School of Physics and Astronomy

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Overview

There has never been a more exciting time to study the exciting discipline of physics, spanning the workings of the sub-atomic world to the ever-expanding universe. The BS Physics Program offers a comprehensive curriculum that provides a solid foundation in experimental, computational, and theoretical physics, emphasizing laboratory training and the development of analytical problem-solving skills. Physics majors gain strong preparation for employment in research, industry, and teaching, and for graduate study in physics and related fields. BS Physics students also find graduate placements in various professional programs such as in medical, law, and business schools.

At the graduate level, the School of Physics and Astronomy offers PhD and MS programs in Astrophysical Sciences & Technology with extensive curricula and research opportunities spanning topics in stellar, galactic, and extragalactic astrophysics, as well as the fields of general relativity, gravitational wave astronomy, and instrument/detector development. Additionally, the School offers a general Physics MS Program that spans the various sub-disciplines in the field of physics, and provides both a research and a professional option to students.

50%

Of astrophysical sciences and technology doctoral students are women

11

Average number of undergraduate co-authors on peer-reviewed publications annually (2013-2018)

4

BS/MS accelerated 5-year dual degree programs offered

Undergraduate Programs

The undergraduate program in physics offers a broad curriculum preparing students for employment in research, industry, and teaching as well as excellent preparation for graduate school. The individualized research capstone component of the program provides our students with a competitive edge when seeking entry into preferred graduate programs and the job market.

Gain an in-depth understanding of the basic principles governing the structure and behavior of matter, the generation and transfer of energy, and the interactions of matter and energy within the world around us.

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Graduate Programs

Our graduate programs offer advanced training in physics and astronomy and provide opportunities spanning a wide variety of research and professional areas. Students in the MS Physics program can choose between either a research (i.e., thesis) option or a “professional” option. Students in the Astrophysical Sciences & Technology programs engage with RIT’s world-class research centers offering cutting-edge opportunities in gravitational waves, new advanced sensor technologies, and multi-wavelength astrophysics.

Explore the depths of the universe through multidisciplinary research as you dive into an area that most interests you, whether it be general relativity, theoretical astrophysics, observational or instrumentation development, or another area related to astrophysics.

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There has never been a more exciting time to study the universe beyond the confines of the Earth. A new generation of advanced ground-based and space-borne telescopes and enormous increases in computing power are enabling a golden age of astrophysics. The doctoral program in astrophysical sciences and technology focuses on the underlying physics of phenomena beyond the Earth and on the development of the technologies, instruments, data analysis, and modeling techniques that will enable the next major strides in the field. The program's multidisciplinary emphasis sets it apart from conventional astrophysics graduate programs at traditional research universities.

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Solidify your understanding on the core aspects of physics in both research and technical skill as you study the areas of physics that support your career interests.

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Minors and Immersions

The astronomy immersion provides students with the opportunity for additional study in astronomy in order to build a secondary area of expertise in support of their major or other areas of interest. The immersion offers a broad background in astronomy with courses providing a broad survey of modern astrophysics and the techniques and technologies used to investigate astronomical phenomena. 

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This minor provides students with an opportunity for additional study in astronomy in order to build a secondary area of expertise in support of their major or other areas of interest. It will provide students with a broad foundational background in astronomy in preparation for graduate studies in astronomy or astrophysics. The minor is interdisciplinary and offered jointly by the School of Physics and Astronomy and the Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science.

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Optical science techniques are used in a variety of consumer products (digital cameras, CD players), communication technologies (optical fibers), medical imaging (infrared imaging), and the sciences (surveillance, remote sensing, astronomical systems). This minor can be an important complement to studies in electrical and microelectronic engineering, the biological sciences, physics, chemistry, mathematics, technical photography, and various majors in the field of applied science and technology.

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In a broad sense, the aim of physics is to develop interconnected unifying threads bridging the vast number of seemingly diverse phenomena observed in the physical world around us. This immersion provides students with the opportunity for additional study in physics in order to build a secondary area of expertise in support of their major or other areas of interest. 

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In a broad sense, the aim of physics as a discipline is to develop interconnected unifying threads bridging the vast number of seemingly diverse phenomena observed in the physical world around us. The minor provided students with the opportunity for additional study in physics in order to build a secondary area of expertise in support of their major or other areas of interest.

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Latest News

  • November 18, 2019

    Two researchers wearing cleansuits work on detector equipment.

    Researchers prepare rocket for launch

    A team of RIT researchers is helping launch an experiment above the atmosphere to better understand extragalactic background light, which traces the history of galaxies back to the formation of the first stars in the universe.

  • November 8, 2019

    Simulation of an accretion disk surrounding a supermassive black hole.

    New study suggests ‘Pac-Man-like’ mergers could explain massive, spinning black holes

    Scientists have reported detecting gravitational waves from 10 black hole mergers to date, but they are still trying to explain the origins of those mergers. The largest merger detected so far seems to have defied previous models because it has a higher spin and mass than the range thought possible. A group of researchers, including RIT Assistant Professor Richard O’Shaughnessy, has created simulations that could explain how the merger happened.

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Featured Work

Student wearing tank top and cardigan sweater stands in front of tree with red leaves

RZ Piscium

Kristina Punzi ’18 (astrophysical sciences and technology)

Kristina Punzi ’18 (astrophysical sciences and technology) led an X-ray and optical study of the young star RZ Piscium, which suggests that its unusual brightness variations may be due to the orbiting...

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Student wearing gray T-shirt standing outdoors

Effects of Photon Scattering Torque

Wyatt Wetzel ’18 (physics)

Wyatt Wetzel ’18 (physics) published work under the guidance of Professor Mishkat Bhattacharya on the effects of photon scattering torque in off-axis levitated torsional cavity optomechanics. https:/...

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Student Resources

Here you will find additional resources for the School of Physics and Astronomy, such as observatory information, facility information, research, etc.

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