Experiential Learning

Four walls can’t contain an entire education. That’s why, at Richmond, most students extend their educations by participating in experiential learning opportunities. They’re the chance to take what you’ve learned in the classroom and apply it to the real world, either via research, an internship, service, or studying abroad.

Research
The best predictor of future success in science is participation in undergraduate research. The physics department offers a wide array of experimental and theoretical opportunities. Research areas range from the biggest (cosmology) to the smallest (quark physics), and many in between.

Service
Richmond physics students join forces with students from Yale University, the University of Liverpool and the University of Western Australia to host Physics Olympics Worldwide. With a goal of stimulating more interest in physics among high school students and providing support to physics teachers in the region, Richmond students sponsor a daylong competition for high school physics students from across the Mid-Atlantic and beyond. Students complete a series of team experiments as well as a general knowledge quiz to determine the overall competition winners.

Internships
For many physics students, internships are more likely to involve conducting undergraduate research in the lab of a Richmond faculty member or physicist at a host institution. For students who would like to explore science-based careers that do not emphasize research, the Career Development Center can help you identify companies that are looking for students with a strong science background.

Study Abroad
Many science students worry that studying abroad will make it difficult to fulfill all their science requirements and graduate with their class. The University of Richmond prides itself on helping students find study abroad programs that allow them to experience another culture while still taking classes that meet the requirements of their academic major. Nearly 70 percent of students at Richmond study abroad with recent physics majors choosing to study in Perth, Australia and Edinburgh, Scotland.

For information on studying abroad, visit the Office of International Education.