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Physics Undergraduate Major

The Physics Undergraduate Major offers students the opportunity to pursue a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Physics. The major provides a broad education across all subdisciplines of Physics, preparing students for a wide variety of careers in private industry, teaching, or the government sector, and for continued graduate education in physics or related areas.

Degree Options

• Applied Physics
• Biological Physics
• Chemical Physics
• Computational Physics
• Geophysics
• Mathematical Physics
• Optical Physics
• Physics Teaching/Physics

Bachelor of Science in Physics

The BS degree in Physics gives students a broad education across all subdisciplines of Physics. Students who wish to focus on a particular interdisciplinary connection may wish to consider one of the physics options.

Requirements

• Organize and carry out long, complex physics problems
• Decide on strategies to be used and assumptions that need to be made
• Determine what constitutes sufficient evidence for a conclusion
• Use both algebraic and geometric approaches in problem-solving
• Computationally model the behavior of physical systems
• Troubleshoot difficulties encountered in experiments or computations
• Translate physical descriptions into mathematical equations, and conversely, explain the physical meaning of mathematical results
• Examine intermediate results or other quantities that could be used to ensure a solution is physically reasonable
• Identify what they don't understand, and ask specific questions in order to gain understanding
• Articulate where they experience difficulty; and take actions to move beyond that difficulty
• Write effectively using professional norms
• Present work verbally using professional norms
• Use graphs and diagrams to convey their results
• Write down clear step-by-step mathematical reasoning and equations
• Collaborate with other students
• Design an experiment to measure a given physical quantity
• Make measurements on physical systems
• Estimate sources of error in a measurement
• Interpret their measurements, taking into account the limitations of the measurements and the limitations of models

Course List

• CH 231 & CH 261: GENERAL CHEMISTRY and LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 (5 credits)
• CH 232 & CH 262: GENERAL CHEMISTRY and LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 (5 credits)
• CH 233 & CH 263: GENERAL CHEMISTRY and LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233 (5 credits)
• MTH 251: DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS (4 credits)
• MTH 252: INTEGRAL CALCULUS (4 credits)
• MTH 253: INFINITE SERIES AND SEQUENCES (4 credits)
• MTH 254: VECTOR CALCULUS I (4 credits)
• MTH 255: VECTOR CALCULUS II (4 credits)
• MTH 256: APPLIED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS (4 credits)
• MTH 341: LINEAR ALGEBRA I (3 credits)
• PH 211 & PH 221: GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS and RECITATION FOR PHYSICS 211 (5 credits)
• PH 212 & PH 222: GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS and RECITATION FOR PHYSICS 212 (5 credits)
• PH 213 & PH 223: GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS and RECITATION FOR PHYSICS 213 (5 credits)
• PH 315: PHYSICS OF CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES (3 credits)
• PH 335: TECHNIQUES OF THEORETICAL MECHANICS (3 credits)
• PH 411: ELECTRONICS (3 credits)
• PH 365, PH 366, & PH 367: COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS LAB (3 credits)
• PH 422: PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: STATIC FIELDS (3 credits)
• PH 423: PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: ENERGY AND ENTROPY (3 credits)
• PH 424: PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: OSCILLATIONS AND WAVES (3 credits)
• PH 425: PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: QUANTUM FUNDAMENTALS (3 credits)
• PH 426: PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: CENTRAL FORCES (3 credits)
• PH 427: PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: PERIODIC SYSTEMS (3 credits)
• PH 401: RESEARCH (3 credits)
• PH 403: THESIS (3 credits)

Bachelor of Arts in Physics

The BA degree in Physics is appropriate for physics students interested in obtaining a broader academic background through a second-language requirement and additional liberal arts courses (9 credits). This degree may lead to international opportunities, especially if coupled with the International Degree Program.

Requirements

• Select two of the following:
  • PH 431: CAPSTONES IN PHYSICS: ELECTROMAGNETISM
  • PH 441: CAPSTONES IN PHYSICS: THERMAL AND STATISTICAL PHYSICS
  • PH 451: CAPSTONES IN PHYSICS: QUANTUM MECHANICS
• Select 9 credits of approved electives
• Complete or demonstrate proficiency in the second year of a foreign language

Plan of Study

The plan of study for the Physics major is subject to change, and students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them.

First Year

• Fall: MTH 251, CH 231, CH 261, PH 198, Bacc Core (14 credits)
• Winter: MTH 252, CH 232, CH 262, Bacc Core (16 credits)
• Spring: MTH 254, CH 233, CH 263, PH 211, PH 221 (14 credits)

Second Year

• Fall: MTH 255, PH 212, PH 222, Bacc Core Science, Bacc Core (16 credits)
• Winter: MTH 256, PH 213, PH 223, Bacc Core Science, Bacc Core (16 credits)
• Spring: MTH 253 or MTH 264 and MTH 265, MTH 341, PH 315, Bacc Core (16 credits)

Third Year

• Fall: PH 335, PH 411, Bacc Core, Option Course or Elective (15 credits)
• Winter: PH 422, PH 425, PH 365, PH 415, PH 401 (14 credits)
• Spring: PH 424, PH 426, PH 427, PH 366, PH 401, Option Course or Elective (15 credits)

Fourth Year

• Fall: PH 403, PH 401, PH 423, PH 367, PH 431, PH 400-level Elective (15 credits)
• Winter: PH 403, PH 451, PH 481, PH 464 or PH 415, Option Course or Elective (15 credits)
• Spring: PH 403, PH 441, PH 400-level Elective, Option Course or Elective, Option Course or Elective (14 credits)

Total Credits: 180