Physics Dept. Mission Statement

The discipline of physics is basic among the sciences and focuses on the study of natural phenomena and their technological applications. In the process, the student is provided with a broad-based education.

The physics department at State University of New York College at Fredonia administers five separate programs, offers courses for departmental majors and non-majors, advances knowledge through research and serves the people of New York State and the nation. These activities constitute its mission.

The physics department is assigned and administers the following: the physics major programs, the cooperative engineering program, the industrial management program, and the mathematics-physics program (with the mathematics/computer science department). Further, the physics department participates jointly with the geoscience department in the geophysics program which is administered by the geoscience department.

Our program objectives are:

  1. To prepare students for graduate studies.
  2. To prepare students for immediate industrial employment.
  3. To prepare students for physics teaching in secondary schools of New York State.
  4. To prepare cooperative students to complete the final portion of their program with the affiliated institutions.

Our research objectives are:

  1. To extend knowledge consistent with the constraints at our institution and the discipline of physics.
  2. To encourage undergraduates to participate in research projects appropriate to their academic abilities and experience.
  3. To keep the faculty up-to-date in their respective fields.

Brief comments on the programs administered by the Physics Department:

  1. B.S. in Physics
    Prepares students for graduate study or industrial employment.
  2. B.S. in Physics Adolescent Education
    Prepares students primarily for teaching physics, science and possibly mathematics in the secondary schools in New York State.
  3. B.S. in Mathematics-Physics
    Prepares students for graduate study or industrial employment.
  4. B.S. in Industrial Management
    Prepares students for industrial employment or possibly for graduate studies in certain areas.
    The Cooperative Engineering Program

The cooperative engineering program is an integrated educational experience combining arts and sciences with engineering. There are several curricular options available under this program with the 3-2 option, the most popular choice. Under the 3-2 option, the student attends Fredonia for 3 years majoring in one of 15 different baccalaureate programs and then transfers to an engineering institution for two more years. Upon completion of this five year course of study, the student receives two complementary bachelor’s degrees; one from Fredonia and the other from an engineering school. The College at Fredonia is affiliated with 14 engineering schools that offer more than 60 areas of engineering and applied science.

In sum, the mission of the physics department at the State University of New York College at Fredonia is to provide the best possible education for its students and to contribute to knowledge through research.