Physics

The Physics Associate Degree for Transfer will prepare students for transfer to a University of California (UC) or California State University (CSU) program in Physics while meeting the minimum lower-division admission requirements (60 transferable units). Completion of these classes also provides a foundation for programs in Physical Science, Engineering, and Math.

DEGREES & CERTIFICATES

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Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T), Physics

Associate in Science UC Transfer Degree, UCTP in Physics

View all LBCC’s Programs of Study and Curriculum Guides.
(New students need to refer to the current academic year for the most up-to-date info) 

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CAREER INFO

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Physics serves as a general approach to problems large and small, and these skills apply to careers in nearly any field requiring science, math, or engineering. Physics is a great baseline degree that gives you the skills to learn the career specifics of most industries that can’t be taught in schools. Start your career as a scientist, engineer, or specialist in the areas below!

High Energy Physics

High Energy Physicists work with accelerators, lasers, and other custom experiments. In these, single particles are accelerated to very high energies and collided against other particles or specific targets. High Energy Physicists collect huge data samples and filter these results in many ways to find the needles in the haystacks.

High Energy Physicists have experience working in large collaborations and mastering skills in many different aspects (simulation, theory, data science, statistics, programming, experiment design, and construction). 

Condensed Matter Physics

At the nanometer and below scale, matter, and energy do not behave in the same way they do for large objects: the rules of quantum mechanics apply to small scales and small energies. Now that computer chips and other objects are being built at these scales, our understanding of these must be fully solidified.

Condensed Matter Physicists have experience working in small to medium labs and collaborating with both physicists and engineers. Condensed Matter is the field most likely to transfer directly to private industries in materials and fabrication.

Astrophysics

The universe can and has created laboratories orders of magnitude more energetic than what could ever be possible on Earth or ever constructed by human hands. All we have to do is point our telescopes at them and understand what they are telling us. Using observations of the light and gravitational waves coming from interesting objects in our sky, we can understand our fundamental forces (especially gravity) and answer the cosmological questions of the day.

Biophysics

A new and exciting field that takes the rigors and approach of Physics to the fundamental ideas of Biology to create 21st-century science. Biophysicists understand how to manipulate DNA, RNA, and proteins to be engineered for new and exciting possibilities. Biophysicists will often work in combined settings with Chemistry, Biology, and Medical experts.

Theoretical and Mathematical Physics

All of the above fields describe mostly the experimental and observational aspects of the field. There is a second half to each of these fields that blends all of these together. The theoretical side aims to take our understanding through experimentation and craft unifying theories. Those theories then guide the next generation of experiments for what the next interesting things to look for are. Theoretical physics also can mean crafting simulations and exploring the consequences of the current theories.
 

POTENTIAL JOBS

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Laboratory-Intense Fields

Programming-Intense Fields

Other Fields

FAQ

Which courses are not offered every semester?

Physics 3C is only offered in the spring. Few Physics classes are offered during Summer or Winter Intercession.

Are there any Honors courses in Physics?

Physics classes are already considered at the honors level. No honors sections of physics are offered.

What are a few things Physics students should avoid?

Delaying their math and physics classes. Take them when you can and attempt a ‘full course load’ when possible during your time at LBCC to prepare you for one at your transfer institution.

What are a few things that can make you successful in Physics?

All of the skills from math and science classes that seemed secondary: Graphs (making and interpreting), diagramming problems, and coming to each problem with a consistent approach.