The principal aim of Mount Union College's Physics and Astronomy department is to help students combine the many advantages to be derived from study at a liberal arts college with the achievement of a high degree of competence in Physics and Astronomy through concentrated study.
Program
Students in the Department all receive a solid foundation in physics and practical experience in computer programming. Students may choose electives from various fields of theoretical physics, experimental physics, astronomy/astrophysics, and applied physics/pre-engineering. Some students earn a simultaneous major in mathematics.
Physics and Astronomy as a Major
Students who wish to major in the Department must take General Physics I and II, four semesters of Seminar, Fortran Programming, Atomic Physics, Optics, and at least three other courses. Most students should take Analytical Mechanics, Electromagnetic Theory, and Thermodynamics; those interested in Applied and Engineering Physics would normally take Linear Electronics, Digital Electronics, and Microprocessors. Students specializing in Astronomy select courses from among Astronomy: A Survey, Observational Astronomy, Intermediate Astrophysics, and Introduction to Planetary Science.
Majors in the Department must take General Inorganic Chemistry; Calculus I, II, and III; and Differential Equations.
Physics and Astronomy as a Minor
A departmental minor with a concentration in Physics requires the student to take General Physics I and II and to select other Physics courses to make a total of 18 semester hours. Another option, a departmental minor with a concentration in Astronomy, requires the student to take Astronomy: A Survey, Optics, and two other astronomy courses. General Physics I and II are also strongly recommended.
Career Preparation
The Department offers sound and thorough preparation for further study leading to the master's and doctor's degrees in physics, astrophysics, or astronomy. Alternative and equal emphasis is placed on pre-engineering studies and preparation for direct employment in industrial physics. The department takes pride in the records of its graduates in their chosen careers.
Off-Campus Opportunities
Various off-campus field experiences are available in research and industrial positions. The department encourages its students to apply for summer internships, particularly during the junior year. Several recent students have been awarded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) positions by the National Science Foundation, and have worked at places such as Argonne National Laboratories and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.
Facilities and Equipment
The Department's offices and laboratories are located in Bracy Hall of Science.
Our facilities include both classrooms and laboratories for general physics, atomic physics, optics, electronics, and a machine shop for constructing apparatus. Students in the Department have access to an abundance of laboratory equipment. There are two student/faculty research laboratories. The Department also maintains a number of computers for student use, including Macintoshes, PCs, and Unix workstations.
Mount Union College offers an unusually comprehensive preparation for those desiring to become professional astronomers. Observational facilities located on the roof of Bracy Hall are available to qualified students. The on-campus observatory includes: a 12-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope used for photometry, photography, and CCD digital imaging; an 11-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope; a historic 9-inch f/15 refracting telescope used for the study of planetary detail and binary stars; and a portable 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. A small radio telescope is under construction.
Astronomical support facilities include various software packages for image processing (including IRAF, which is put out by the National Optical Astronomy Observatories).