Biophysics
Program Details
Biophysics is a highly-interdisciplinary field that uses chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics to explain how molecules, cells, tissues and whole organisms function. As a biophysics major at Xavier University, you’ll study foundational questions in the emerging field of biophysics, including how the molecules of life are made, how cells move and operate and how complex systems in our bodies work. You’ll also complete individual research alongside expert faculty, conduct experiments and have access to multiple labs.
This program's structure is intended to prepare students for the rigors of advanced degree programs in biophysics, biomedical engineering, medicine, health sciences and biotechnology. Xavier students have an 86 percent acceptance rate to medical schools (5-year average, Class of 2022), compared to 40 percent nationally.
Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Science in Biophysics
Curriculum
The sample course sequence below illustrates class offerings for the Biophysics major. Consult the official Xavier University course catalog for detailed registration and advising information.
Fall
- ENGR 101: Introduction to Engineering............ 3cr.
- Physics 170: University Physics I ............ 3cr.
- Physics 171: Exploration in Physics I ............ 1cr.
- Mathematics 170: Calculus I ............ 4cr.
- Biology 160: General I Biology ............ 3cr.
- Biology 161: General I Biology Lab ............ 1cr.
- CORE 100, First Year Seminar ............ 3cr.
- Core 101: GOA ............ 0cr.
Spring
- Physics 172: University Physics II ............ 3cr.
- Engineering 173: Exploration in Engineering or PHYS 173............ 1cr.
- Mathematics 171: Calculus II ............ 3cr.
- Theology 111: Theology Foundations ............ 3cr.
- Philosophy 100: Ethics as Intro to Philosophy ............ 3cr.
- Core 102: GOA ............ 0cr.
Fall
- Physics 330: Modern Physics I ............ 3cr.
- Physics 331: Modern Physics I Lab ............ 2cr.
- Chemistry 160: General Chemistry I ............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 161: General Chemistry I Lab ............ 1cr.
- MATH 220: Calculus III............ 4cr.
- Second Language 103 Level ............ 3cr.
Spring
- PHYS 355: Advanced Lab............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 162: General Chemistry II ............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 163: General Chemistry II Lab ............ 1cr.
- ENGL 101: English Composition or ENGL 115: Rhetoric............ 3cr.
- Second Language 201 Level ............ 3cr.
- Elective............ 3cr.
Fall
- Chemistry 240: Organic Chemistry I ............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 241: Organic Chemistry I Lab ............ 1cr.
- Program Elective ............ 3cr.
- Physics 382: Thermodynamics ............ 3cr.
- Lit. & Moral Imagination 205............ 3cr.
- Diversity Flag* or Free Elective ............ 3cr.
Spring
- Chemistry 242: Organic Chemistry II ............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 243: Organic Chemistry II Lab ............ 1cr.
- Theological Perspectives............ 3cr.
- Program Elective ............ 4cr.
- Historical Perspectives ............ 3cr.
- Elective............ 3cr.
Fall
- Physics 395: Physics Research ............ 1cr.
- CHEM 440: Biochemistry ............ 3cr.
- Program Elective............ 3cr.
- Humanities Elective ............ 3cr.
- Social Science Elective ............ 3cr.
- ER/S Flag* or Free Elective ............ 3cr.
Spring
- Physics 398: Biophysics............ 1cr.
- Physics Thesis............ 3cr.
- Program Elective ............ 3cr.
- Philosophical Perspectives ............ 3cr.
- Creative Perspectives ............ 3cr.
Biophysics Courses
Sample courses from the biophysics major:
- Thermodynamics (PHYS 382) - Beginning with the ideal gas law, this course covers the statistical interpretation of thermodynamics. Topics include thermal energy, heat capacity, entropy, irreversibility, heat engines, refrigerators and Boltzmann Statistics.
- Biophysics (PHYS 387) - This course in an overview of current research techniques to study proteins, DNA, virus and cells.
- Physics Research (PHYS 395) - The senior capstone experience provides students with an opportunity to undertake an independent and creative exploration of a topic in physics that is of interest to them under the guidance of a faculty mentor. This exploration can be a new endeavor, or the continuation of an ongoing project in which the student has been involved.
- General Biology (BIOL 160) - This course focuses on the interactions of molecules, cells and genetics within organisms.
