Physics Curriculum (PDF)
Curriculum for B.S. Degree in Physics
Freshman Year
| First Semester |
R
|
L
|
C
|
Second Semester |
R
|
L
|
C
|
|||
| PHY 109 | Freshman Seminar |
2
|
0
|
2
|
PHY 111 | Physics for Sci. & Eng. I [1] |
3½
|
1½
|
4
|
|
| MTH 113 | Calc. Applied Sci. & Eng. I [2] |
4
|
0
|
4
|
MTH 114 | Calc. Applied Sci. & Eng. II [2] |
4
|
0
|
4
|
|
| EGR 101 | Intro. Engineering App. Sci. I |
1
|
3
|
2
|
EGR 102 | Intro. Engineering App. Sci. II |
1½
|
1½
|
2
|
|
| ENL 101 | Critical Writing & Reading I |
3
|
0
|
3
|
ENL 102 | Critical Writing & Reading II |
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
| CIS115 | Computer Programming With C [3,4] |
3
|
0
|
3
|
General Education Elective [5] |
3
|
0
|
3
|
||
|
14
|
16
|
|||||||||
Sophmore Year
| First Semester |
R
|
L
|
C
|
Second Semester |
R
|
L
|
C
|
|||
| PHY 112 | Physics for Sci. & Eng. II [1] |
3½
|
1½
|
4
|
PHY 213 | Applied Modern Physics |
4
|
0
|
3
|
|
| PHY 115 | Introduction to Classical Physics [6] |
4
|
0
|
3
|
PHY 234 | Intermediate Math. Physics |
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
| PHY 225 | Intro. Experimental Physics I |
1
|
3
|
2
|
PHY 227 | Intro. Experimental Physics II |
0
|
3
|
1
|
|
| MTH 213 | Calc. Applied Sci. & Eng. III [2] |
4
|
0
|
4
|
MTH 212 | Diff. Equations (Recommended) |
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
| ENL 266 | Technical Communications [7] |
3
|
0
|
3
|
General Education Elective [5] |
3
|
0
|
3
|
||
| General Education Elective [5] |
3
|
0
|
3
|
|||||||
|
16
|
16
|
|||||||||
Junior Year
| First Semester |
R
|
L
|
C
|
Second Semester |
R
|
L
|
C
|
|||
| PHY 341 | Modern Phy. and Quant. Mech. I |
4
|
0
|
3
|
PHY 342 | Modern Phy. and Quant. Mech. II |
4
|
0
|
3
|
|
| PHY 313 | Mechanics |
3
|
0
|
3
|
PHY 411 | Electric and Magnetic Fields I |
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
| PHY 441 | Statistical Thermodynamics |
3
|
0
|
3
|
PHY 322 | Elec. Devices & Circuits II [8] |
2
|
2
|
3
|
|
| Science Elective [9] |
3
|
0
|
3
|
Science Elective [9] |
3
|
0
|
3
|
|||
| General Education Elective [5] |
3
|
0
|
3
|
Free Elective |
3
|
0
|
3
|
|||
|
15
|
15
|
|||||||||
Senior Year
| First Semester |
R
|
L
|
C
|
Second Semester |
R
|
L
|
C
|
|||
| PHY 442 | Elements of Solid State Physics |
3
|
0
|
3
|
PHY 421[8] | Advanced Laboratory |
0
|
6
|
3
|
|
| PHY | Physics Elective (200+ Level) |
3
|
0
|
3
|
PHY | Physics Elective (300+ Level) |
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
| Free Elective |
3
|
0
|
3
|
PHY | Physics Elective (300+ Level) |
3
|
0
|
3
|
||
| Free Elective |
3
|
0
|
3
|
Free Elective |
2
|
0
|
2
|
|||
| General Education Elective [5] |
3
|
0
|
3
|
General Education Elective [5] |
3
|
0
|
3
|
|||
|
15
|
15
|
|||||||||
| TOTAL CREDITS = 122 |
R = Recitation + Lecture (hours)
|
L = Laboratory (hours)
|
C = Number of Credits
|
To graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, a minimum of 120 university credits are required. Of these, 45 credits must be approved Physics courses, and 30 credits must be at the 300-level or higher. A 2.000 cumulative GPA for all courses as well as a 2.000 cumulative GPA for approved Physics courses is required to graduate. Approved Physics courses include all PHY courses at the 300-level or higher, together with PHY courses 109, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 213, 225, 227, 234, 252 and 271.
- [1] The non IMPULSE courses PHY113 & PHY114 can substitute for PHY111 & PHY112 respectively
- [2] The non IMPULSE courses MTH111& MTH112 & MTH211 can substitute for MTH113 & MTH114 & MTH213 respectively
- [3] The courses CIS180 and ECE160 also satisfy this requirement. Other courses may be substituted with approval of the faculty advisor. .
- [4] This course meets the General Education Area I (Tier II) requirement: Information and Computer Literacy.
- [5] Students must complete 18 credits which satisfy the University's General Education requirements(Areas C,D,E, &G)
- [6] This course satisfies the General Area O requirement (Oral Communication)
- [7] This course satisfies the General Area W requirement (Written Communication)
- [8] A minimum of 6 credits of advancd lab courses is required. Other courses may be substituted with approval from the faculty advisor.
