Learning objectives for Williams physics majors:
Our students become confident and versatile problem-solvers who use physical intuition together with analytic and quantitative skills to study, model, and understand the world around us. They develop laboratory skills throughout our curriculum via hands-on experiences with diverse experimental techniques and tools. They learn various approaches to data analysis and become comfortable using computational methods to analyze and solve problems.
Our students develop a solid grasp of core concepts and applications of classical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, and statistical physics. They learn how physics and other disciplines have impacted and continue to impact each other and society.
Our students become effective, clear communicators in written and oral work, capable of explaining complex quantitative issues in broadly accessible terms.
Upon completing the physics major, our students are well prepared for graduate study in physics and related fields, and some follow that path. Our students’ long-term professional pursuits are quite varied, but many are drawn to careers that require scientific or technical expertise or strong quantitative reasoning abilities.