Nov 26, 2024  
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Physics, Physics and Engineering Combined Program Concentration, B.S.


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.

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

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

Physics and Engineering Combined Program Cognate Disciplines


Courses in related fields required of all B. S. Physics Majors.

Total: 50 Credit Hours


Includes the Physics Required Introductory, Laboratory, 200 Level and above, as well as Cognate Required Courses. This is the shared core for the overall Physics B. S.

Physics and Engineering Combined Program Concentration


This dual degree program makes it possible for the student to earn a B.S. degree in physics from JMU and a Master of Engineering degree from the University of Virginia. The engineering areas available under this program include biomedical, environmental, transportation, materials science, systems engineering and engineering physics.

During the first three years at JMU, the student must complete 96 credit hours including all JMU General Education  requirements, the physics core requirements, MATH 248. Computers & Numerical Algorithms   and at least eight additional credit hours in physics courses designated by the JMU Department of Physics and Astronomy  with at least a “B+” average. In general, these eight additional hours will be chosen from those recommended for the applied physics concentration, but substitutions may be approved by the program adviser, Dr. Sean Scully. During the fourth year of study (when the student will be in residence at the University of Virginia), the student will take further courses approved by the JMU Department of Physics and Astronomy  for credit toward the Bachelor of Science degree in physics. A total of 24 credit hours of physics or other physics-related courses taken at either school will be required for the JMU Bachelor of Science degree in physics. For further information, consult the head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Additional Upper Level Courses (required for the combined program)


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


Physics and Engineering Combined Program Second Year


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.