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Bachelors

Physics - B.A.

Kent State University
Ashtabula , United States
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Degree
Bachelors
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Physics
Area of study
Natural Science
Course Language
English
About Program

Program Overview

Physics - B.A.

About This Program

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics prepares students for such varied fields as secondary education, patent law, science journalism or interdisciplinary science careers. The core requirements permit a large number of elective courses, which allow students to complete a minor or second major in preparation for an interdisciplinary career. This program is well suited for those with a strong interest not only in science, but also a non-science field. Students completing the program may choose to continue their physics studies at the graduate level.


Contact Information

  • Almut Schroeder | |

Program Delivery

  • Delivery: In person
  • Location: Kent Campus

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students.


  • First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.
  • First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.
  • International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.
  • Former Students: Former Kent State students who have not attended another institution since Kent State and were not academically dismissed will complete the re-enrollment process through the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center. Former students who attended another college or university since leaving Kent State must apply for admissions as a transfer or post-undergraduate student.
  • Transfer Students: Students who attended an educational institution after graduating from high school or earning their GED must apply as transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

  • MATH 12002: ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR) - 5 credit hours
  • MATH 12003: ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS II - 5 credit hours
  • MATH 32051: MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES I - 4 credit hours
  • MATH 32052: MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES II - 4 credit hours
  • PHY 12000: INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS SEMINAR (ELR) - 1 credit hour
  • PHY 23101: GENERAL UNIVERSITY PHYSICS I (KBS) (KLAB) - 5 credit hours
  • PHY 23102: GENERAL UNIVERSITY PHYSICS II (KBS) (KLAB) - 5 credit hours
  • PHY 30020: INTERMEDIATE PHYSICS LABORATORY (WIC) - 2 credit hours
  • PHY 35101: CLASSICAL MECHANICS - 4 credit hours
  • PHY 36001: INTRODUCTORY MODERN PHYSICS - 3 credit hours
  • PHY 36002: APPLICATIONS OF MODERN PHYSICS - 3 credit hours
  • PHY 40020: ADVANCED PHYSICS LABORATORY (WIC) - 2 credit hours
  • PHY 45201: ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY - 4 credit hours
  • Physics (PHY) Upper-Division Electives (30000 or 40000 level) - 8 credit hours

Additional Requirements

  • UC 10001: FLASHES 101 - 1 credit hour
  • Foreign Language (see Foreign Language College Requirement below) - 10-16 credit hours
  • Kent Core Composition - 6 credit hours
  • Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each) - 9 credit hours
  • Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) - 6 credit hours
  • Kent Core Additional - 6 credit hours
  • General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours) - 27 credit hours

Graduation Requirements

  • Minimum Major GPA: 2.000
  • Minimum Overall GPA: 2.000

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.


  • Semester One:
    • MATH 12002: ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR) - 5 credit hours
    • PHY 12000: INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS SEMINAR (ELR) - 1 credit hour
    • UC 10001: FLASHES 101 - 1 credit hour
    • Foreign Language - 4 credit hours
    • Kent Core Requirement - 3 credit hours
  • Semester Two:
    • MATH 12003: ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS II - 5 credit hours
    • PHY 23101: GENERAL UNIVERSITY PHYSICS I (KBS) (KLAB) - 5 credit hours
    • Foreign Language - 4 credit hours
  • Semester Three:
    • MATH 32051: MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES I - 4 credit hours
    • PHY 23102: GENERAL UNIVERSITY PHYSICS II (KBS) (KLAB) - 5 credit hours
    • Foreign Language and/or General Elective - 3 credit hours
    • Kent Core Requirement - 3 credit hours
  • Semester Four:
    • MATH 32052: MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES II - 4 credit hours
    • PHY 36001: INTRODUCTORY MODERN PHYSICS - 3 credit hours
    • Foreign Language and/or General Elective - 3 credit hours
    • Kent Core Requirement - 3 credit hours
    • Kent Core Requirement - 3 credit hours
  • Semester Five:
    • PHY 30020: INTERMEDIATE PHYSICS LABORATORY (WIC) - 2 credit hours
    • PHY 35101: CLASSICAL MECHANICS - 4 credit hours
    • PHY 36002: APPLICATIONS OF MODERN PHYSICS - 3 credit hours
    • Kent Core Requirement - 3 credit hours
    • Kent Core Requirement - 3 credit hours
  • Semester Six:
    • Physics (PHY) Upper-Division Elective (30000 or 40000 level) - 3 credit hours
    • Kent Core Requirement - 3 credit hours
    • Kent Core Requirement - 3 credit hours
    • Kent Core Requirement - 3 credit hours
    • General Elective - 3 credit hours
  • Semester Seven:
    • PHY 40020: ADVANCED PHYSICS LABORATORY (WIC) - 2 credit hours
    • PHY 45201: ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY - 4 credit hours
    • General Electives - 9 credit hours
  • Semester Eight:
    • Physics (PHY) Upper-Division Electives (30000 or 40000 level) - 5 credit hours
    • General Electives - 11 credit hours

