At Calvin, your physics degree is tailored to your unique career goals. Choose between a bachelor of science (BS) or bachelor of arts (BA) degree. You'll have opportunities to do real-world research alongside your professors, or pursue research at prominent national labs and observatories. You'll be assisted every step of the way by professors with deep knowledge of the field who are invested in your future.

Our graduates have an outstanding placement rate into prestigious graduate programs and follow exceptional career paths. You'll graduate with practical, career-shaping experience, ready to thrive in graduate school and become a leader in your field. 

The Department of Physics and Astronomy Homepage

Are you awed by the vibrant life, color, and beauty of the earth? Do you see the hand of God in his creation, and do you have a deep desire to care for it? We do, too.

We are motivated by this simple idea—that the health and well-being of both humans and the environment are deeply interconnected.

At Calvin, you’ll find a passionate group of faculty and students who are already at work with initiatives like Plaster Creek Stewards and the Calvin Environmental Assessment Program. You’ll do meaningful, résumé-building research on topics like stream restoration, invasive plants and species, environmental threats, and more. With all of the rich outdoor environments that Michigan has to offer, you’ll have a place to begin caring for and to call your own.

Through Calvin's geology major (BA/BS), you will learn about the formation, history and structure of the Earth, and apply that knowledge to practical problems as committed Christians.

Why Study Geology?

• Strong demand for new geologists: The current workforce is aging and starting to retire, causing a growing demand in this field. Because of this salaries are generally high, and future job security may also be high.
• Active, fulfilling lifestyle: Geology gives the opportunity to do much more than sit behind a desk. Many positions include outdoor fieldwork and sampling.
• Get to know the world: Geology will help you develop a greater understanding and appreciation of the world around you.
• Provide for society: Our world depends on many natural resources, the locating and extraction of which geologists often play a key role. Progress in these areas is an important duty of the geologist. Geologists also work to protect people from natural disasters and hazards, including the global climate crisis.

Gain a deep understanding of environmental issues. Apply your knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems in fields like environmental consulting, conservation science, and land management.

Choose from two tracks that will prepare you for your unique career goals. Interested in an environmental career, tackling issues like soil erosion and water pollution? Consider the Natural Resources track. Drawn to a career as a park ranger or field technician? The Naturalist track will prepare you to thrive as an environmental interpreter.

And your studies won't take place only in the classroom. As an environmental science student, you'll be part of a program where you’ll get outside and put your learning to work. You might work to restore local waterways, study the ecology of the Great Lakes dunes firsthand, or take an intensive course on field techniques in land management.

Let’s say you want to be a doctor—or maybe a scientific researcher. What kinds of experiences do you want to have as an undergrad? How do you imagine those important four years unfolding?

Here’s what your bachelor of science degree will look like at Calvin: standing at a lab table beside experienced PhDs, researching topics like HIV, multiple sclerosis, and rare diseases. Asking those PhDs—your Christian professors and mentors—for guidance on your career path and help navigating the scientific community as a believer.

And that’s just the beginning. Calvin’s connections with the local and global scientific community will open plenty of opportunities for you. Our reputable pre-med program and student supports will help you determine—and then achieve—your career goals. Our grads excel as graduate students, physicians, and epidemiologists, and so will you.

Stumble into the Calvin Science Building, and you’ll discover two kinds of brains—those actively at work and those under a microscope.

At Calvin, we’re hands-on. Examine the brain inside and out to understand the human experience. Join research projects that explore emotion, humor, neurotransmitters, and much more. Pursue your career options by interning on Grand Rapids’ Medical Mile.

Calvin's neuroscience program is about investigating the brain from all angles. You’ll focus on the biological mechanics of the human mind. But you can also take courses in psychology, philosophy, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer science to expand your expertise. You’ll pursue the answer to the question, How does our understanding of the physical brain give us insight into God’s creativity and purpose for us?

Learn to think creatively, communicate effectively, and solve problems in a program tailored to your career goals. You’ll find opportunities in applied, pure, or computational mathematics as well as education, statistics, and actuarial studies.

As a mathematics major, you’ll have the opportunity to do collaborative research alongside your professors. Participate in problem solving activities and competitions, learn from peers and visiting mathematicians in weekly Colloquium gatherings, or even spend a semester studying mathematics in Hungary.

You’ll learn in a thriving community that values close student-faculty ties—and you’ll learn from professors who bring both doctoral-level expertise and thoughtful Christian perspectives to every class.

When your textbooks get shipped to you in just two days, you’re benefiting from quick and efficient supply chain management. At Calvin, you’ll gain the problem-solving skills needed to keep people, products, and markets moving efficiently.

Interact with global businesses to learn how they manage their materials, talents, and energy. Discover different ways to get goods into the hands of people who need them. Grapple with the challenges of doing business ethically, sustainably, and faithfully. You’ll do it all under the guidance of faculty who draw on their own vast experience in the business world and who have the knowledge and business relationships to help you succeed.

You’ll earn a degree that's greatly in demand in a post-COVID world, and you’ll be an indispensable member of any team.

Help people be effective stewards of their resources. As a financial planning major, you'll craft financial plans that will lead individuals, non-profits, and businesses to their goals.

Calvin's BS in financial planning is the only CFP® registered faith-based major in Michigan and one of only a handful in the country. Through rigorous courses in financial planning, investments, estate planning, insurance, and more, you’ll learn to build financial plans that are shaped around your client’s unique resources, constraints, and long-term goals. You'll find plenty of internship opportunities in West Michigan's thriving business community, and you could get practical experience working with real clients through Calvin's own Nexus Peer Financial Coaching program. When you graduate, you'll have the skills and experience you need to take the CFP® exam and move toward your career in financial planning.

Whether you go on to create financial plans for a small business or provide personalized guidance to individuals, you'll help people to use their resources to achieve their goals.