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2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog
Physics, B.S.
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Program Description
Degree and major requirements for the B.S. program in physics. Degree and Major Requirements
| Degree Requirements |
Credit Hours |
| General Education 1, 2 |
41 |
| Quantitative requirement (in addition to General Education ) 2 |
3 |
| Scientific Literacy requirement (in addition to General Education ) 2 |
3-4 |
| University electives |
0-23 |
| Major core requirements (listed below) 2 |
40 |
Major program concentration requirements
Total
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24-44
120
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Footnotes
1 The General Education program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. Some requirements may be fulfilled by courses within the major.
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. The quantitative (3 credit hours), scientific literacy (3-4 credit hours) and part of the General Education The Natural World (7 credit hours) requirements are fulfilled with major core courses reducing those three categories by 13-14 credit hours.
Major Requirements
Core Requirements Required Courses: 40 Credit HoursCore requirements for all B.S. physics majors. Concentrations
Each student, in consultation with their faculty advisor, 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: Applied Physics Concentration Required Courses (in addition to core requirements): 20-23 Credit Hours
Choose from the following research courses: 2-6 Credit Hours
At least two credits must come from research courses.1 (All students must take a minimum of 2 credits. Honors students completing the thesis take 6 credits). 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. Alternatively, students could complete their theses over three semesters (spring of junior year, fall and spring of senior year, with two credits of PHYS 499 each semester, for a total of 6 credit hours).
Additional courses approved by the head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy: 9 Credit Hours
Ideally these courses should form a coherent set of courses for the best possible academic experience. See below for some suggestions. Total: 31-38 Credit Hours
Suggested areas of interest to complete the 9 credit hours required (minimum).
To satisfy the requirement of at least 9 additional credit hours approved by the department head, students are strongly encouraged to select their courses from one of the coherent sets of courses to round out their academic experience. Below are suggested areas of interest. Applied Nuclear Physics Courses
Computational Physics Courses
Students pursuing this area of interest should declare a minor in mathematics. Electronics and Instrumentation Courses
Materials Physics Courses
Suggested Minors
Students pursuing the Applied Physics Concentration are encouraged to consider the following minors as being particularly effective at augmenting a degree in physics: Fundamental Studies Concentration
The fundamental studies concentration is designed to prepare students for immediate post-baccalaureate employment or for entrance to advanced study in physics or related areas. Fundamental Studies Concentration Required Courses (in addition to core requirements): 24-25 Credit Hours
Choose among the following electives (if not enrolled in PHYS 499): 3-4 Credit Hours
Choose one of the following research courses: 2-6 Credit Hours
Need a minimum of two credit hours of research from this area.1 (All students must take a minimum of 2 credits. Honors students completing the thesis take 6 credits). 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. Alternatively, students could complete their theses over three semesters (spring of junior year, fall and spring of senior year, with two credits of PHYS 499 each semester, for a total of 6 credit hours). Total: 29-35 Credit Hours
Individual Option Concentration
The individual option is a course of studies chosen specifically to match the interest and career plans of the student. This option will allow custom designed cross disciplinary majors such as chemical physics, as well as majors designed for students whose educational and career goals are not met by the existing concentrations in the major.
A student electing the individual option must complete the core requirements for the B.S. in physics and will select a program consisting of a coherent collection of a minimum of 25 additional credits of physics courses numbered above 270, astronomy courses numbered above 301 and courses in related fields.
This individualized program must be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor in the department, and must be approved by that advisor, the department head and one other faculty member in the department. The student needs to declare this concentration at least three semesters prior to graduation.
The individualized program, as approved by the department and accepted by the student, becomes the major requirements for that student.
Students are expected to review progress toward completion of the selected program of study with their faculty advisor.
Multidisciplinary Concentrations
The multidisciplinary concentrations are designed to provide a solid foundation in physics for students whose interests extend beyond traditional physics fields. The track of secondary education opens doors to the pursuit of graduate degrees in education and other career paths requiring a technical background. The following are also required for all multidisciplinary concentrations: Multidisciplinary Concentration Required Courses: 11-13 Credit Hours
Choose from the following research courses: 2-6 Credit Hours
(All students must take a minimum of 2 credits. Honors students completing the thesis take 6 credits). 1 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 six credit hours. Alternatively, students could complete their theses over three semesters (spring of junior year, fall and spring of senior year, with two credits of PHYS 499 each semester, for a total of 6 credit hours). Total: 13-19 Credit Hours
Multidisciplinary Astrophysics Concentration
Requirements: 14 Credit HoursChoose Among the Following Electives (if not enrolled in PHYS 499) 3-4 Credit Hours
Choose One of the Following Research Courses: 2 - 6 Credit Hours
Need a minimum of two credit hours of research from this area.1 (All students must take a minimum of 2 credits. Honors students completing the thesis take 6 credits).
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. Alternatively, students could complete their theses over three semesters (spring of junior year, fall and spring of senior year, with two credits of PHYS 499 each semester, for a total of 6 credit hours). Total: 23 - 28 Credit Hours
Multidisciplinary Biophysics Concentration
Requirements (in addition to core required courses): 15-23 Credit HoursComplete one of the following options
Total: 28-41 Credit Hours
Multidisciplinary Business Concentration
Requirements (in addition to core required courses): 18 Credit HoursNo more than 27 hours may be taken in the College of Business . Total: 31-37 Credit Hours
Multidisciplinary Geophysics Concentration
Requirements (in addition to core required courses): 21-25 Credit HoursChoose one of the following: 3 Credit Hours
Choose one of the following: 3-4 Credit Hours
At least three credits from a field- or geographic-based course: 3-6 Credit Hours
At least nine credits from the following: 9 Credit Hours
Any other 300- or 400-level geology or physics course (Upon approval from advisor): 3 Credit Hours
Total: 34-44 Credit Hours
Multidisciplinary Secondary Education Concentration
This concentration is designed for students wishing to pursue secondary education teacher licensure in physics. Students in this concentration should also declare the Pre-Professional Secondary Education (SEED) minor . The SEED minor, in conjunction with the bachelor of science degree in physics with a concentration in multidisciplinary secondary education, prepares students to enter the 5th year master’s degree program in education that leads to teacher licensure.
Choose from the following research courses: 2-6 Credit Hours
At least two credits must come from research courses.2 (All students must take a minimum of 2 credits. Honors students completing the thesis take 6 credits). Footnotes
1 MATH 300 and MATH 336 taken together may substitute for MATH 238 .
2 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. Alternatively, students could complete their theses over three semesters (spring of junior year, fall and spring of senior year, with two credits of PHYS 499 each semester, for a total of 6 credit hours).
Total: 24-30 Credit Hours
Multidisciplinary Technical and Scientific Communication (TSC) Concentration
Requirements (in addition to core required courses): 24 Credit HoursChoose Six Credits: 6 Credit Hours
- Physics courses numbered above 300
Choose Six Credits: 6 Credit Hours
Total: 37-43 Credit Hours
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 or CS 149 , and at least eight additional credit hours in physics courses designated by the JMU Department of Physics and Astronomy with a minimum grade average of “B+.” 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 advisor, 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): 5-6 Credit Hours
Recommended Schedule for Majors
Choose one of the following pairs of courses: 6 Credit Hours
Choose one of the following pairs of laboratory courses: 2 Credit Hours
Applied Physics, Multidisciplinary, and Physics and Engineering Combined Program Concentrations
Total: 30-37 Credit Hours
Fundamental Studies Second Year
Total: 32-36 Credit Hours
Individual Option Second Year
Total: 31-37 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 advisor.
Program Total: 120 Credit Hours
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