Develop the Scientific Curiosity to Fit Many Careers

Our programs prepare you to take apart the puzzles that perplex society, whether in a lab, a classroom or other professional situations. Here at Fort Hays State University, you will develop in-depth problem-solving skills and address issues that affect people around the globe. Our laboratories with advanced equipment give you the tools to introduce your own innovative ideas into practice. We welcome your intensely curious ways and desire to seek satisfying explanations about the world we live in.

Where the Physical World Shapes Your Professional Future

Our degree programs effectively blend deep scientific discovery with strong faculty mentorship to guide you on the path to a career where you will become a scientific leader. We provide several undergraduate degrees, including two programs that combine physics and engineering, as well as a concentration and a minor.

Undergraduate Degrees 

Bachelor of Science in Physics

The Bachelor of Science in Physics prepares you to take apart the puzzles that perplex society, within our state-of-the-art laboratories that allow you to put your innovative ideas into practice. Through your classes, you will develop in-depth problem-solving skills and tackle issues that affect people around the globe.

Bachelor of Arts in Physics

While many physics majors pursue the bachelor of science, the bachelor of arts gives some students a more flexible degree program, particularly when coupled with other bachelor of arts degree programs.

Undergraduate Pre-Engineering Degree Programs in Physics 

3+2 Engineering & Physics

The 3+2 Dual Degree program in Physics and Engineering prepares you for a rewarding engineering career while developing your capability to handle rapid advancements in technology. In this innovative program, you spend three years at FHSU developing a strong background in physics and research techniques in a close-knit learning community. This extra year of individual attention and research experience propels you towards the top of your class when you transfer to the college of engineering of your choice.

Once you successfully complete two years of engineering courses, you will receive your engineering degree (from the school you transfer to) and a Bachelor of Science in Physics from FHSU, giving you a competitive edge as you seek employment or begin graduate school.

Pre-Engineering 2+2 Program

While the 3+2 degree will give you the best real-world preparation, the 2+2 Pre-Engineering program lets you focus on your engineering courses. You will be able to take your first semesters of pre-engineering classes required by all engineering schools at FHSU and then transfer to an engineering program to finish your degree. In this program, you learn the foundations of engineering from outstanding faculty members and get personal attention you can't find anywhere else.

Bachelor of Science in General Science - Concentration in Physics

The Bachelor Science in General Science offers you a flexible, broad-based education in the core disciplines of biology, chemistry, geosciences and physics, while allowing you to deepen your knowledge and skills in one or more of those concentration areas. This degree program is ideal for students who have wide-ranging interests in the physical and life sciences and who wish to pursue a variety of career fields, such as lab assistants, pharmaceutical representatives, medical equipment sales or manager in a technical field.

This degree is not recommended for students interested in pre-medicine, pre-veterinary or pre-pharmacy majors, but may be appropriate for pre-dental and pre-OT/PT majors. 

Minor in Physics 

A minor allows you to perfect your problem-solving skills while maintaining your degree focus.

You will take 20 credit hours of Physics classes including Physics I and II as well as Concepts of Modern Physics or Atomic Physics. You can choose the rest of the courses for your minor from the range of interesting and innovative classes offered by the Department of Physics.