Experience Physics

Earning a Physics degree at Gettysburg College is an immersive and supportive experience where students are encouraged to explore, question, and discover alongside dedicated faculty mentors. You’ll learn in small classes that emphasize collaboration and hands-on experimentation, from studying the motion of everyday objects to probing the mysteries of the cosmos in the campus planetarium or observatory. Here you'll find a close knit community where students often work together on research projects, share discoveries in labs, and participate in campus-wide science events.

“It is pretty exciting to be in the top 10 of small liberal arts colleges in the nation for producing physics majors” — Professor Kurt Andresen.

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Physics Prof. Kurt Andresen's X-SIG summer research lab working with DNA

Gettysburg College is top Pennsylvania institution awarding physics degrees

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Physics in Action

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Planetarium and Observatory

Featured course

Jump to level: All Physics courses

by level: 100 • 200 • 300 • 400

PHY-324 Experiments in Quantum Mechanics
Advanced laboratory course giving students the opportunity to explore in a laboratory setting many of the peculiar, interesting, and important aspects of quantum physics. In addition to a suite of experiments exploring the statistical nature of quantum particles (single photons) and their counter-intuitive correlations using state-of-the art optics equipment, students will use a variety of experimental equipment to explore other quantum systems and effects, such as Bragg Scattering in crystals, positron annihilation, and alpha-, beta-, gamma-spectroscopy. The course emphasizes experimental design, error analysis, and writing through formal reports. Prerequisites: Physics 310. Six laboratory hours.
PHY-358 X-Lab: Salty and Fatty
Combined upper-level chemistry and physics lab designed to emphasize the use of tools in these disciplines to answer questions in biology. This course concentrates on the role of lipids (fats) and ions (salt) in biology. Utilizing multiple biochemical and biophysical techniques, students will perform multiple experiments to ultimately answer a complex biological problem.
PHY-211 Intermediate Physics
An introduction to classical electromagnetic theory and applications: electrostatic fields, currents, magnetic fields, magnetic induction, and Maxwell's equations. Other topics include electric circuits, waves, light as a propagating electromagnetic disturbance, and radiating charge. Prerequisites: Physics 112 and Mathematics 112, which may be taken concurrently; or permission of instructor. Three class hours and six laboratory hours.

Undergraduate research

The physics major at Gettysburg places a significant focus on research. This means that you have the option to participate in independent research, off-campus research, and student and faculty research.

Physics majors may also gain valuable, real-world experience as a student assistant within the Physics Department through the following roles:

  • Laboratory Assistants
  • Laboratory Equipment Set Up
  • Research Assistants
  • Special Services
  • Student Checkers

Students interested in becoming a student assistant are encouraged to speak with a physics faculty member at the start of each academic semester.

Note: All Bachelor of Science in physics majors are required to conduct independent research. It is also recommended that Bachelor of Arts in physics majors pursue independent research.

Through immersive learning experiences alongside faculty, Gettysburg College students gain knowledge and skills to help advance their career goals.

The Hatter Planetarium

Since its development in 1966, the Hatter Planetarium has served the Gettysburg College campus and surrounding community through immersive, free planetarium shows such as “The Sky This Month,” which provides information about upcoming celestial events and astronomy news. This exciting planetarium offers both public and private group shows for schools and community groups from September to mid-May. The Hatter Planetarium also serves as a fully functional classroom.

The Observatory

Located on the northwest edge of the Gettysburg College campus, this unique installation is used for imaging and photometry of variable stars. The dome houses:

  • A 16-inch f/11 computer-controlled Ealing Cassegrain reflector
  • An Ealing 16-inch Cassegrain telescope equipped with a sensitive, thermoelectrically cooled CH350 CCD Photometrics camera
  • Six Meade telescopes
    • Three 8-inch LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes
    • One 10-inch GPS LX200 telescope
    • One 8-inch GPS LX200 telescope
    • One 7-inch Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope
  • An adjacent classroom that functions as a workspace containing a collection of maps and charts of the skies to assist with sky observation

The Machine Shop

The Gettysburg Machine Shop is devoted to unique student and faculty research. It includes power machinery such as band saws, drill presses, lathes, and a new milling machine. The Machine Shop is also an excellent resource for physics students looking to conduct their senior project.

Career preparation

As the basic principles of physics are unchanging, graduates are prepared to answer the complex questions of our evolving world.

Gettysburg’s physics majors have gone on to work in fields such as astronomy, astrophysics, business, education, engineering, law, mathematics, meteorology, physics, and psychology. Whether you seek a B.A or B.S in physics, you’ll have ample career options to choose from.

Explore career options to learn more about post-Gettysburg employment.

Strong Gettysburg alumni network

All physics students have access to the Gettysburg Network via the connectGettysburg platform. Serving as the College’s online engagement, networking, and mentoring platform, connectGettysburg offers endless connections for networking with Gettysburg’s more than 32,000 alumni.

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