- [9] Students must complete 6 credits in a second science, mathematics, or engineering. Courses from one of BIO, CHM, CIS, CEN, ECE, MNE, MTH or Astrophysics (PHY252 & PHY363) which satisfy the major requirement for the respective department may be selected. The courses must be approved by the faculty advisor.
Curriculum for B.S. Degree in Physics – Astronomy/Astrophysics Option
Freshman Year
|
First Semester |
|
|
C |
Second Semester |
|
|
C |
||
|
PHY 109 |
Freshman Seminar |
|
|
2 |
PHY 111 |
Physics for Sci. & Eng. I [1] |
|
|
4 |
|
MTH 113 |
Calc. Applied Sci. & Eng. I [2] |
|
|
4 |
MTH 114 |
Calc. Applied Sci. & Eng. II [2] |
|
|
4 |
|
EGR 101 |
Intro. Eng. & Applied Sci. I |
|
|
2 |
EGR 102 |
Intro. Eng. & Applied Sci. II |
|
|
2 |
|
ENL 101 |
Critical Writing & Reading I |
|
|
3 |
ENL 102 |
Critical Writing & Reading II |
|
|
3 |
|
CIS 115 |
Computer Programming with C [3][4] |
|
|
3 |
|
General Education Elective [5] |
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
|
|
16 |
Sophomore Year
|
First Semester |
|
|
C |
Second Semester |
|
|
C |
||
|
PHY 112 |
Physics for Sci. & Eng. II [1] |
|
|
4 |
PHY 213 |
Applied Modern Physics |
|
|
3 |
|
PHY 115 |
Intro. to Classical Phys. [6] |
|
|
3 |
PHY 234 |
Intermediate Math. Physics |
|
|
3 |
|
PHY 225 |
Intro. Experimental Phys. I |
|
|
2 |
PHY 227 |
Intro. Experimental Phys. I |
|
|
1 |
|
MTH 213 |
Calc. Applied Sci. & Eng. III [2] |
|
|
4 |
MTH 212 |
Diff. Eq. (recommended) |
|
|
3 |
|
ENL 266 |
Technical Communications [7] |
|
|
3 |
|
General Education Elective [5] |
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
General Education Elective [5] |
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
|
|
16 |
Junior Year
|
First Semester |
|
|
C |
Second Semester |
|
|
C |
||
|
PHY 341 |
Mod. Phys. & Quantum Mech I |
|
|
3 |
PHY 342 |
Mod. Phys. & Quantum Mech II |
|
|
3 |
|
PHY 313 |
Mechanics |
|
|
3 |
PHY 411 |
Electric & Magnetic Fields I |
|
|
3 |
|
PHY 441 |
Statistical Thermodynamics |
|
|
3 |
PHY 322 |
Elec. Devices & Circuits II [8] |
|
|
3 |
|
PHY 252 |
Elementary Astrophysics [9] |
|
|
3 |
PHY 363 |
Intermediate Astrophysics [9] |
|
|
3 |
|
|
General Education Elective [5] |
|
|
3 |
|
Free Elective |
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
15 |
|
|
|
|
15 |
Senior Year
|
First Semester |
|
|
C |
Second Semester |
|
|
C |
||
|
PHY 442 |
Solid State Physics |
|
|
3 |
PHY 421 |
Advanced Laboratory [8] |
|
|
3 |
|
PHY |
Advanced Astrophysics [10] |
|
|
3 |
PHY 480 |
Astro. Project (optional) |
|
|
3 |
|
|
Free Elective |
|
|
3 |
PHY |
Physics Elective (300+ level) |
|
|
3 |
|
|
Free Elective |
|
|
3 |
|
Free Elective |
|
|
3 |
|
|
General Education Elective [5] |
|
|
3 |
|
General Education Elective [5] |
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
15 |
|
|
|
|
15 |
| TOTAL CREDITS = 122 |
C = Number of Credits
|
[1] The non-IMPULSE courses PHY 113 & PHY 114 can substitute for PHY 111 & PHY 112 respectively
[2] The non-IMPULSE courses MTH 111, MTH 112 & MTH 211 can substitute for MTH 113, MTH 114 & MTH 213 respectively
[3] The courses CIS 180 and ECE 160 also satisfy this requirement. Other courses may be substituted with approval of faculty advisor
[4] This course meets the General Education Area I (Tier II) requirement: Information and Computer Literacy.
[5] Students must complete sufficient credits to satisfy the University’s General Education requirements (Areas C, D, E & G).
[6] This course satisfies the General Education Area O requirement (Oral communication).
[7] This course satisfies the General Education Area W requirement (Written communication).
[8] A minimum of 6 credits of advanced lab. courses is required. Other courses may be substituted with approval of faculty advisor.
[9] Students must complete 6 credits in a second science mathematics or engineering. Courses from one of BIO, CHM, CIS, ECE, MNE, MTH or Astrophysics (PHY 252 & PHY 363) which satisfy the major requirement for the respective department may be selected. The courses must be approved by the faculty advisor.
[10] At least one of the following options, depending on availability: (i) another upper-level astrophysics course, such as PHY 510; (ii) astronomy observing methods course, such as PHY 421 (when offered in the astronomy mode), or the equivalent independent-study under the supervision of a faculty member; or (iii) semester research project in astronomy/astrophysics under the supervision of a faculty member.
