For High School Students Interested in CWRU’s Undergraduate Programs in Physics
Case Western Reserve University is a highly ranked university having degree programs in science, engineering, humanities, social sciences, medicine, law, dentistry, and management. The university resides in a park-like setting within the city of Cleveland. Immediately adjacent to campus are many cultural institutions, including the world-renowned Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Institute of Music, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History; two major medical centers; and a large number of shops and restaurants catering to the university community. With nearly 5000 undergraduate students, CWRU provides the intimacy of a small college but possesses the resources of a major research university.
The Department of Physics has approximately twenty tenured and tenure-track faculty, as well as four lecturers. In addition, members of the department work closely with the five faculty members of CWRU’s Astronomy Department, as well as many faculty in other units of the university, including science, engineering, and medicine.
Degree Programs
The Department offers a number of undergraduate degree programs designed for our students’ wide range of interests. In addition to the traditional Bachelor of Science degree for students interested in a career in physics research in government or industry, or in college- and university-level teaching and research, we offer a B.S. degree in Engineering Physics for the more technology-oriented student; two types of B.S. degrees involving mathematics and physics; a B.S. with a Biophysics concentration; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics that offers the flexibility to pursue a second major in another field such as theater, music, economics, civil engineering, etc. Please visit our undergraduate programs page for more details.
Research
Research, whether curiosity-driven or more applied, is an important component of a physics student’s education. All of our faculty are leaders in their respective research disciplines and supervise undergraduates in research topics ranging from the origins of the universe to ultra-fast processes to manipulation of structures at the nanoscale. Both theory and experiment are well represented, with state-of-the-art laboratories, facilities, and centers housed in the Rockefeller Physics Building and elsewhere on campus. 60% of our physics undergraduates from freshman through junior years join departmental research groups; 100% of physics undergraduates complete a research-based capstone project during their senior year. An overview of the sorts of senior projects can be found here.
After Graduation
A CWRU physics education provides an excellent springboard to pursue careers not only in physics, but in wide variety of other areas as well. The American Institute of Physics collects and maintains extensive data on post-graduation activities. Our physics students have a plethora of options following graduation. 75% of CWRU physics graduates go on to graduate or professional school, two-thirds of whom continue in physics, astronomy, or mathematics, with others continuing on in engineering, medicine, law, and other fields. The students who choose to enter the work force assume mostly industrial and government jobs, as well as positions in the education and non-profit sectors and as entrepreneurs. Where do our graduates go? Click here.
Contact
If you would like further information or to visit the Department of Physics, please contact Prof. Charles Rosenblatt, rosenblatt@case.edu, 216-368-4125.