Physics, B.S.

Program Learning Outcomes for B.S. in Physics.

Students pursuing the B.S. in Physics are required to:

Earn an overall GPA of 2.000 for all required major courses.
Complete all courses in the major for a letter grade, except those where the default grading option is P/NP.

Majors are required to enroll in FFC 100B - First Year Foundations: Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering to satisfy their General Education requirement.

Grand Challenges Initiative (3 credits)

GCI 150 - Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering I 1 credit
GCI 200 - Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering II 1 credit
GCI 250 - Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering III 1 credit

Introductory Calculus (8-9 credits)

Students must take one of the two calculus sequences listed below: Standard Calculus or Accelerated Calculus

Standard Calculus Sequence (9 credits)
MATH 110 - Single Variable Calculus I 3 credits
MATH 111 - Single Variable Calculus II 3 credits
MATH 210 - Multivariable Calculus 3 credits
Accelerated Calculus Sequence (8 credits)
MATH 115 - Accelerated Calculus Part I: Differentiation and Integration 4 credits
MATH 116 - Accelerated Calculus Part II: Series, Differential Equations and Multivariable Calculus 4 credits

core requirements (21 credits)

PHYS 100 - What is Physics? 1 credit
PHYS 101 - General Physics I 3 credits
PHYS 101L - General Physics I Laboratory 1 credit
PHYS 102 - General Physics II 3 credits
PHYS 102L - General Physics II Laboratory 1 credit
PHYS 201 - General Physics III 3 credits
MATH 215 - Introduction to Linear Algebra and Differential Equations 3 credits
PHYS 220 - Scientific Computing I 3 credits
PHYS 323 - Scientific Computing II 3 credits

upper-division requirements (27 credits)

PHYS 310 - Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering 3 credits
PHYS 320 - Mechanics I 3 credits
PHYS 321 - Mechanics II 3 credits
PHYS 421 - Electricity and Magnetism I 3 credits
PHYS 422 - Electricity and Magnetism II 3 credits
PHYS 430 - Thermal and Statistical Physics I 3 credits
PHYS 431 - Thermal and Statistical Physics II 3 credits
PHYS 451 - Quantum Mechanics I 3 credits
PHYS 452 - Quantum Mechanics II 3 credits

electives (minimum 6 credits required)

Students, in consultation with their physics program adviser, will design individual elective programs to suit their academic goals. Courses may be selected from the following list.

MATH 315 - Linear Algebra II (Advanced Linear Algebra) 3 credits
PHYS 325 - Biophysics 3 credits
PHYS 326 - Astrophysics and Cosmology 3 credits
CHEM 340 - Physical Chemistry-Quantum Chemistry, Lecture and Laboratory 4 credits
PHYS 340 - Quantum Information Science 3 credits
BIOL 345 - Comparative Biomechanics 3 credits
MATH 350 - Differential Equations 3 credits
PHYS 350 - Experimental Methods in Optics 3 credits
PHYS 351 - Philosophy and Foundations of Quantum Mechanics 3 credits
MATH 360 - Probability Theory 3 credits
BCHM 420 - Physical Biochemistry, Lecture and Laboratory 4 credits
CHEM 441 - Physical Chemistry-Thermodynamics and Kinetics, Lecture and Laboratory 4 credits
CHEM 451 - Molecular Spectroscopy 3 credits
MATH 451 - Complex Analysis 3 credits
PHYS 491 - Student-Faculty Research/Creative Activity 1-3 credits
PHYS 499 - Individual Study 1-3 credits

Capstone requirement (2 credits)

PHYS 498 - Physics Capstone 2 credits

total credits 67-68

The PHYS 100 requirement may be waived for students that enter the program with junior or senior status. Students may make the following substitutions for the core sequences, in consultation with their physics program adviser: The life sciences introductory physics sequence PHYS 107 and PHYS 108 may be substituted for PHYS 101 /PHYS 101L and PHYS 102 /PHYS 102L . Similarly, PHYS 207 may be substituted for PHYS 201 . The six-credit sequence CPSC 230 and CPSC 298 may be substituted for the scientific computing sequence PHYS 220 and PHYS 323 by major advisor approval.