Course of Bachelor Physics at Middlebury offerings in the Department of Physics reflect the needs of three categories of students:

• those majoring in physics
• those majoring in another science who need a basic introduction to physics and the analytical skills it provides
• those majoring in areas outside the sciences, who seek to explore the concepts of physics with a minimum of mathematics.

Physics Goals

• Physics majors should acquire familiarity with fundamental theories and methodologies in physics. Both theory and experiment are essential in physics.
• Students' understanding of physics should be characterized both by depth and breadth.
• Students should be able to communicate their knowledge of physics both in written and oral presentations; they should be adept at presenting ideas conceptually and in specific detail, as demonstrated, for example, through solutions to homework problems.
• Students should be able to easily recognize applications of physics, learned in the classroom or lab, and in every-day life.
• In approaching a problem, students should be able to find, understand, and integrate previous knowledge, and also recognize what to ignore.
• Students should develop an attitude of empirical enquiry and critical thinking, open-mindedness, and empiricism.