University Requirements

All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.


  • Flashes 101 (UC 10001) - 1 credit hour
  • Diversity Domestic/Global (DIVD/DIVG) - 2 courses
  • Experiential Learning Requirement (ELR) - varies
  • Kent Core (see table below) - 36-37 credit hours
  • Writing-Intensive Course (WIC) - 1 course
  • Upper-Division Requirement - 39 credit hours
  • Total Credit Hour Requirement - 120 credit hours

Kent Core Requirements

  • Kent Core Composition (KCMP) - 6 credit hours
  • Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning (KMCR) - 3 credit hours
  • Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (KHUM/KFA) (minimum one course from each) - 9 credit hours
  • Kent Core Social Sciences (KSS) (must be from two disciplines) - 6 credit hours
  • Kent Core Basic Sciences (KBS/KLAB) (must include one laboratory) - 6-7 credit hours
  • Kent Core Additional (KADL) - 6 credit hours
  • Total Credit Hours: 36-37

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:


  1. Demonstrate the technical and cognitive skills that are important for a good physicist, including the following:
  • Think critically and analytically.
  • Define a problem and how to solve problems.
  • Understand advanced mathematics (e.g., calculus and differential equations) and computer skills.
  • Use, design and even build lab equipment.
  1. Demonstrate the traits that are important for a good scientist, namely, hard working, creative, meticulous, persistent, tenacious and self confident.
  2. Communicate results of their work to peers, instructors or supervisors; various target groups within the physics community; and people outside the discipline.

Program Policies

Foreign Language Requirements

In general, students may elect any foreign language taught through the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies. However, certain majors, concentrations and minors require specific languages or limit the languages from which students may choose. In addition, students who plan to pursue graduate study may need particular languages for that study. In such cases, students should seek the advice of the appropriate department before selecting a language.


Mandatory Outcomes Assessment

In addition to the other General Requirements of the college, candidates for an undergraduate degree in the College of Arts and Sciences are required, as a condition of graduation, to participate in an outcomes assessment. These outcomes assessments are conducted by each undergraduate degree program in the College of Arts and Sciences.


Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics prepares students for diverse fields such as secondary education, patent law, science journalism, or interdisciplinary science careers. The program's core requirements allow for a significant number of elective courses, enabling students to pursue a minor or second major, preparing them for interdisciplinary careers. This program is ideal for individuals with a strong interest in both science and a non-science field. Students completing the program may choose to continue their physics studies at the graduate level.

Outline:

  • MATH 32051 MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES I: 4 credit hours
  • MATH 32052 MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES II: 4 credit hours
  • PHY 23101 GENERAL UNIVERSITY PHYSICS I (KBS) (KLAB): 15 credit hours
  • PHY 23102 GENERAL UNIVERSITY PHYSICS II (KBS) (KLAB): 15 credit hours
  • PHY 30020 INTERMEDIATE PHYSICS LABORATORY (WIC): 22 credit hours
  • PHY 35101 CLASSICAL MECHANICS: 4 credit hours
  • PHY 36001 INTRODUCTORY MODERN PHYSICS: 3 credit hours
  • PHY 36002 APPLICATIONS OF MODERN PHYSICS: 3 credit hours
  • PHY 40020 ADVANCED PHYSICS LABORATORY (WIC): 22 credit hours
  • PHY 45201 ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY: 4 credit hours
  • Physics (PHY) Upper-Division Electives (30000 or 40000 level): 3-48 credit hours

Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA):

  • UC 10001 FLASHES 101: 1 credit hour
  • Foreign Language (see Foreign Language College Requirement below): 14-16 credit hours
  • Kent Core Composition: 6 credit hours
  • Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each): 9 credit hours
  • Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines): 6 credit hours
  • Kent Core Additional: 6 credit hours
  • General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours): 23 credit hours

Notes:

  • Credit is not granted for both the PHY 13001/PHY 13002 and the PHY 23101/PHY 23102 series.
  • A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.
  • With advisor’s permission, students may replace 3 credit hours of physics electives with ENG 20002 or PHIL 41035.
  • Maximum 6 credit hours of PHY 40096 may be applied toward the major.

