B.S. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The B.S. degree in physics provides a thorough foundation in the field of physics together with a strong background in mathematics and a balanced program in liberal arts. It is designed for those students who have an interest in physics as a career and/or those planning for graduate study. It can serve as a foundation for additional study in other disciplines.

University Requirements

Completion of the University's Integrative Studies sequences and the First Year Writing course is required for each student. About 26-27 credits are required to satisfy the University requirements. Courses must be completed in each of the following areas:

• (a)First Year Writing
  This course may be completed in the first or second semester, but for physics majors the first semester suits scheduling the best, enabling the student to begin Physics, for example, in the second semester of the first year (after a semester of introductory calculus).

• (b)Tier II Writing
  This is to be completed in the major.

• (c)Integrative Studies in the Social Science
  Two semesters or 8 credits are required. Either the sophomore year or the junior year would be suitable. It is also possible to take one 4 credit course each year.

• (d)Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities
  Two semesters or 8 credits are required. The junior and senior year are optimum times to include these courses in the program.

• (e)Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Science
  This requirement is fulfilled by the College of Natural Science requirements.

• (g)Capstone Synthesis All students must complete a Capstone Course(s) in the senior year which synthisizes the four-year experience. For Physics majors there is an option of two possible ways to satisfy this requirement.

COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCE REQUIREMENTS

(a) Complete one course from the following list:

BS 110 Organisms and Populations
BS 111 Cells and Molecules
BOT 105 Plant Biology
ENT 205 Pests, Society and Environment
MPH 205 Allied Health Microbiology
PSL 250 Introductory Physiology

(b) Complete one sequence:

CEM 161 General Chemistry Lab. I and CEM 141 General Chemistry I
CEM 161 General Chemistry Lab. I and CEM 151 Chemistry I

(c) Completeboth courses:

MTH 132 Calculus I
MTH 133 Calculus II

(d) Complete one of the following courses:

PHY 183 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I
PHY 183B Physics for Scientists and Engineers I, CBI
PHY 193H Honors Physics I - Mechanics

 

PHYSICS B.S. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

1. Complete the University graduation requirements.

2. Complete the College of Natural Science B. S. degree requirements.

3. Complete one of the following courses:

PHY 184 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II
PHY 184B Physics for Scientists and Engineers II, CBI
PHY 294H Honors Physics II

4. Complete all of the following courses:

PHY 191 Physics Laboratory for Scientists I
PHY 192 Physics Laboratory for Scientists II
PHY 215 Thermodynamics and Modern Physics
PHY 321 Classical Mechanics
PHY 410 Thermal and Statistical Physics
PHY 440 Electronics
PHY 451 Advanced Laboratory
PHY 471 Quantum Mechanics I
PHY 481 Electricity and Magnetism I
MTH 234 Multivariate Calculus I
MTH 235 Multivaviate Calculus II and Differential Equations

5. Complete two additional mathematics courses at the 300 level or above.

The above list includes those courses which a student must complete to satisfy the minimum requirements for a B. S. degree in physics. Any student who plans graduate study in physics after earning a B.S. should expect to complete more than the minimus requirements in order to better prepare for graduate school. The second semester of Classical Mechanics II, Electrodynamics, and Quantum Mechanics II, for example, should also be included in the program as well as additional laboratory experience. This will not make it necessary for a student to take more than the 120 semester credits needed for an undergraduate degree. After completing the number of credits needed to satisfy basic University requirements (26-27), the College of Natural Science requirements (25-28), and the department requirements (38-42), a student still has 23-30 elective credits available.

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D. Stump, Undergraduate Program Director