Program Overview

Program Overview

The BS in Chemical Physics is a program designed to provide students with a strong foundation in both chemistry and physics. The program is flexible, allowing students to work closely with their advisors to design a curriculum that aligns with their interests and goals.

Program Requirements and Policies

• PHY 11 and 12 (or equivalent) are prerequisites for all Physics majors.
• A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required for the courses applied to the major, and no more than one course applied to the major may have a grade of less than C-.
• No major courses may be taken Pass/Fail.
• If a student has more than one major, they must see the Bulletin for rules on double-counting courses.
• If a student has a minor, no more than two course credits used toward the minor may be used toward foundation, distribution, major, or other minor requirements.

Course Requirements

Foundation Requirement

• I. CHEM 1: Chemical Fundamentals w/ Lab, CHEM 11: General Chemistry, or CHEM 16: Chemistry of Materials
• II. CHEM 2: General Chemistry II w/ Lab or CHEM 12: General Chemistry II
• III. PHY 1: Introduction to Physics I w/ Lab or PHY 11: General Physics I w/ Lab
• IV. PHY 2: Introduction to Physics II w/ Lab or PHY 12: General Physics II w/ Lab

Concentration Courses

• I. Four courses in Chemistry with a prerequisite of CHEM 2 or CHEM 12.
• II. Four courses in Physics with a prerequisite of PHY 2 or PHY 12 (Seminar courses of 2.0 units or less — such as PHY 103, PHY 107, and PHY 108 — cannot be counted toward the Minor and Major course requirements).
• III. Two courses in Mathematics (can be MATH 70: Linear Algebra or any Mathematics course with a prerequisite of MATH 42, 44, or 70).

Required Concentration Courses

• I. PHY 13: Introduction to Modern Physics
• II. Either CHEM 51: Organic Chemistry I or CHEM 61: Inorganic Chemistry
• III. Advanced laboratory training: Either (a) PHY 64: Advanced Experimental Physics, or (b) CHEM 33 CHEM 34: Physical Chemistry Lab
• IV. Thermodynamics: Either PHY 52: Thermal Physics or CHEM 31: Physical Chemistry I
• V. Quantum mechanics: Either PHY 61: Quantum Theory or CHEM 32: Physical Chemistry II

Student Resources

• Chemical Physics Major Checklist
• AP and Transfer Credit
• Senior Honors Thesis
• Learning Objectives

Related Programs

• BS in Physics
• BS in Astrophysics
• BS in Applied Physics
• BS in Chemical Physics
• BS in Engineering Physics
• Minor in Physics
• Minor in Astrophysics
• Minor in Applied Computational Science
• MS in Physics
• MS in Physics: Astrophysics
• MS in Physics: Physics Education
• PhD in Physics
• PhD in Physics: Astrophysics
• PhD in Physics: Physics Education
• PhD in Physics: Chemical Physics
• Joint PhD in Physics and Materials Science and Engineering