Natural Sciences Area

Students can: Major

Degrees Offered: BA

The Natural Sciences Area major allows students to combine appropriate upper-level courses in two different areas of natural science. Students may bridge biology and chemistry, chemistry and physics, or some other combination as long as the curriculum forms a coherent whole. The major prepares students for careers in various health sciences, such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, and more, providing that the introductory courses chosen by the student include those prescribed for admission to these professional schools.

Energy

Energy Website

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Students can: Minor

Environmental Science and Studies

Environmental Science and Studies Website

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Students can: Major Minor

Degrees Offered: BS, BA

The Environmental Science and Studies (ENVS) program provides a supportive yet challenging academic home for students who are passionate about the environment and who want to make a positive difference in the world.

The interdisciplinary ENVS majors and minor introduce students to the Earth’s living and nonliving systems and how humans interact with and affect those systems. The ENVS curriculum is solution-focused, providing students with the tools they need to become the next generation of problem-solvers. Courses examine how the powerful tools of science and policy can be brought to bear on environmental problems and the challenge of developing a more sustainable and equitable society.

Classics

Classics Website

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Gilman 113

Students can: Major Minor

Degrees Offered: BA, BA/MA, PhD

The civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome continue to delight and engage us with their history, literature, art, philosophy, and perennial relevance. Students of the Classics ground their enthusiasm for the ancient world in the study of the languages, thought, and physical remains of these amazing societies.

The Department of Classics offers a rigorous yet flexible BA program, while also accommodating a variety of interests in and approaches to the ancient world. Classes are small and students work closely with their professors and instructors.

The department offers courses in ancient Greek and Latin language and literature at all levels, as well as a variety of courses on the history, civilization, religion, art, archaeology, philosophy, and mythology of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. Students are also encouraged to spend a semester or summer overseas in Italy or Greece.

Undergraduates have the option of working toward a five-year BA/MA co-terminal degree.

What can you do with your degree?

There are many possible professions and career paths for Classics majors. The ability to speak other languages can lead to positions all over the world. In addition, the knowledge of languages such as ancient Greek and Latin is a rare skill that sets you apart in a competitive job market. Many doctors, lawyers, politicians, and historians have a background in classical studies.

Some students go on to do graduate work in classics or related academic areas. Others apply to professional schools, especially law and medicine. Some students elect to enter the workforce directly after graduation in fields such as publishing, museum work, or government service.

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Physics and Astronomy

Physics and Astronomy Website

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Bloomberg 366

Students can: Major Minor

Degrees Offered: BA, BS, BA/MA, PhD

The Henry A. Rowland Department of Physics and Astronomy combines a strong research program, world-renowned faculty, and state-of-the-art facilities. The instruction and research programs within the department reflect two features which have a long tradition at Johns Hopkins: an emphasis on graduate study and research, supplemented with a strong undergraduate program; and a flexibility that is possible only in a department of our size.

Our undergraduate and graduate courses are purposefully designed to provide a core group of basic subjects at the appropriate levels, which naturally lead to courses in a variety of specialized areas. All students are encouraged to engage in independent work outside of the classroom, such as special projects or independent study. The atmosphere is enhanced by the presence of NASA’s Space Telescope Science Institute—home of the Hubble Space Telescope—located just across the street.

Research in the Department of Physics and Astronomy primarily centers on three areas: astrophysics, condensed matter physics, and particle or high energy physics. The Center for Astrophysical Studies comprises areas within the discipline: cosmology, extragalactic astronomy, galactic astronomy, numerical simulations, large datasets, and instrumentation. The condensed matter physics group maintains active experimental and theoretical research programs at the forefront of both hard and soft condensed matter physics. The particle physics group conducts research in both theory and experiment.

What can you do with your degree?

A degree in physics can lead to many diverse career paths. Many of our students apply and are admitted to graduate school, either here at Johns Hopkins or at another one of the nation’s top universities. Others want to pursue research and teaching positions. Physics and astronomy graduates can also be found in the fields of engineering, law, and medicine. Still others secure employment in government or industrial laboratories.

Related Programs and Centers

Earth and Planetary Sciences

Earth and Planetary Sciences Website

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Olin 301

Students can: Major Minor

Degrees Offered: BA, PhD

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences offers programs of study and research in the basic earth sciences, including: geology, the science of the solid earth; geochemistry, devoted to understanding the chemistry of the solid earth and natural waters; geophysics, concerned with a quantitative description of physical processes in the earth and planetary sciences; physical oceanography, the study of ocean currents and waves, and their role in climate; atmospheric sciences, particularly the dynamics of atmospheric circulation both on Earth and other planets and their satellites; and ecology and paleoecology, the study of the relationships between organisms and their environment today and in the geologic past.

The department offers two majors: students can choose to major in earth and planetary sciences (EPS) or in environmental science and studies (ENVS).

The EPS major is for undergraduates interested in the study of the physical, chemical, and biological processes that shape the Earth and the other planets, drawing on the disciplines of geology, geochemistry, hydrology, ecology, geobiology, oceanography, and atmospheric science.

The ENVS major is an interdepartmental program introducing students to the science of the Earth and its living and nonliving systems, as well as how humans interact with Earth and its natural systems and how humans can use powerful tools, such as policy and communication, to harm or help those systems. The goals are to advance awareness of the magnitude and consequences of these issues and to train the next generation of problem-solvers who will address the effects of global environmental change.

What can you do with your degree?

Graduates of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences use their skills and knowledge in fields such as environmental consulting, government agencies, and natural resources industries. Students are also well prepared for professional school.

Related Programs and Centers

Anthropology

Anthropology Website

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Macaulay 404

Students can: Major Minor

Degrees Offered: BA, PhD

The Department of Anthropology at Johns Hopkins is one of the few in the country that focuses exclusively on socio-cultural anthropology, one of the four traditional subfields of the discipline.

The anthropology major combines the study of social and cultural theory with the empirical study of everyday life, social organization, cultural and political expression, and forms of imagination across the diversity of human cultures past and present, including those of the students themselves.

The department’s faculty has field research experience in the Americas, South Asia, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa. Students and faculty explore themes such as the everyday, the state, religion, media, and health, building on interdisciplinary dialogues across the humanities, social sciences, and health sciences, focusing particularly on the challenges of our own moment in history.

What can you do with your degree?

With a degree in anthropology, you can work with government agencies or NGOs. You can pursue careers in medicine, international relations, politics, education, or community building.