Undergraduate Programs
Physics is the science that has as its objective the formulation and verification of laws or relationships among the different physical quantities. Some of the most important of these quantities are mass, time, length, force, energy, momentum, electric charge, electric field strength, entropy and wavelength. These quantities and the relations among them, which we call laws, have been found to serve in and to explain a wide range of phenomena such as occur in mechanics, heat, electricity, magnetism, light, atomic and nuclear physics and in such related subjects as engineering, biophysics, meteorology and geophysics. In addition, the subject of philosophy is profoundly influenced both by the methods and development of physics.
The department also offers a variety of courses in astronomy. These courses are designed to provide a good background in the related fields of mathematics and physics and to include a thorough preparation in astronomy and astrophysics.
Our department offers three primary degree options:
Other options include:
A
catalog of courses offered by the Department of Physics
and Astronomy is also available.
Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts
with a major in Physics
(printable version) |
|---|
- A minimum of 41 credits in physics, including the following:
|
|
Number(s)
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
221N-222N
or 121N-122N
|
Fundamentals of Physics with Calculus
I & II
Fundamentals of Physics I & II |
10
|
|
|
301
|
Vector Analysis
|
3
|
|
|
321
|
Electronics
|
3
|
|
|
325
|
Optics
|
3
|
|
|
341
|
Fundamentals of Modern Physics
|
3
|
|
|
371
|
Classical Mechanics I
|
3
|
|
|
414
|
Electricity and Magnetism I
|
3
|
|
|
444
|
Modern Experimental Physics
Laboratory
|
3
|
|
|
461
|
Quantum Mechanics I
|
3
|
|
|
480
|
Senior Seminar
|
1
|
|
|
|
At least 6 additional credits
in physics
|
6
|
|
|
|
Total
|
41
|
|
- The following physics courses are strongly recommended:
|
|
315
|
Electricity and Magnetism II
|
3
|
|
|
372
|
Classical Mechanics II
|
3
|
|
- The following math courses are required:
|
|
Math 152-153
|
Calculus I & II
|
8
|
|
|
Math 251
|
Calculus III
|
4
|
|
|
Math 311
|
Ordinary Differential Equations
|
3
|
|
|
|
Total
|
15
|
|
- The following math course is recommended:
|
|
Math 412
|
Partial Differential Equations
|
3
|
|
|
Physics majors must satisfy successfully the general education requirements including the following requirement in Foreign Language/Symbolic Systems: Completion a semester of a foreign language or demonstration of equivalent skill in a foreign language in testing administered by the Counseling Center and Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, and completion of at least one computer science language course (CS 131, 203, or 204). |
|
Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts
in Physics with an Astronomy Option
(printable version) |
|---|
- A minimum of 41 credits in physics and astronomy,
including the following:
|
|
Number(s)
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
221N-222N
|
Fundamentals of Physics with Calculus
I & II
|
10
|
|
|
301
|
Vector Analysis
|
3
|
|
|
480
|
Senior Seminar
|
1
|
|
|
Astr 131N-132N
|
Elementary Astronomy I & II
|
6
|
|
|
Astr 134N-135N
|
Elementary Astronomy Laboratory
I & II
|
2
|
|
|
Astr 353
|
Galactic Astrophysics and Cosmology
|
3
|
|
|
Astr 363-364
|
Stellar Astronomy and
Astrophysics I & II
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
