Physics and Astronomy

Student in lab placing slide on microscope

The Frontier of Scientific Exploration

Are you planning for a career in science? Do you want to work on one of the most exciting frontiers of scientific exploration and study? Then you are an excellent candidate for a career in physics and astronomy.

A degree in physics from the Department of Phyisics and Astronomy at Clemson University can set you on your path to the future; where that path leads — from space exploration to a greater understanding of the subatomic world — is up to you.

A degree in physics can open doors in a number of lucrative and rewarding fields, with careers in academia as well as the public and private sectors.

Salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on November 27, 2023, that the median annual salary among U.S. physicists as of May 2022 was $142,850.

Matter, Energy and Beyond

The Department of Phyisics and Astronomy at Clemson University focuses on students experiencing firsthand the excitement of discovery, whether studying the behavior of matter or exploring the cosmos. Physics forms the basis of study upon which the other branches of science are founded. Physics is concerned with the fundamental behavior of matter and energy. Clemson’s undergraduate physics curricula provide future scientists and educators with a strong background in the classical areas of physics as well as an introduction to the more important aspects of modern physics. Astronomy studies everything that originates beyond Earth’s atmosphere. More specifically, astronomy studies celestial objects and phenomena, using mathematics, physics and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution.

Classical physics

Classical physics comprises the fields of:

Mechanics.
Heat and thermodynamics.
Electricity and magnetism.
Acoustics.
Optics.

Modern physics

Modern physics comprises the fields of:

Atoms and molecules.
Atomic nuclei.
Elementary particles.
The properties of liquids, crystalline solids and other materials.
The areas of relativity, cosmology and the large-scale structure of the universe.

Astronomy

Objects and phenomena of interest include:

Planets, moons and stars.
Nebulae, galaxies and comets.
Supernova explosions.
Gamma ray bursts.
Quasars, blazars and pulsars.
Cosmic radiation.

Biophysics

Biophysics and Medical Biophysics comprises the fields of:

Molecular structure and properties.
Computational biophysics.
Experimental techniques.
Metabolic network studies.
Medical and biotechnological applications.

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Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate students in the Department of Physics and Astronomy focus on a curricula that provides a strong background in the classical areas of physics and an introduction to modern physics.

Learn more about undergraduate programs >>

Graduate Programs

Graduate students in the Department of Physics and Astronomy are engaged at the forefront of research, conducted under the mentorship of our world-class faculty, and also gain valuable teaching experience.

Learn more about graduate programs >>

Faculty member and student looking at computer screen with cosmos image.

Plan Your Future

Start today to build a solid foundation for future success. When you enroll in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, you gain access to more than 25 faculty members who teach and conduct research in a broad range of subfields, including astrophysics, atomic physics, atmospheric physics, biophysics, condensed matter physics and foundational quantum mechanics. Many of our faculty are well known nationally and internationally. The department has endowed chairs and fellows of the American Physical Society, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and American Association for the Advancement of Science.

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