Graduation Requirements:

  • Minimum Major GPA: 2.000
  • Minimum Overall GPA: 2.000

Courses that may not count towards the Physics major requirements:

  • PHY 11030 SEVEN IDEAS THAT SHOOK THE UNIVERSE (KBS): 3 credit hours
  • PHY 21040 PHYSICS IN ENTERTAINMENT AND THE ARTS (KBS): 3 credit hours
  • PHY 21041 PHYSICS IN ENTERTAINMENT AND THE ARTS LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB): 1 credit hour
  • PHY 21430 FRONTIERS IN ASTRONOMY (KBS): 3 credit hours
  • PHY 21431 FRONTIERS IN ASTRONOMY LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB): 1 credit hour

  • Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete 14-16 credit hours of foreign language.
  • To complete the requirement, students need the equivalent of Elementary I and II in any language, plus one of the following options:
  • Intermediate I and II of the same language
  • Elementary I and II of a second language
  • Any combination of two courses from the following list:
  • Intermediate I of the same language
  • ARAB 21401
  • ASL 19401
  • CHIN 25421
  • MCLS 10001
  • MCLS 20001
  • MCLS 20091
  • MCLS 21417
  • MCLS 21420
  • MCLS 22217
  • MCLS 28403
  • MCLS 28404

Notes:

  • All students with prior foreign language experience should take the foreign language placement test to determine the appropriate level at which to start.
  • Some students may start beyond the Elementary I level and will complete the requirement with fewer credit hours and fewer courses.
    • This may be accomplished by:
  • Passing a course beyond Elementary I through Intermediate II level
  • Receiving credit through one of the alternative credit programs offered by Kent State University
  • Demonstrating language proficiency comparable to Elementary II of a foreign language
  • When students complete the requirement with fewer than 14 credit hours and four courses, they will complete remaining credit hours with general electives.
  • Certain majors, concentrations, and minors may require specific languages, limit the languages from which a student may choose, or require coursework through Intermediate II.
  • Students who plan to pursue graduate study may need particular language coursework.

Roadmap:

The roadmap provides a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for the major. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure timely graduation.

University Requirements:

All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.

  • Flashes 101 (UC 10001): 1 credit hour (not required for students with 30+ transfer credits or age 21+ at time of admission)
  • Diversity Domestic/Global (DIVD/DIVG): 2 courses (one domestic and one global, one must be from the Kent Core)
  • Experiential Learning Requirement (ELR): varies (one course or approved experience)
  • Kent Core: 36-37 credit hours (see table below)
  • Writing-Intensive Course (WIC): 1 course (minimum C grade)
  • Upper-Division Requirement: 39 credit hours (30000 to 49999)
  • Total Credit Hour Requirement: 120 credit hours

Kent Core Requirements:

  • Kent Core Composition (KCMP): 6 credit hours
  • Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning (KMCR): 3 credit hours
  • Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (KHUM/KFA): 9 credit hours (minimum one course each)
  • Kent Core Social Sciences (KSS): 6 credit hours (must be from two disciplines)
  • Kent Core Basic Sciences (KBS/KLAB): 6-7 credit hours (must include one laboratory)
  • Kent Core Additional (KADL): 6 credit hours
  • Total Credit Hours: 36-37 credit hours

Program Learning Outcomes:

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  • Demonstrate the technical and cognitive skills important in a good physicist, including:
  • Critical and analytical thinking
  • Problem definition and problem-solving skills
  • Understanding of advanced mathematics (calculus and differential equations) and computer skills
  • Use, design, and build lab equipment
  • Demonstrate the traits important in a good scientist, namely:
  • Hardworking
  • Creative
  • Meticulous
  • Persistence
  • Tenacious
  • Self-confidence
  • Communicate results of their work to:
  • Peers
  • Instructors or supervisors
  • Various target groups within the physics community
  • People outside the discipline
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