| FALL SEMESTER | SPRING SEMESTER | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Credits | Course | Credits |
| PHY 471 a | 3 | PHY 410 b | 3 | MATH c | 3 | MATH c | 3 |
| IAH 201 d | 4 | ( PHY 472 ) a | ( 3 ) | ( PHY 422 ) e | ( 3 ) | ( PHY 440 ) f | ( 4 ) |
| ( PHY 432 ) g | ( 3 ) | ( PHY 390 ) h | ( 1 ) | Total Credits | 16 | Total Credits | 14 |
NOTES and COMMENTS:
( a ) PHY 471, Quantum Physics I, is a B.S. degree requirement. For the B. A. degree either PHY 471 or PHY 481, Electricity and Magnetism I, is required.
( b ) PHY 410, Thermal and Statistical Physics, is required for both the B.S. and B.A. degrees. The Spring Semester of the Junior Year is the best time to take this course, especially if one plans to take PHY 491, Atomic, Molecular, and Condensed Matter Physics, for which PHY 410 is a prerequisite.
( c ) The B.S. in Physics requires two additional mathematics courses at the 300-level or above. The B.A. requires one additional mathematics course. Our recommendation is that B.S. candidates consider courses in Partial Differential Equations ( MTH 442 ), Boundry Value Problems ( MTH 443 ), Complex Analysis ( MTH 425 ), Advanced Calculus ( MTH 424 ), and Applied Linear Algebra ( MTH 415 ). Of course, the student is urged to follow her or his own interests in mathematics in satisfying this requirement.
( d ) Eight credits of Integrative Studies in the Arts & Humanities is a University requirement that, for a major in physics, is best satisfied in the junior and /or senior years. The Fall Semester of the junior year, suggested above, is an appropriate to begin this two-semester sequence with the first course of this sequence, IAH 201, which is the prerequisite to all the other IAH courses. See the University catalog for a listing of second courses of the sequence which are available for satifying this requirement.
( e ) PHY 432, Optics II, has been referred to in this document as a valuable course for someone planning to seek employment in industrial or government laboratories. Modern optics subjects such as holography, non-linear optics, Piezo-electric control, and Fourier optics are some of the topics included in the laboratory as well as the theoretical portion of the course.
( f ) A bachelor's candidate with a major in physics must complete either PHY 440, Electronics, or PHY 431, Optics I. Both are Spring Semester courses and if a student elects to complete them both, the junior year is probably the better of the terms to take PHY 440 with PHY 431.
( g ) Students planning graduate study are advised to take both semesters of the Mechanics sequence, PHY 321 in the Spring of the sophomore year and PHY 422, Mechanics II, in the Fall of the junior year.
( h ) The Physics Journal Seminar, PHY 390 is intended to be a junior year course. It can be used to satisfy part of the Tier II wiriting requirement along with the Senior Thesis, PHY 490.