Program Overview

Applied Physics (BS): Acoustics Emphasis

Program Information

The Applied Physics (BS): Acoustics Emphasis program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of physics and astronomy, with a focus on acoustics. The program requires a minimum of 62 credit hours and a maximum of 64 credit hours.

Learning Outcomes

The program has several learning outcomes, including:

• Physics Theory and Application: Apply principles to model and solve representative problems analytically and computationally, at an introductory level from the primary physical theories (classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, special relativity, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and optics), and at an advanced level in classical mechanics, electrostatics, and optics/electrodynamics.
• Experimental and Computational Skills: Design and conduct physical and acoustical experiments, write programs to simulate acoustical systems, and analyze data.
• Effective Communication: Communicate professionally to a technical audience both orally and in writing. Be able to understand scientific ideas by reading books and journal articles.
• Professional Ethics: Understand scientific ethical practices, and demonstrate them in the conduct of scientific research.
• Research and Professional Preparation: Conduct experimental, theoretical, or computational research in acoustics under the direction of a mentor to contribute to the generation of new knowledge or technologies, and prepare to do this professionally.

Program Requirements

The program has several requirements, including:

1. Complete 18 Courses:

• C S 111 - Program Design and Validation (3.0)
• MATH 113 - Calculus 2 (4.0)
• PHSCS 121 - Intro to Newtonian Mechanics (3.0)
• PHSCS 123 - Intro to Waves, Optics, Thermodynamics (3.0)
• PHSCS 191 - Intro Phscs Careers & Rsrch 1 (0.5)
• PHSCS 220 - Intro Electricity & Magnetism (3.0)
• PHSCS 222 - Modern Physics (3.0)
• PHSCS 225 - Intro to Experimental Physics (2.0)
• PHSCS 230 - Computational Physics Lab 1 (1.0)
• PHSCS 240 - Dsgn, Fabricatn, Sci Apparatus (2.0)
• PHSCS 245 - Experiments in Contemp Phscs (2.0)
• PHSCS 291 - Intro Phscs Careers & Rsrch 2 (0.5)
• PHSCS 318 - Intro Math Physics (3.0)
• PHSCS 321 - Mechanics (3.0)
• PHSCS 330 - Computational Physics Lab 2 (1.0)
• PHSCS 430 - Computational Physics Lab 3 (1.0)
• PHSCS 441 - Electricity & Magnetism (3.0)
• PHSCS 461 - Introduction to Acoustics (3.0)

2. Complete 1 Course:

• PHSCS 442 - Electrodynamics (3.0)
• PHSCS 471 - Principles of Optics (3.0)
• PHSCS 561 - Fundamentals of Acoustics (3.0)

3. Obtain Confirmation: After gaining an acoustics advisor's approval of courses selected to define an option, complete an additional nine hours of acoustics-related electives (cannot include any courses already taken above). These nine hours must consist of a coherent set of upper-division courses with an identified acoustics-related educational goal. Six hours must be upper division (300-level or above); three hours must be 200-level or above.
4. Complete 1 of 2 Options:

• Option 4.1: Complete 2 Courses:
  • MATH 302 - Math for Engr 1 (4.0)
  • MATH 303 - Math for Engineering 2 (4.0)
• Option 4.2: Complete 4 Courses:
  • MATH 213 - Elementary Linear Algebra (2.0)
  • MATH 215 - Computational Linear Algebra (1.0)
  • MATH 314 - Calculus of Several Variables (3.0)
  • MATH 334 - Ordinary Differential Equation (3.0)

5. Complete 2 hours: Complete a capstone project or senior thesis, including the following:

• Choose a research mentor within the acoustics research group as early as possible.
• Complete 2 hours of one of the following:
  • PHSCS 492R - Capstone in Applied Phscs (0.5v)
  • PHSCS 498R - Senior Thesis (0.5v)