At least four of the following
courses:
|
12
|
|
|
325
|
Optics
|
|
|
|
341-461
|
Modern Physics & Quantum Mechanics I
|
|
|
|
371-372
|
Classical Mechanics I & II
|
|
|
|
414-415
|
Electricity and Magnetism I & II
|
|
|
|
|
|
Plus one lab course chosen from:
|
2-3
|
|
|
Astr 362
|
Observational Astronomy
|
|
|
|
321
|
Electronics
|
|
|
|
444
|
Modern Experimental Physics
Laboratory
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
45-46
|
|
|
- The following course is recommended:
|
|
Astr 351
|
Planetary Science
|
3
|
|
|
- The following math courses are required:
|
|
Math 152-153
|
Calculus I & II
|
8
|
|
|
Math 251
|
Calculus III
|
4
|
|
|
Math 311
|
Ordinary Differential Equations
|
3
|
|
|
|
Total
|
15
|
|
|
Physics with Astronomy Option majors must satisfy successfully the
general education requirements including the following requirement
in Foreign Language/Symbolic Systems: Completion a
semester of a foreign language or demonstration of equivalent
skill in a foreign language in testing administered by the
Counseling Center and Department of Foreign Languages and
Literatures, and completion of at least one computer science
language course (CS 131, 203, or 204). |
|
Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts
in Physics with a Computational Physics Option
(printable version) |
|---|
- At least 50 credits in the two disciplines,
30 in physics and 20 in computer science, including:
|
|
Number(s)
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
221N-222N
|
Fundamentals of Physics with Calculus
I & II
|
10
|
|
|
301
|
Vector Analysis
|
3
|
|
|
331
|
Introduction to Computational
Physics
|
3
|
|
|
341
|
Fundamentals of Modern Physics
|
3
|
|
|
371
|
Classical Mechanics I
|
3
|
|
|
414
|
Electricity and Magnetism I
|
3
|
|
|
480
|
Senior Seminar
|
1
|
|
|
|
An additional 4 credits in physics
|
4
|
|
|
CS 131-132
|
Fundamentals of Computer Science I & II
|
6
|
|
|
CS 241
|
Data Structures
|
4
|
|
|
CS 332
|
Algorithms
|
3
|
|
|
|
An additional 7 credits in computer science
|
7
|
|
|
|
Total
|
50
|
|
- The following physics and computer science courses are
strongly recommended:
|
|
321
|
Electronics
|
|
|
|
372
|
Classical Mechanics II
|
3
|
|
|
415
|
Electricity and Magnetism II
|
3
|
|
|
444
|
Modern Experimental Physics
Laboratory
|
3
|
|
|
CS 242
|
Programming Languages
|
3
|
|
|
CS 281
|
Computer Architecture and
Assembly Language Programming I & II
|
3
|
|
|
CS 415E
|
Computers, Ethics,and Society
|
3
|
|
|
CS 471
|
Scientific Computing
|
3
|
|
|
CS 477
|
Computer Simulation and Modeling
|
3
|
|
- The following math courses are required:
|
|
Math 152-153
|
Calculus I & II
|
8
|
|
|
Math 225
|
Discrete Mathematics
|
3
|
|
|
Math 251
|
Calculus III
|
4
|
|
|
Math 311
|
Ordinary Differential Equations
|
3
|
|
|
Math 325
|
Discrete Mathematics
|
3
|
|
|
|
Total
|
21
|
|
|
Physics with Computational Physics Option majors must satisfy successfully the
general education requirements.
|
|
Teacher Preparation in
Physics: Major Teaching Field of Physics
(printable version) |
|---|
- For an endorsement in the major teaching field of physics,
34 credits in physics are required including:
|
|
Number(s)
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
221N-222N
or 121N-122N
|
Fundamentals of Physics with Calculus
I & II
Fundamentals of Physics I & II |
10
|
|
|
301
|
Vector Analysis
|
3
|
|
|
325
|
Optics
|
3
|
|
|
328
|
Methods of Teaching Physics
|
2
|
|
|
341
|
Fundamentals of Modern Physics
|
3
