The study of physics gives students the chance to probe the workings of the universe, from the smallest elementary particles to the largest cosmological scales. Astronomy is not a mere subfield of physics, but a truly interdisciplinary quest to understand the universe.
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Dartmouth is a community of over 100 undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, and faculty conducting world-leading research in a wide range of fields. The physics major quickly takes students from the basic laws of mechanics to advanced and special topics in physics during sophomore or junior year. Problems in modern astronomy require a diversified background in the sciences, thus astronomy courses include high energy astrophysics, general relativity and gravitation, and more. Graduate level courses are likewise open to qualified undergraduates.

