Bachelor of Arts in Physics

The Physics BA degree is designed for students interested in physics but planning to enter professional schools in business, education, law, and medicine, and for liberal arts students desiring a strong background in physical science but with career objectives in other areas. It is a highly flexible program that you can customize to support your specific interests, wherever they may lie. The undergraduate physics program at the University of Virginia provides offerings that range from exciting general education courses suitable for any student to highly advanced classes that can prepare you for the most demanding physics graduate studies. Use the links below to find information about majoring in physics, about the various courses we offer, and about other opportunities in the department.

High School Transcripts. Typically, the most important factor in the admission evaluation process is demonstrated academic achievement in a challenging secondary school program. The admission committee looks for applicants who have completed the most rigorous academic courses available in their secondary schools and recommends that prospective students should exceed minimum high school graduation requirements. We require an official transcript. The secondary program should include no fewer than 16 academic courses and must include the following courses: English 4 units Mathematics 4 units Foreign Language 2 units Science (from among biology, chemistry, and physics) 2 units (*) Social Studies 1 unit A TOEFL or IELTS score should not be more than two years old. Depending on the school, most admitted graduate students attain a minimum total score of 90 on the internet-based (iBT) TOEFL (including sectional minimums of 22 in speaking, 22 in writing, 23 in reading and 23 in listening). The minimum paper-based TOEFL score requirement is usually 600, and the minimum IELTS score requirement is 7.0.