Why no biophysics?

College Majors Science Majors
1

<p>To be completely honest, I know very little about the reality for different majors.
I like biology, but dislike the traditional technique taken by a biology major to study it.
I also like chemistry and physics.
Apparently I just like science.
I have been considering majoring in biophysics. It seemed like the perfect option. A more general, understanding-based alternative to bioengineering.</p>

<p>However, I am not sure how lucrative this major is. I have never heard of anybody actually major in it.</p>

<p>Also, where are the biophysics programs? Very few colleges I've looked at actually offer one. Why is this?</p>

2

<p>It’s a new field. And this is just speculation, but biological systems are pretty frickin complicated–applying physics to biology problems is probably hard to do and classes on the subject probably would be at the graduate level. So a physics department creating an entire undergraduate major in the subject would be difficult to do.</p>

3

<p>A link to check out:</p>

<p>[Careers</a> in Biophysics](<a href=“http://www.biophysics.org/ProfessionalDevelopment/Careers/CareersinBiophysics/tabid/112/Default.aspx]Careers”>Biophysical Society)</p>

<p>As for schools that offer this as a major, it’s not very common. Some programs are in biophysics depts; some are interdisciplinary biophysics majors; still others are tracks within a physics major.</p>

4

<p>Here are some undergrad biophysics programs:
Columbia [Biophysics</a> Major Requirements](<a href=“http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/pages/undergrad/cur/majors/biophysics.html]Biophysics”>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/pages/undergrad/cur/majors/biophysics.html)
Penn [PennBiophysicsUgrad[/url</a>]
Johns Hopkins [url=&lt;a href=“http://biophysics.jhu.edu/undergraduate_program.html]JHU”&gt;http://biophysics.jhu.edu/undergraduate_program.html]JHU</a> - Biophysics - Undergraduate Program](<a href=“http://www.sas.upenn.edu/biophysics/]PennBiophysicsUgrad[/url”>http://www.sas.upenn.edu/biophysics/)
George Washington [GWU</a> Department of Physics - Requirements for the B.S. in Biophysics](<a href=“http://www.phys.gwu.edu/index.php?page=biophysics_reqs]GWU”>http://www.phys.gwu.edu/index.php?page=biophysics_reqs)
UCLA [Physics</a> & Astronomy](<a href=“http://academics.physics.ucla.edu/ugrad/req_physics.php]Physics”>http://academics.physics.ucla.edu/ugrad/req_physics.php)
SUNY-Buffalo [Physiology</a> and Biophysics, University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences](<a href=“http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/phb/education_biophysics_undergrad.htm]Physiology”>http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/phb/education_biophysics_undergrad.htm)
U Colorado-Denver
[Physics</a> Major: Biophysics & Medical Physics Track | Department of Physics | University of Colorado Denver](<a href=“College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | CU Denver”>College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | CU Denver)
Uconn [Molecular</a> and Cell Biology | UConn](<a href=“http://www.mcb.uconn.edu/undergraduate/sb_major.html]Molecular”>http://www.mcb.uconn.edu/undergraduate/sb_major.html)
Oregon State [Course</a> Sequence | Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics](<a href=“Search | Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics”>Search | Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics)
Duke [Duke</a> Physics](<a href=“http://www.phy.duke.edu/undergraduate/biophysics/]Duke”>http://www.phy.duke.edu/undergraduate/biophysics/)
Loyola-Chicago [B.S&lt;/a&gt;. in Biophysics- Loyola University Chicago](<a href=“http://www.luc.edu/biophysics/index.shtml]B.S”>Physics Minor: Loyola University Chicago)
Amherst <a href=“https://www.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/biochemistry-biophysics[/url]”>Biochemistry & Biophysics | Departments & Majors | Amherst College;
Houston [UH</a> Undergraduate Catalog: Biochemical and Biophysical Sciences Major](<a href=“http://www.uh.edu/academics/catalog/colleges/nsm/majors/bcbp/index.php]UH”>UH Undergraduate Catalog: Biochemical and Biophysical Sciences Major)
Temple [Temple</a> University Undergraduate Bulletin - CST/Biophysics](<a href=“http://www.temple.edu/bulletin/academic_programs/schools_colleges/cst/programs/biophysics/cst_biophysics.shtm]Temple”>http://www.temple.edu/bulletin/academic_programs/schools_colleges/cst/programs/biophysics/cst_biophysics.shtm)
Brandeis [Biological</a> Physics | Brandeis University](<a href=“http://www.brandeis.edu/programs/biophysics/]Biological”>Biological Physics Program | Brandeis University)
Haverford [Haverford</a> College: Course Catalog - Biochemistry and Biophysics](<a href=“http://www.haverford.edu/catalog/concentrations/biochem_biophysics.php]Haverford”>http://www.haverford.edu/catalog/concentrations/biochem_biophysics.php)
Harvard [Physics</a> Handbook for Students 2010-2011](<a href=“http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k69286&pageid=icb.page348446&pageContentId=icb.pagecontent721392&state=maximize&viewParam_amp;amp;amp;view=view.do&viewParam_amp;amp;amp;name=Physics]Physics”>http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k69286&pageid=icb.page348446&pageContentId=icb.pagecontent721392&state=maximize&viewParam_amp;amp;amp;view=view.do&viewParam_amp;amp;amp;name=Physics)
USC [USC</a> Physics and Astronomy](<a href=“http://college.usc.edu/physics/undergraduate/biophysics.cfm?url=phys/undergraduate/biophysics.cfm]USC”>http://college.usc.edu/physics/undergraduate/biophysics.cfm?url=phys/undergraduate/biophysics.cfm)
Wake Forest [Undergraduate</a> Programs – WFU Physics](<a href=“http://www.wfu.edu/physics/undergrad-prog.html]Undergraduate”>Undergraduate Programs -- WFU Physics)
Princeton [Physics</a> Department, Princeton University - Biophysics Schedule](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/physics/academics/undergraduate-program/program-of-study/biophysics-schedule/]Physics”>http://www.princeton.edu/physics/academics/undergraduate-program/program-of-study/biophysics-schedule/)
Iowa State [B.S&lt;/a&gt;. in Biophysics](<a href=“Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology”>Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology)
Washington State [Biophysics</a> - Majors - WSU](<a href=“Washington State University | FOS | Admissions | WSU”>Biophysics | FOS | Admissions | WSU)</p>

5

<p>This has been very helpful for me thank you.</p>