<p>I want to major in Physics (with possibly a minor/focus on computer science) and also love Davidson. What is the physics department like at Davidson?</p>
<p>Physics is not the most popular major here…actually, the department is very small, but it’s a pretty solid department. I took one “baby physics” class last spring (Astronomy) with Dr. Larry Cain (who is currently on sabbatical) and though it was not really the class for me, I did really enjoy it, and I learned a lot. Dr. Cain is great, too - actually, up until last year, he was one of the handful of writers for the AP Physics exams. So, if you’ve taken any of the AP Physics exams in the past, you already have had a brush with Davidson physics! :P</p>
<p>Occasionally, premed kids choose to take their physics courses outside of Davidson, but my understanding is that this has nothing to do with the quality of the courses - more, they’re trying to fit in the lab courses, but also study abroad, so they have to take certain classes during the summer and that ends up being physics (because the premed advisor tells them to take Chemistry classes, then biology, then physics).</p>
<p>What about people at the opposite end of the spectrum… who really want to avoid physics as much as possible? Would I be able to get away with taking just one “baby physics” class? Would the same thing apply to calculus? I most likely won’t be going into a math and science field, haha.</p>
<p>Absolutely yes - that’s why these courses are there! If you’re not a math science person, take:
-Astronomy, Physics of the Environment, Chemistry of Food and Drink, Introduction to Chemistry (110), Biology of Plants, Special Topics in Biology, etc. for your science without a lab
-Human Biology, Plant Biology with lab, Special Topics in Biology with lab, Chemistry of Art and Artifacts, etc. for your science with a lab
-Exploring Mathematical Concepts, Finite Math, etc. for math (courses below 130)</p>
<p>Thank you so much! Those classes sound perfect for me, lol (:</p>