In our high-tech society, every profession can use people with a science background. Examples include those listed above, as well as creative writing (science fiction), communication (technical writing), history (history of science), philosophy (philosophy of science), music (acoustics, electronic music).

What will these professions be like in the 21st century? Surely they will be more technological than they are today. Thus, a physics education is increasingly useful for fields outside of physics. For example, it has been found that medical school applicants with physics degrees have unusually high acceptance rates. In a survey of 320 university business departments, 90% of the departments stated that they would accept, with no reservations, a physics major for graduate study in their own special business field. Educators expect that there will be more science in K-12, and that physics, as the foundation for the other sciences, will be a particular growth area.

The BA Physics program requires far less physics and math than the Bachelor of Science program, leaving time for other interests. The program is designed to fulfill the needs of pre-professional students for science literacy, societal topics, and professional prerequisites. For example, the program includes a 9-hour "special emphasis area" in a single chosen field outside of physics, at the 3000 level or above.

Eight-semester plans for the BA Physics program can be found on our Typical Curricula page. These plans are not the "official" Act 1014 plan, but, as with the Act 1014 plan, if you follow the plan exactly, you will graduate in 8 semesters. Both plans lead to the same degree.

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Contact: John Stewart, Assistant Professor of Physics, Department of Physics, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701. Phone: (479) 575-2506. Electronic mail: johns@uark.edu

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Entering freshmen or entering transfer students simply declare, when registering, their intent to major in the Bachelor of Arts in Physics program. Students who are already enrolled in some other major may change that major by contacting: John Stewart, Assistant Professor of Physics, Department of Physics, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701. Phone: (479) 575-2506. Electronic mail: johns@uark.edu

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