial aid for international students and is offered only if the student requests it at the time of admission. The university offers varied introductory programs to students from different fields but shares a keen interest in physics to understand their core interest/skill in physics. The options are:
- The Teen series is for the humanities or social science student
- The "20" series is an algebra-based sequence for life science and pre-medical students
- The "40" series is a calculus-based sequence for most physical science and engineering students
- The “60” series is for students with significant preparation in physics and calculus
The University of California, Berkeley, USA
You must apply to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions as the Physics Department does not admit students directly. As an undergraduate in Physics at Berkley, you will learn physics basics through introductory coursework and, after that, pursue research with the best global research groups.
Over half of the students here to study physics have pursued higher studies in physics and affiliated subjects in recent years. Others work in high-tech industries or as management consultants; some join a medical school. The University strives to inculcate in its majors strong mathematical and analytical skills, good laboratory skills, and a well-grounded understanding of the fundamental laws that govern the universe.
The University has an acceptance rate of 14.9% but getting accepted is still not easy. International students applying at Berkeley must show proof of funding for the first year and further access to the program's funding. However, there is ample need-based financial aid available for US citizens.
Harvard University, USA
The best thing about studying Physics at Harvard is you have the freedom to go to graduate school in physics or a closely related field. So even while pursuing a concentration in physics, you can pursue Physics-Mathematics, Physics-Astronomy, and Physics-History of Science, plus the special Chemistry and Physics concentration.
The staff is passionate about physics and teaching and constantly devises new course material. Undergraduates also get the opportunity to research through an independent research course. The acceptance rate is tough at 9.6%. Need-based financial aid ensures that the best students study at Harvard, even if they cannot pay.
University of Cambridge, UK
The undergraduate Physics program includes Physical and Biological Sciences but is separate from Medicine, Engineering, and Mathematics. You can choose a three or four-year course for a first degree specializing in physics. The three-year course is devised for those who love physics but aren’t intent on becoming physicists, and the four-year course is for students who want to get into academic or industrial research.
Notable alumni are Stephen Hawking, Alan Turing, and Oliver Cromwell.
You cannot apply directly to the Department of Physics – you have to use either a college or an open application via the Cambridge Admissions Office. Staff from the department will be part of the screening team. Besides going through the routine admission requirements, you will also need to complete a Supplementary Application Questionnaire, submit a Cambridge Online Preliminary Application and a Written Assessment, and attend an Interview. While there is a wide range of funding options at the University, you must be eligible to apply.
Top Physics Programs in India
A Bachelor of Science in Physics is generally a 3-year undergraduate degree which some institutions also offer as a four-year program. Through the vast curriculum of the course, the students learn about varied concepts, namely, quantum mechanics, waves, particle and nuclear physics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, etc. Further, practical and theoretical knowledge is imparted to the students along with a greater emphasis on the practical application of the principles of Physics.
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BSc Physics Honours Syllabus
BSc Physics syllabus might vary from one university to another, but some disciplines are essentially studied under this degree. Look at the following table, which enlists the major subjects covered under this Physics Honours bachelor’s degree program.
First Year
| Semiconductor Devices | Computer Programming and Thermodynamics |
| Wave and Optics I | Classical Mechanics and theory of relativity |
| Properties of Matter and Kinetic Theory of Gases | Physics Lab |
| Mechanics & Properties of Matter | Physical Chemistry- I |
Second Year
| Electricity Magnetism and Electromagnetic Theory | Quantum and Laser Physics |
| Wave and Optics II | Nuclear Physics |
| Atomic & molecular physics | Digital Electronics |
| Instrumentation | Statistical Physics |
Third Year
| Quantum mechanics | Applied optics |
| Statistical mechanics | Oscillations & waves |
| Solid-State and Nano Physics | Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy |
| Wave and Optics III | Physics lab II |
Find out the best ways to ace class 12 Physics.
Top BSc Physics Colleges in India
With more than 1,000 colleges to apply to for BSc Physics, students often find it very confusing to choose the best college in India. Check out the top BSc Physics Colleges in India:
- Indian Institute of Science (IISC)
- IIT, Kanpur
- IIT, Kharagpur
- Loyola College, Chennai
- St Xavier’s, Kolkata
- Fergusson College, Pune
- Presidency College, Chennai
- Miranda House College, New Delhi
- St Stephen’s College, New Delhi
- Hindu College, New Delhi
- Christ University, Bangalore
- Mount Carmel, Bangalore
- Ethiraj College for Women, Chennai
- St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad
- Elphinstone College, Mumbai
BSc Physics Honours Eligibility Criteria
For the students willing to get admission under BSc Physics or BSc Physics Honours, there are some necessary requirements that they need to fulfill. To apply for this program, it is mandatory for students to have passed Physics, Chemistry, and Maths/Biology as core subjects with a minimum of 50-60% aggregate marks in 10+2 from a recognized institution and board. If you plan to attain overseas education for this degree, you must clear any English language proficiency tests like IELTS, TOEFL, etc., along with LOR and SOP.
Apart from the English Proficiency tests, students might also have to give entrance exams acceptable by a particular university to seek admission for a BSc Hons Physics degree.
Some major exams to get admission into BSc Physics are GSAT, IISER, BHU-UET, JEE, SAT/ACT, etc.
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