The Physics and Engineering Department at PLNU provides strong programs of study in the fields of Physics and Engineering Physics. Our students are well prepared for graduate studies and careers in scientific and engineering fields. The three full time faculty members provide a range of expertise in material science, nanotechnology, theoretical and experimental physics, physics education, and engineering. Our department offers: a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics, a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics with an emphasis in either electrodynamics or mechanics, and a Bachelor of Arts in Physics. In addition, our department also offers a minor in physics, and helps support a computational science minor with an emphasis in physics.
In addition to a solid curriculum in physics, our students are involved in research both with faculty in the department and in programs around the country. For example, this in the last two years students worked at Point Loma in synthesizing graphene, studying the toxicity of nanostructures, studying sonoluminescence, engineering a quadrotor robotic craft, and developing holography techniques. Others worked at institutions around the country during the summer such as earthquake engineering at UCLA, high energy physics at University of Minnesota and Brookhaven national lab, conservation engineering at Texas A&M, and Medical Physics research at John Hopkins University.
Some of the very best students at Point Loma choose to major in physics and engineering. In recent years, graduates from our program have held the highest GPA of any student in their graduating class. Our students are challenged intellectually, while simultaneously we encourage and support students growth in all aspects of their lives. We have had student athletes in our program in soccer, golf, and track, while other students are involved in student government, student ministries, and music. In our programs we have several ROTC students.
Some recent graduates are attending graduate programs in physics, material science, structural engineering, medical physics, and other engineering programs at institutions around the country including UCSD, Georgia Tech, UC Riverside, University of Texas, and University of Oregon. Our graduates have found their vocations in engineering companies, research labs, and other technical fields.
We emphasize a collaborative learning environment which allows students to thrive academically, build personal confidence, and develop interpersonal skills. The atmosphere at Point Loma Nazarene University allows you to receive individual attention from faculty members. We provide a Christian environment for students to learn values and judgment, and pursue integration of modern scientific knowledge and Christian faith.