Engineering Physics Major

The Department of Physics is offering a BS program in Engineering Physics. The major is intended for students who wish to acquire knowledge and powerful problem solving skills in engineering and physics. 

Science and technology have evolved very rapidly in the past 10 years. The changing landscape requires more interdisciplinary skills and applications of the natural sciences, especially physics. Physics research has driven a large percentage of recent technological advancements, including many important applications to engineering. Those breakthroughs and deep connections have helped inspire the emergence of a new trend in physics: the field of Engineering Physics. 

Engineering Physics prepares students to apply physics to modern engineering, science and technology. In coming years, industrial fields will increasingly employ professionals who are prepared  in Engineering Physics. Our program in Engineering Physics provides  the students with a fundamental knowledge of physics, together with problem-solving skills, and an understanding of engineering. The program  is designed to address the needs of students seeking innovative careers in today’s technological age. In addition, it allows students to keep their options open between physical sciences and engineering. Furthermore students will be well prepared and competitive for graduate school in engineering and physics. 

Engineering Physics majors can work on frontier ideas in technology and science, in either industry or academia. Those areas might include aerospace, biophysics and biomedical engineering, medical physics, electrical engineering , nano and quantum engineering, renewable energy (photovoltaics, battery technology, fuel cells, ...), transportation, quantum information science, semiconductors, or materials development. Careers could also include systems engineering, teaching, medicine, law (especially intellectual property or patent law), science writing, science policy, energy policy, government, or management in technical fields. Successful students from this major are expected to have many opportunities in a wide variety of career areas that are increasingly reliant on data scientists, including technology, finance, the pharmaceutical industry, government, and engineering.

The program of Engineering Physics at Saint Joseph’s University offers students a comprehensive and flexible curriculum in the disciplines of physics and engineering.  The program offers 3 concentrations  (Quantum Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering) which will allow students to specialize in variety of areas and prepare for a range of careers. These concentrations are reported in the students’ transcripts when they graduate. 

The program offer foundational courses in Physics  with a core grouping of  three introductory physics courses (freshman and sophomore years) in the foundations of Newtonian mechanics and electricity and magnetism, geometrical optics, thermodynamics and fluids  along with a one-semester program in nonclassical (modern) physics: this course, based on developments in physics that occurred in the first quarter of the twentieth century, introduce students to quantum theory and special relativity. Each of the introductory physics courses is accompanied by a laboratory , which not only complements the didactic material but also trains the student in the methodology of doing experimental physics. 

During this time, students also master mathematics, the language of physics. Students take three semesters of calculus, Differential Equations and Introduction to Linear Algebra. Students take also a course in Mathematical Methods for Science and Engineering ( which is typically required also in Engineering schools) . In addition, students are required to take 2 courses that  expose them to modern computational techniques. The upper-level foundational physics  courses include the study of classical mechanics, statistical mechanics , electricity and magnetism and experimental methods. These physics and mathematics courses provide the foundation to explore a vast array of upper division courses in engineering physics.

All the  engineering physics students are required to take a course in Engineering Modeling and Design. Students are required to take 3 engineering electives which are selected on the basis of the concentration.  There are various choices, depending on student interest: The Quantum Engineering concentration is at the front line of modern technology development ( quantum computers and quantum communication, quantum materials) with courses such as Quantum Materials  for Scientists and Engineers, Quantum Information Science for Mathematicians , Scientists and Engineers , Electronics and Photonics. In the Biomedical Engineering concentration we also offer sub- concentrations in pharmaceutical engineering (drug delivery and other topics) and  neuro engineering for students interested in the biophysics and bioengineering aspects of neuroscience.

The Department of Physics at Saint Joseph’s University has developed a research-oriented culture for both its faculty and students. Most students will engage in research, alongside faculty mentors, at some point during their four years.  The ability to put into practice what is learned in the classroom is paramount to the growth of scientists and professionals. In the research laboratory, students learn to design and perform experiments, to analyze data using computational methods, and draw appropriate conclusions. Students are also exposed to the interface between physics and engineering, including learning how to use physics in tackling engineering problems.  All Engineering Physics students are required to do a senior project which involves research and design in the particular area of engineering selected.

Undergraduates participate in research in three different ways. First, they may decide to take research for academic credit. Within the major, students take three physics electives and one or more of these may be used to perform scientific research under the guidance of our physics faculty. Second, students may opt to do research as a Summer Scholar. Saint Joseph’s University is well known for its 10 week Summer Scholars Research Program. Historically, the Physics Department, through the generosity of its alumni, Dean and Provost, has been able to provide stipends for all physics students who have wanted to do summer research. Students selected to participate in the Summer Scholars Program not only receive a stipend but also are provided low-cost housing by the University. Lastly, students may opt to volunteer in a laboratory at SJU or elsewhere.