Applied Computational Physics

The Bachelor of Science in Applied Computational Physics is designed to expose students to cutting-edge computational skills in high demand on the job market while providing all the foundational knowledge of a traditional physics curriculum, necessary for more research-focused careers, in academia or in the industry. With its unique blend of mathematics, data science, computer science, and physics, the curriculum offers a broad, balanced, and flexible education.

Through our applied physics focus, students learn about the most complex laws of nature while developing the computational skills to explore these by themselves and pioneer their own smart solutions to the emerging problems of the world.

Through project-based learning and tech internships, our students acquire hands-on experience to prepare for their future career in the industry. Equipped with a solid platform in physics, supercomputing, and mathematics, and trained in complex problem-solving and teamwork, our graduates are ideally positioned to fulfill the growing need for highly-qualified professionals in a wide variety of leading and emerging fields. This includes nanotechnology manufacturing, aerospace, financial modeling, data science, industrial research & development, and environmental sciences among others. Our recent graduates have been offered positions at GE Aerospace, Jet Blue, and more.

Our program is designed as a stepping stone towards graduate school in physics, engineering, and astronomy for interested students. Our foundational classes help students build a strong background in modern physics, while our practical classes and labs offer a rigorous training in scientific inquiry, creative thinking, and leading-edge research tools used throughout STEM fields such as Python programming, supercomputing, and machine learning. Our faculty members conduct high impact research in fields such as astrophysics and quantum physics, giving our students the opportunity to join research labs where they get paid, hands-on experience on real research projects, often in collaboration with PhD and Master students.

Previous students have conducted projects on galaxy evolution, cosmic hydrodynamics, and quantum telecommunication.

Our graduates have been accepted into selective PhD programs in physics, applied science, and astronomy at institutions such as Harvard, Rutgers University, Rochester Institute of Technology, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and the CUNY Graduate Center, among others.

Learning Outcomes

The program’s curriculum is designed for students to achieve the following learning outcomes:

• The ability to clearly communicate complex scientific ideas both verbally and in written form

• An appreciation of how the scientific method is built upon testable hypotheses and experimental evidence

• A concrete foundation in basic physics, including mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics

• The ability to develop a set of mathematical, problem-solving, and computer programming skills

• The ability to model and simulate a large number of different types of physical systems and formulate predictions using semi-analytical and computational techniques and data analysis

• An awareness of the underlying assumptions and limitations of various approximation schemes and certain computational algorithms

• The ability to identify and apply research ethics and unbiased assessment in gathering and reporting scientific data and in the analyses of results of modeling and simulations

• An awareness of the ethical, societal, legal, and other personal aspects of being a professional

Advisement Information

Curious about the bachelor in Applied Computational Physics? Please reach out to the program coordinator Andrea Ferroglia, aferroglia@citytech.cuny.edu. We can set up an appointment either in person or online to answer all of your questions.

Explore the Physics Department on the City Tech website.