Part-time & Graduate Enrollment Services
Physics BS
Program overview
The BS degree in physics can be completed in either four or five years, depending on the number of cooperative education experiences a student chooses to complete. Graduates find employment opportunities with industrial, academic, and governmental agencies or continue their education in master’s or doctoral programs in physics or physics-related areas such as astrophysics, biophysics, geophysics, atmospheric science, imaging science, and engineering. Students also may prepare for entry into medical, law, or business school.
Curriculum
Physics, BS degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| CHMG-141 | LAS Perspective 5: General and Analytical Chemistry I‡ | |
| BIOL-101 | LAS Perspective 5: General Biology I‡ | |
| Choose one of the following: | 1 | |
| CHMG-145 | LAS Perspective 5: General and Analytical Chemistry I Lab‡ | |
| BIOL-103 | LAS Perspective 5: General Biology I Lab‡ | |
| MATH-181 | LAS Perspective 7A: Project-Based Calculus I | 4 |
| PHYS-150 | Introduction to Special Relativity | 3 |
| LAS Foundation 1 | 3 | |
| LAS Perspective 1 | 3 | |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| CHMG-142 | LAS Perspective 6: General and Analytical Chemistry II‡ | |
| BIOL-102 | LAS Perspective 6: General Biology II‡ | |
| Choose one of the following: | 1 | |
| CHMG-146 | LAS Perspective 6: General and Analytical Chemistry II Lab‡ | |
| BIOL-104 | LAS Perspective 6: General Biology II Lab‡ | |
| MATH-182 | LAS Perspective 7B: Project-Based Calculus II | 4 |
| PHYS-211 | University Physics I | 4 |
| ENGL-150 | LAS Foundation 2: Writing Seminar (WI) | 3 |
| Wellness Education* | 0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| MATH-219 | Multivariable Calculus | 3 |
| PHYS-212 | University Physics II | 4 |
| PHYS-225 | Introduction to Computational Physics and Programming | 3 |
| MATH-231 | Differential Equations | 3 |
| PHYS-213 | Modern Physics I | 3 |
| PHYS-222 | Electronic Measurements | 3 |
| PHYS-275 | Sophomore Physics Seminar | 1 |
| PHYS-283 | Vibrations and Waves | 3 |
| LAS Perspective 2, 3, 4 | 9 | |
| Third Year | ||
| PHYS-214 | Modern Physics II | 3 |
| PHYS-315 | Experiments in Modern Physics | 3 |
| PHYS-320 | Mathematical Methods in Physics | 3 |
| PHYS-330 | Classical Mechanics | 4 |
| PHYS-316 | Advanced Laboratory in Physics | 3 |
| PHYS-411 | Electricity and Magnetism | 4 |
| PHYS-450 | Capstone Preparation | 1 |
| Physics Elective† | 3 | |
| LAS Immersion 1, 2 | 6 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| PHYS-414 | Quantum Mechanics | 3 |
| PHYS-440 | Thermal and Statistical Physics | 3 |
| PHYS-451 | Capstone Project I | 3 |
| PHYS-452 | Capstone Project II (WI) | 3 |
| Physics Electives† | 6 | |
| Free Elective | 6 | |
| LAS Immersion 3 | 3 | |
| LAS Elective | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 124 | |
Please see New General Education Curriculum–Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) for more information.
(WI) Refers to a writing intensive course within the major.
* Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information.
† Please see academic adviser for a list of physics electives.
‡ Students will satisfy this requirement by taking a 4-credit hour lab science course. Students must take both the lecture and lab portions to satisfy the requirement. The lecture section alone will not fulfill the requirement.
Accelerated dual degree option
The department offers an accelerated dual degree option in which students can earn a BS degree in physics and an MS degree in materials science and engineering in approximately five years.
Physics, BS degree/Materials science and engineering, MS degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| CHMG-141 | LAS Perspective 5: General and Analytical Chemistry I‡ | |
| BIOL-101 | LAS Perspective 5: General Biology I‡ | |
| Choose one of the following: | 1 | |
| CHMG-145 | LAS Perspective 5: General and Analytical Chemistry I Lab‡ | |
| BIOL-103 | LAS Perspective 5: General Biology I Lab‡ | |
| MATH-181 | LAS Perspective 7A: Project-Based Calculus I | 4 |
| PHYS-150 | Introduction to Special Relativity | 3 |
| LAS Foundation 1 | 3 | |
| LAS Perspective 1 | 3 | |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| CHMG-142 | LAS Perspective 6: General and Analytical Chemistry II‡ | |
| BIOL-102 | LAS Perspective 6: General Biology II‡ | |
| Choose one of the following: | 1 | |
| CHMG-146 | LAS Perspective 6: General & Analytical Chemistry II Lab‡ | |
| BIOL-104 | LAS Perspective 6: General Biology II Lab‡ | |
| MATH-182 | LAS Perspective 7B: Project-Based Calculus II | 4 |
| PHYS-211 | University Physics I | 4 |
| ENGL-150 | LAS Foundation 2: Writing Seminar (WI) | 3 |
| Wellness Education* | 0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| MATH-219 | Multivariable Calculus | 3 |
| PHYS-212 | University Physics II | 4 |
| PHYS-225 | Introduction to Computational Physics and Programming | 3 |
| MATH-231 | Differential Equations | 3 |
| PHYS-213 | Modern Physics I | 3 |
| PHYS-222 | Electronic Measurements | 3 |
| PHYS-275 | Sophomore Physics Seminar | 1 |
| PHYS-283 | Vibrations and Waves | 3 |
| LAS Perspective 2, 3, 4 | 9 | |
| Third Year | ||
| PHYS-214 | Modern Physics II | 3 |
| PHYS-315 | Experiments in Modern Physics | 3 |
| PHYS-320 | Mathematical Methods in Physics | 3 |
| PHYS-330 | Classical Mechanics | 4 |
| PHYS-316 | Advanced Laboratory in Physics | 3 |
| PHYS-411 | Electricity and Magnetism | 4 |
| PHYS-xxx | Physics Elective† | 3 |
| MTSE-702 | Polymer Science | 3 |
| LAS Immersion 1, 2 | 6 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| PHYS-414 | Quantum Mechanics | 3 |
| PHYS-440 | Thermal and Statistical Physics | 3 |
| MTSE-601 | Materials Science | 3 |
| MTSE-617 | Material Degradation | 3 |
| Physics Electives† | 6 | |
| MTSE-703 | Solid State Science | 3 |
| MTSE-790 | Research and Thesis | 3 |
| LAS Elective | 3 | |
| LAS Immersion 3 | 3 | |
| Fifth Year | ||
| MTSE-704 | Theoretical Methods in Materials Science and Engineering | 3 |
| Material Science Elective | 3 | |
| MTSE-790 | Research and Thesis | 9 |
| Undergraduate Free Elective | 9 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 150 | |
Please see New General Education Curriculum–Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) for more information.
(WI) Refers to a writing intensive course within the major.
* Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information.
† Please see academic adviser for a list of physics electives.
‡ Students will satisfy this requirement by taking a 4-credit hour lab science course. Students must take both the lecture and lab portions to satisfy the requirement. The lecture section alone will not fulfill the requirement.