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It’s a common question from parents: What would my son or daughter do with a physics degree? If it’s a physics degree from Rollins, the answer is easy: You can do anything.

Graduates from the program are now lawyers, professors, bankers, programmers, and business owners. In fact, a lot of students enter the physics major through the back door, with interests in photography or cosmetics or earthquakes or music. Then they discover through exciting lab work that physics can be applied to any interest.

Students work together with instructors to think analytically, solve problems, and to write and present—skills that will set you apart in any field.


Why Study Physics at Rollins

  1. 1

    A Relational Approach

    From day one, the faculty takes a personal interest in you. It’s a tight-knit group, so every student feels comfortable asking questions and then working with a professor to find answers.

  2. 2

    Research-Grade Equipment

    An acoustical lab. An optics lab. An atomic-force microscope. Lasers and high-speed cameras. Undergrads learn to set up professional gear from scratch and use it instead of merely observing.

  3. 3

    Empowerment for Success

    Most colleges offer research experience, but at Rollins you can start lab work after your first year. The goal is not for professors to publish findings and present them—it’s for you to do it.

Interested in Studying Physics at Rollins?

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Emma Broming ’12

“People might wonder how my physics degree at Rollins helped with my career in economic and financial consulting. The training in creative problem solving gave me the clarity and the confidence to tackle complicated topics of any kind. They’re the kinds of skills that will always be valuable, no matter how the marketplace changes.”

Emma Broming ’12

Associate and Equity Shareholder, Premier Quantitative Consulting, Inc.


Rollins Physics Careers

Rollins physics grads are making tomorrow happen at some of the world’s most innovative companies and organizations.

  • Self portrait of Nicholas Bowers.

    Nicholas Bowers ’14

    Principal Product Manager, Amazon

  • Self portrait of Sarah Evans

    Sarah Evans ’06

    Undergraduate Coordinator, Initiatives in STEM, University of Central Florida

  • A headshot of Mitch Verboncoeur

    Mitch Verboncoeur ’14

    Principal, McKool Smith

  • Self portrait of Daniel Zietlow

    Daniel Zietlow ’10

    Educational Designer, The National Center for Atmospheric Research

  • Self portrait of Aditya Mahara

    Aditya Mahara ’12

    Product Lead, Medable, Inc

  • Ashley Cannaday ’11

    Ashley Cannaday undefined

    Assistant Professor of Physics


Real World Experience

From internships and research opportunities, physics students hone their skills in the real world.

  • Amazon
  • Boeing
  • Seimens
  • Epic
  • Yale University
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Rollins College students enjoying lunch by the Lakeside pool.

Apply By November 15

It’s never been easier or more rewarding to apply to Rollins. No app fee, formal essay, or test scores required. Apply by November 15 to receive priority consideration for admission and academic scholarships that range from $15,000 per year to full ride.

Start an ApplicationStart an Application

Popular Courses

When a professor is honest enough to say “I don’t know,” it becomes the impetus to study anything from pianos to planets. It might even become a new stand-alone class.


A Day in the Life of a Rollins Physics Major

“From my first year, Rollins allowed me to work closely with professors and has opened up numerous research, internship, and potential career opportunities.”

Chris Becker ’20

Customer Success Analyst, Alegeus

Physics student and professor conduct research with lasers.

Beyond the Classroom

Student-Faculty Collaborative Research Program Work with a professor on your research for a summer, continue it through the school year, and then present to an audience of PhDs at a major national or international conference—a rare opportunity for undergraduates. Many of these projects result in students publishing articles in scientific journals before they graduate.

Pre-Engineering Program Rollins provides students with the opportunity to combine a three-year program in the liberal arts with two years of professional academic work in engineering at one of three prestigious institutions: Washington University, Case Western Reserve, or Auburn.

NSF Undergraduate Research Experience A competitive program supported by the National Science Foundation allows students to prepare research findings to be published and presented at national conferences.



Keep Exploring

Take a deeper dive into physics at Rollins by meeting your future professors, seeing our grads in action, and sitting in on a class.

Makayle Kellison ’25

April 17, 2024

Makayle Kellison ’25 Earns Goldwater Scholarship

Makayle Kellison ’25 has earned a Goldwater Scholarship, the country’s most prestigious undergraduate scholarship for the STEM fields.

Makayle Kellison ’25 Earns Goldwater Scholarship
Graphic depicting global challenges.

December 21, 2023

Solving the World’s Greatest Challenges

Rollins graduates earn more than a degree. They gain the knowledge and skills to address large-scale issues like climate change and human rights.

Solving the World’s Greatest Challenges
Cover of JASA Express Letters journal

December 14, 2023

Kellison ’25 Publishes Journal Article on Rocket Acoustics

Makayle Kellison ’25 has published a scholarly article in a noted acoustics journal examining the sound levels of rocket launches.

Kellison ’25 Publishes Journal Article on Rocket Acoustics
John Bistline ’44 pictured in front of a chalkboard bearing a loose sketch of the nuclear bomb.

July 27, 2023

The Los Alamos Secret

Two months before Hiroshima, John Bistline ’44 was working on the bomb that would introduce nuclear warfare to the world when things almost went terribly wrong.

The Los Alamos Secret
Chemistry students work with a professor in a lab.

July 06, 2023

Rollins Receives Scientific Equipment Grant

The Sherman Fairchild Foundation has awarded Rollins a grant that will enhance learning in the sciences and make biology and chemistry majors even more competitive for careers in STEM.

Rollins Receives Scientific Equipment Grant
From top left: Connor Xu ’23, Ashley Troutman ’23, Capri Gutierrez ’23, Emily Froehlich ’23, Raj Singh ’23, Sarah Skala ’23, and Georgina Groth ’23.

May 09, 2023

Rising to the Top

This year’s seven valedictorians share highlights from their time at Rollins and a glimpse of what’s next in their meaningful lives and productive careers.

Rising to the Top

Expert Faculty

Physics professors at Rollins are at the top of the field and have chosen to teach here because of the satisfaction gained from creating a collaborative learning environment for every student, regardless of gender or background.

Department of Physics

Bush Science Center
1000 Holt Ave. – 2743
Winter Park, FL32789

Telephone:407.646.2223

Fax:407.646.2479

  • Ashley Cannaday ’11

    Ashley Cannaday, PhD

    Assistant Professor of Physics

    Research interests: Lasers and optics; coherent light scattering

  • Self portrait of Whitney Coyle

    Whitney Coyle, PhD

    Associate Professor of Physics

    Research interests: Musical acoustics with an emphasis on woodwind instruments; understanding the complicated mechanisms that contribute to the playability of particular instruments

  • Self portrait of Samantha Fonseca

    Samantha Fonseca, PhD

    Assistant Professor of Physics

    Research interests: Computational molecular dynamics

  • Self portrait of Christopher Fuse

    Christopher Fuse, PhD

    Associate Professor of Physics, Department Chair

    Research interests: Astrophysics and galaxy morphology

  • Self portrait of Anne Murdaugh

    Anne Murdaugh, PhD

    Associate Professor of Physics

    Research interests: Biophysics using atomic force microscopy