Oct 11, 2024  
2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Physics, Applied Physics Concentration, B.S.


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Physics Degree and Major Requirements, B.S.


Degree and major requirements for the B.S. program in physics.

Degree Requirements


Required Courses


  • General Education  41 Credit Hours 1
  • Quantitative requirement (in addition to General Education ) 3 Credit Hours
  • Scientific Literacy requirement (in addition to General Education ) 3-4 Credit Hours
  • University electives 0-19 Credit Hours
  • Major core requirements (listed below) 50 Credit Hours 2
  • Major program concentration requirements 13-36 Credit Hours
Total: 120 Credit Hours

Footnotes

1 The General Education  program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. The number of credit hours necessary to fulfill these requirements may vary.

2 Some major core courses simultaneously satisfy degree and some General Education  requirements so that a student need not take more than 120 credit hours to satisfy graduation requirements.

Major Core Requirements


Shared Core Requirements for All B. S. Physics Majors.

Program Concentrations


Each student, in consultation with his/her faculty adviser, will choose one of the following program concentrations.

Applied Physics Concentration


The applied physics concentration is designed to prepare students for careers in a wide variety of scientific areas including laboratory and industrial settings. Students are strongly encouraged to complete at least one of six areas of interest for completion of degree requirements: applied nuclear physics, computational physics, materials physics, electronics and instrumentation, geophysics and biophysics.

All students in the applied physics concentration must complete the following courses:

Required Courses (in addition to core requirements)


Additional courses approved by the head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy: 9 Credit Hours

Choose one of the following: 2-6 Credit Hours

Total: 13-17 Credit Hours

Footnote

1 Students completing honors theses should take PHYS 499  in both the fall and spring semesters of their senior year for a total of 6 credit hours.

Suggested Areas of Interest


To satisfy the requirement of at least 9 additional credit hours approved by the department head, students are strongly encouraged to pursue a coherent set of courses to round out their academic experience. Below are suggested areas of interest.

Computational Physics Courses

Students pursuing this area of interest should declare a minor in mathematics.​

Geophysics Courses

Choose one of the following: 3-4 Credit Hours

At least three credits from the following: 3-4 Credit hours

Total: 24-26 Credit Hours

Students pursuing the Applied Physics Concentration are encouraged to consider the following minors as being particularly effective at augmenting a degree in physics:


Recommended Schedule for Physics Majors, B.S.


Choose one of the following pair of courses: 6 Credit Hours


Introductory Physics Courses for Majors.

Choose one of the following pair of laboratory courses: 2 Credit Hours


The corresponding laboratory courses associated with either PHYS 240/PHYS 250 or PHYS 140/PHYS 150.

Total: 34-37 Credit Hours


Total: 31-35 Credit Hours


Third and Fourth Years


During their junior and senior years, students will select courses to complete the specific program concentration which they are following. These course selections will be made with the assistance of a faculty adviser.

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