- Introduction to Fabrication- (ENGR 101) This course introduces students to a variety of traditional and modern tools and techniques for making physical objects. Students will develop a basic understanding of health and safety in a workshop environment and will develop an understanding of how to use these tools and techniques.
Biophysics Careers
99% of Xavier students, including those in the biophysics major, are employed, attending grad school or working in service or volunteer positions within six months of graduation (Class of 2022). Additionally, Xavier students have an 86 percent acceptance rate to medical schools (5-year average, Class of 2022), compared to 40 percent nationally. Explore Xavier's Career Outcomes Dashboard to view career outcomes by major.
Career Opportunities: Biotechnician, Clinical Research Coordinator, Drug Developer, Food Scientist, Genetecist, Laboratory Technician, Microbiologist, Research Associate, Research Biophysicist, Science Teacher/Professor, Technical Writer. Additionally, many graduates of the program go on to graduate, medical, dental or law school.
More: Xavier's Career Development Office assists students in their search for employment by offering individual career counseling sessions, conducting workshops and maintaining an employer database. More than 100 nationally known companies visit the campus annually to interview graduating seniors for open positions.
Student Clubs
- Alpha Epsilon Delta (Pre-Med Honor Society)- Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED) is a national pre-health honors organization for juniors and seniors. Their main focus is service to the Cincinnati community, with opportunities to serve at places like the Ronald McDonald House and Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
- Biology Club- Student events include hiking trips, Break Out Games, scavenger hunts and trips to the Cincinnati Zoo and Newport Aquarium.
- Physics Club- Students in the Physics Club organize trips to national labs, host cool experiment series and events that connect to physics, like ice skating (friction!) and water balloon launches.
- Pre-Med Student Association- Pre-Med Student Association is a club for students interested in pursuing a career in the health professions. They offer bimonthly events such as hosting medical school representatives and physicians, providing information about future careers, and collaborating with upperclassmen on the pre-med track.
When we seek something more, we become something greater.
Find more information about how you can become a Musketeer.
Request InformationAll for One
Learn in Dedicated Physics Labs and Facilities
The Lindner Family Physics Building houses a variety of research facilities for students in the biophysics major. You'll have access to a holography lab, atomic and nuclear labs, optics lab, superconductivity lab, atomic force microscope lab, a thin-film deposition system and an astronomical observatory.
Kickstart Your Biophysics Career in Cincinnati, Ohio
Studying biophysics in Cincinnati, Ohio opens numerous internship, networking and mentorship opportunities at major companies like Ethicon, Kroger and Procter & Gamble. Additionally, the city boasts some of the nation's premier hospitals and healthcare networks.
Experience a Transformative Education
Studying biophysics at a Jesuit university offers you a unique opportunity to engage in a holistic education that combines scientific inquiry with ethical reflection, fostering a deep understanding of the natural world while encouraging a commitment to social responsibility and ethical leadership.
Graduate With Honors
Are you looking for an academic challenge? The University Scholars Honors Program offers incoming students a more challenging curriculum and close support from professors while completing their undergraduate degree. Acceptance into the program is highly selective and includes a $2000 travel grant.
Biophysics Major at Xavier University
The Biophysics program at Xavier University is a minimum 120-hour degree program that studies the interdisciplinary fields of biology and physics. Biophysics looks for the laws and principles in physics that describe patterns seen in biological systems. Once laws and principles are properly identified scientists can make detailed predictions that can be tested in other biological systems. Biology studies the complexity and variety of life. It describes the life sustaining processes of organisms as they go about getting food, communicating, sensing the environment, and reproducing. Physics looks for mathematical laws that govern nature. These laws allow scientists to predict which forces drive idealized systems. Biophysicists aim to describe the complexity of life using simple physical laws. Essentially a biophysicist's job is to look for the patterns in life and analyzing them with math and physics in order to gain insight into how biological systems function. Biophysicists are well suited for our high-tech economy. They provide innovative methods and instruments that are increasingly used to serve everyday needs, from forensic science to bioremediation.
Xavier University’s College of Arts and Sciences challenges students to develop an integrated understanding of humanity, the world, and God by pursuing the questions raised in Xavier's core and departmental curricula. The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest and largest college at Xavier University. The college provides an excellent liberal arts education in the Jesuit tradition that prepares students for careers, professional or graduate school, and life in a global society.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."