For best results, print using Chrome.
 Jump to Transfer Major Map
 Jump to recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Physics, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science in Science, Mathematics Major (Reynolds Community College)
Reynolds Community College
Reynolds Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science in Science, Mathematics Major (G3 program)

Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.

Program description

The curriculum in physics prepares students for technical careers in physics or an allied area, for careers in engineering and for the teaching of physics in secondary schools. The curriculum also prepares students for graduate studies in physics or a related area. Students will learn to perform scientific reasoning and complex problem-solving.


Physics majors will receive a fundamental understanding of the main areas of physics so that they are prepared for jobs that use physics-based technologies. They are expected to have mastered the analytical approach to solving technical problems by identifying simple subsystems that obey known physical laws and using these laws to approximate the behavior of the whole system.

Career opportunities

With a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, students can pursue careers in research and development, science, engineering, education, medicine, law, business, and the military.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Automotive Engineer
  • Computer Systems Analyst
  • Environmental Compliance Inspector
  • Geophysical Data Technician
  • High School Teacher
  • Photonics Engineer
  • Quality Control Analyst
  • Regulatory Affairs Specialist
  • Software Quality Assurance Engineer/Tester
  • Technical Writer
  • Web Developer
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Astrophysicist
  • Engineer
  • Meteorologist
  • Secondary School Teacher
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with: 

  • Completion of the associate degree
  • Minimum GPA of 2.5
  • All courses completed with a "C" grade or better
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 201 or higher
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Physics with concentration in Nanoscience, Pre-Medical

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Physics, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Science, Mathematics Major)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
Experience Year 2
  • Submit the NEXT Step Interest Form.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Physics department, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or VCU Physics department-related events.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Submit the NEXT Step Interest Form.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Physics department, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or VCU Physics department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Physics, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Science, Mathematics Major)

Reynolds Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
Year 1
SDV 101 Orientation to STEM Disciplines UNIV 101 1 Elective
MTH 263 Calculus I Prerequisites: Placement into MTH 263 or completion of MTH 167 or MTH 161/162 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. MATH 200 4 Major (Ancillary)
ENG 111 College Composition I UNIV 111-112 3 General education
PHY 241 University Physics I PHYS 207 4 Major (Ancillary)
History Select one: HIS 102 Western Civilizations Post 1600 CE or HIS 111 World Civilizations Pre-1500 CE or HIS 121 United States History to 1877 HIST 3 General education
CSC 221 Introduction to Problem Solving and Programming CMSC 210 3 Elective
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 264 Calculus II MATH 201 4 Major (Ancillary)
PHY 242 University Physics II PHYS 208 4 Major
Health/Personal Wellness Elective (select one): HLT 105 Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, HLT 106 First Aid and Safety, or DIT 121 Nutrition I VCU equivalent 1 to 3 Elective
History Select one: HIS 101 Western Civilizations Pre 1600 CE or HIS 111 World Civilizations Pre-1500 CE or HIS 121 United States History to 1877 HIST 3 General education
MTH 265 Calculus III MATH 307 4 Major (Ancillary)
Year 2
Select one: CHM 111 General Chemistry I or GOL 105 Physical Geology VCU equivalent 4 Elective
SOC 200 Principles of Sociology SOCY 101 3 General education
Humanities/Fine Arts/Literature elective. Select one: ART 101 History of Art, HUM 202 Modern Humanities, or PHI 220 Ethics VCU equivalent 3 General education
MTH 266 Linear Algebra MATH 310 3 Major (Elective)
Humanities/Fine Arts/Literature elective. Select one (must be from a different category than first Humanities/Fine Arts/Literature Elective)​: ENG 225 Reading Literature: Culture and Ideas, or CST 151 Film Appreciation I, or HUM 210 Introduction to Women and Gender Studies VCU equivalent 3 General education
MTH 245 Statistics I STAT 212 3 Elective
MTH 267 Differential Equations MATH 301 3 Major (Ancillary)
Transfer elective (unless MTH prerequisites needed for MTH 263): speak with your Reynolds advisor for guidance fulfilling this requirement. VCU equivalent 3 to 6 Elective
Reynolds credits transferred to VCU 62 to 68
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Year 3
PHYS 301 Classical Mechanics I (take in the same semester as PHYS 320) 3 Major
PHYS 320 Modern Physics (take in the same semester as PHYS 301) 3 Major
Foreign Language 101 or elective (students are eligible for a waiver of VCU's language requirement if they successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school). 3 Major (Ancillary)
Open electives (consider a minor or second major) 6 Elective
PHYZ 320 Modern Physics Laboratory (take after completing PHYS 320) 1 Major
PHYS 340 Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics (take with PHYS 376 in the spring) 3 Major
PHYS 376 Electromagnetism I (take with PHYS 340 in the spring) 3 Major
Foreign Language 102 or elective (students are eligible for a waiver of VCU's language requirement if they successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school). 3 Major (Ancillary)
Open electives (consider a minor or second major) 3 to 6 Elective
Year 4
PHYS 380 Quantum Physics I (take in the fall semester) 3 Major
PHYS 450 Senior Physics Laboratory (take in the spring semester) 3 Major
PHYS 490 Seminar in Conceptual Physics (take in the spring semester) 1 Major
Major electives 6 Major (Electives)
Open electives (consider a minor or second major) 14 to 20 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 52 to 58
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 120