Physics, one of the oldest and most fundamental scientific disciplines, spans from the microscopic world of atomic particles to the vast expanse of the universe. It is integral to our daily lives, powering our smartphones, lighting our homes, and enabling us to enjoy music through sound waves. Physicists observe natural phenomena and use mathematics to develop theories about why they occur.

In modern physics, computers have become indispensable for solving complex mathematical equations, conducting simulations, and creating physical models. Computational physics involves using computational methods to address scientific challenges that would otherwise be difficult to explore experimentally. For example, predicting weather patterns or climate change requires simulations that replicate atmospheric processes. Although computational physics is a cornerstone of physics research, its methods have also found their way into fields such as finance and environmental science.

If you possess a strong curiosity to thoroughly understand our physical world and are driven to help advance the field through the use of technology, a wide range of opportunities exist at the intersection of both physics and computer science. Excitingly, starting in 2024, The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has expanded its CS + X roster to offer a degree in CS + Physics! This program blends concepts from physics and computer science to achieve a comprehensive level of understanding for both disciplines. Let us delve into the details of this new major.

Why CS + Physics?

By majoring in CS + Physics, you will bridge these two areas, gaining insights into new technologies such as quantum computing, and acquiring skills to implement quantitative models of physical systems. The program equips you with both the fundamental knowledge of physics and its computational aspects, offering flexibility through a wide selection of technical and elective courses. This allows students to explore their interests in both subjects. Graduates can pursue a multitude of different career paths in computational physics, quantum information sciences, or traditional software engineering roles, or advance their education in graduate school focusing on computer science or physics.

What courses will I take?

Aside from the general education and advanced elective requirements, your schedule will mostly comprise major-related courses. You’ll be taking many of the same foundational courses required for the physics and CS majors.

For the physics part of the major, you will complete foundational courses in mathematics and science. For the mathematics courses, this includes the calculus sequence, linear algebra, differential equations, and a statistics course. You’ll also complete fundamental courses in physics, which consist of mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermal physics, and quantum physics.

One course that all CS + Physics majors take is Physics on the Silicon Prairie: An Introduction to Modern Computational Physics (PHYS 246), which consists of exploring the trajectory of a relativistic starship and confirming an insight of Ramanujan, the “Man Who Knew Infinity,” generating diagrams of spacetime curvature near black holes, and proving that general relativity causes the non-Newtonian behavior of Mercury’s orbit. Another course is Modern Computational Physics (PHYS 446), where students carry out hands-on projects in quantum computing, statistical mechanics, machine learning, and topological insulators.

For the computer science component, you’ll be completing introduction to CS courses, discrete structures, data structures, and a few of the core CS classes in the 300–400 level.

After completing the foundational physics and CS courses, you’ll be able to register for any 300- or 400-level elective from either department. This gives you the flexibility to choose what topics you want to focus on. Here is a catalog of all the CS courses, and here you can find a list of physics courses.