Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics
The Bachelor of Science degree in Physics provides opportunities for preparation for careers in industry and governmental agencies and for graduate study in physics or related fields.
The minimum number of semester credit hours required for this degree, including the Core Curriculum requirements, is 120. Thirty-nine of the total semester credit hours required for the degree must be at the upper-division level.
All majors in physics are required to complete all required and elective physics courses with a grade of “C” or better.
All candidates seeking this degree must fulfill the Core Curriculum requirements and the degree requirements, which are listed below.
All Bachelor of Science degree candidates are required to take a standardized assessment test during the semester of graduation. This test will be used to assess the effectiveness of the Physics Program. There is no “minimum score” required for graduation; merely taking the test satisfies this degree requirement.
Core Curriculum requirements: Students seeking the Bachelor of Science degree in Physics must fulfill University Core Curriculum requirements in the same manner as other students. The courses listed in the table below satisfy both major requirements and Core Curriculum requirements; however, if these courses are taken to satisfy both requirements, then students will need to take additional courses in order to meet the minimum number of semester credit hours required for this degree. For a complete listing of courses that satisfy the Core Curriculum requirements see pages 5–9 of this catalog.
| Core Curriculum Component Area | Courses that Satisfy Core Curriculum and Degree Requirements |
|---|---|
Communications |
English Rhetoric/Composition (6 semester credit hours) |
Mathematics |
Mathematics (3 semester credit hours) |
Natural Sciences |
Science (6 semester credit hours) |
Humanities & Visual and Performing Arts |
Literature (3 semester credit hours) |
Social and Behavioral Sciences |
United States History and Diversity (6 semester credit hours) |
World Society and Issues |
(3 semester credit hours) |
Degree Requirements
- 54 semester credit hours of physics and astronomy courses:
- 45 semester credit hours of required courses completed with a grade of “C” or better:
PHY 1943, 1951 Physics for Scientists I and Laboratory PHY 1963, 1971 Physics for Scientists II and Laboratory PHY 1983, 1991 Physics for Scientists III and Laboratory PHY 3103 Modern Physics PHY 3203 Classical Mechanics I PHY 3293 Thermal Physics PHY 3343 Advanced Physics Laboratory PHY 3423 Electricity and Magnetism PHY 3443 Modern Optics PHY 3513 Electrodynamics PHY 3823 Mathematical Physics I PHY 4263 Quantum Mechanics I PHY 4423 Quantum Mechanics II PHY 4823 Mathematical Physics II
- 9 additional approved semester credit hours selected from the following (a maximum of 6 hours from either
PHY 4911-3 or PHY 4953 may apply to this requirement):
AST 3003 Introduction to Astrophysics PHY 3143 Computer Visualization of Physics PHY 3313 Solid State Physics PHY 3453 Lasers: Theory and Applications PHY 4013 Relativity: Special and General PHY 4033 Cosmology PHY 4133 Numerical Methods for Physicists PHY 4203 Classical Mechanics II PHY 4563 Biophotonics PHY 4833 Molecular Biophysics PHY 4911-3 Independent Study PHY 4953 Special Studies in Physics PHY 4993 Honors Research
- 45 semester credit hours of required courses completed with a grade of “C” or better:
- 33 semester credit hours required in the College of Sciences:
- 27 semester credit hours of required courses (excluding physics):
CHE 1103 General Chemistry I CHE 1113 General Chemistry II CHE 1132 General Chemistry II Laboratory CS 1073 Introductory Computer Programming for Scientific Applications MAT 1214 Calculus I MAT 1223 Calculus II MAT 2213 Calculus III MAT 2233 Linear Algebra MAT 3613 Differential Equations I
- 6 additional approved semester credit hours in the College of Sciences
- 27 semester credit hours of required courses (excluding physics):