|
|
|
371
|
Classical Mechanics I
|
3
|
|
|
414
|
Electricity and Magnetism I
|
3
|
|
|
461
|
Quantum Mechanics I
|
3
|
|
|
480
|
Senior Seminar
|
1
|
|
|
|
An additional 3 credits
in physics
|
3
|
|
|
|
Total
|
34
|
|
- The following courses are also required:
|
|
Astr 131-132
|
Elementary Astronomy I & II
|
6
|
|
|
Math 152-153
|
Calculus I & II
|
8
|
|
|
Math 241
or Math 341
|
Statistics
Probability and Statistics
|
4
3
|
|
|
Math 311
|
Ordinary Differential Equations
|
3
|
|
|
Math 251
|
Calculus III
|
4
|
|
|
CS 131
or CS 201
or CS
203 |
Fundamentals of Computer Science
Special Programming Languages
FORTRAN Programming
|
3
|
|
|
C&I 426
|
Teaching Science in the Middle
and Secondary School
|
3
|
|
|
Chem 151N
|
General and Inorganic Chemistry
|
3
|
|
|
Chem 485
|
Laboratory Safety
|
1
|
|
|
Biol 101N
or Biol
103N
or Biol 120N
or Biol 121N
|
Principles of Biology
Diversity of Life
General Botany
Introductory Ecology
|
3
|
|
|
Geol 100N
|
General Geology
|
3
|
|
|
Geol 301
|
Environmental Geology
|
3
|
|
|
|
Total
|
43-44
|
|
|
Teacher Preparation in
Physics: Minor Teaching Field of Physics
(printable version) |
|---|
- For an endorsement in the minor teaching field of physics,
the following courses are required:
|
|
Number(s)
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
221N-222N
or 121N-122N
|
Fundamentals of Physics with Calculus
I & II
Fundamentals of Physics I & II |
10
|
|
|
325
|
Optics
|
3
|
|
|
328
|
Methods of Teaching Physics
|
2
|
|
|
341
|
Fundamentals of Modern Physics
|
3
|
|
|
371
|
Classical Mechanics I
|
3
|
|
|
Astr 131N-132N
|
Elementary Astronomy I & II
|
6
|
|
|
Math 152-153
|
Calculus I & II
|
8
|
|
|
Math 311
|
Ordinary Differential Equations
|
3
|
|
|
Math 251
|
Calculus III
|
4
|
|
|
Math 241
or Math 341
|
Statistics
Probability and Statistics
|
3
4
|
|
|
CS 131
or CS 201
or CS
203 |
Fundamentals of Computer Science
Special Programming Languages
FORTRAN Programming
|
3
|
|
|
Chem 151N
|
General and Inorganic Chemistry
|
3
|
|
|
Chem 485
|
Laboratory Safety
|
1
|
|
|
Biol 101N
or Biol
103N
or Biol 120N
or Biol 121N
|
Principles of Biology
Diversity of Life
General Botany
Introductory Ecology
|
3
|
|
|
|
Total
|
55-56
|
|
|
Requirements for a Minor in Physics
(printable version) |
|---|
- The following courses in physics are required:
|
|
Number(s)
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
221N-222N
or 121N-122N
|
Fundamentals of Physics with Calculus
I & II
Fundamentals of Physics I & II |
10
|
|
|
371-372
|
Classical Mechanics I & II
|
6
|
|
|
|
Plus 6 credits from the following:
|
|
|
|
301
|
Vector Analysis
|
3
|
|
|
325
|
Optics
|
3
|
|
|
341
|
Fundamentals of Modern Physics
|
3
|
|
|
414-415
|
Electricity and Magnetism I & II
|
6
|
|
|
461
|
Quantum Mechanics I
|
3
|
|
|
462
|
Quantum Mechanics II
|
3
|
|
|
446
|
Thermodynamics
|
3
|
|
|
|
Total
|
22
|
|
|
Requirements for a Minor in Astronomy
(printable version) |
|---|
- The following courses in physics are required:
|
|
Number(s)
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
221N-222N
or 121N-122N
|
Fundamentals of Physics with Calculus
I & II
Fundamentals of Physics I & II |
10
|
|
|
Astr 131N-132N
|
Elementary Astronomy I & II
|
6
|
|
|
|
Plus 8 credits from the following:
|
|
|
|
Astr 351
|
Planetary Science
|
3
|
|
|
Astr 353
|
Galactic Astrophysics and Cosmology
|
3
|
|
|
Astr 362
|
Observational Astronomy
|
2
|
|
|
Astr 363-364
|
Stellar Astronomy and
Astrophysics I & II
|
6
|
|
|
|
Total
|
24
|
|
|
