Computational Physics @ Illinois

Computing is one of the most important skills in modern science and engineering. Historically, the physics curriculum has focused on analytical methods, but in the last few decades, computational methods have become increasingly important. Often problems in physics (and science) are too complex to be solved analytically, and numerical methods are required. Computation is the third pillar of science alongside theory and experiment and computing is a critical skill for the modern physicist in both academia and industry. At the University of Illinois, we are working to incorporate computational methods into the physics curriculum as a core part of the undergraduate experience both in the Physics and CS+Physics degrees. This includes computational modules throughout the core courses, two immersive computational courses, and a number of other computational focused courses throughout the curriculum. Our goals are to develop your computational thinking skills, to give you the tools to solve complex problems in physics and beyond, and to improve your conceptual understanding of physics by teaching a computer to solve problems.

Computation in the core courses

Immersive computational courses

Other Computational Courses