THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (B.S.) MAJOR IN PHYSICS 36 Credits

This program provides the necessary preparation for entry-level work as a physicist in government or industry. It also prepares students for entry-level work or graduate study in a wide variety of interdisciplinary science and engineering fields including astronomy and astrophysics, computational physics, geophysics, planetary science, electrical engineering, nuclear engineering, etc. Also, the program is highly recommended for any career in which a liberal arts degree with a concentration in physics may be desirable - scientific writing and reporting, criminology, patent law, scientific equipment sales, high-school physics teaching (when combined with the required education courses) - to name just a few. Students should work closely with their advisors in choosing electives to prepare for specific career goals.

Course Requirements: The following Physics courses are required for all majors.

(All of the following:)

• PHY 211 General Physics I (4 credits)
• PHY 212 General Physics II (4 credits)
• PHY 301 Modern Physics (3 credits)
• PHY 302 Modern Physics Laboratory (1 credit)
• PHY 303 Electronics Laboratory (1 credit)
• PHY 331 Physical Optics (3 credits)
• PHY 332 Optics Laboratory (1 credit)
• PHY 471 Classical Mechanics (3 credits)
• PHY 481 Electricity and Magnetism (3 credits)
• PHY 491 Physics Seminar (1 credit)
• PHY 531 Quantum Mechanics (3 credits)
• PHY 541 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (3 credits)

(Advanced Lecture Elective: Choose 3 credits from the following:)

• PHY 351 Physics in Medicine (3 credits)
• PHY 353 Introduction to Biological Physics (3 credits)
• PHY 522 Electric Circuits (3 credits)
• PHY 551 Mathematical Physics (3 credits)
• PHY 552 Computational Physics (3 credits)
• PHY 558 Relativity: The Special and General Theories (3 credits)
• PHY 559 Gravitation and Cosmology (3 credits)
• PHY 561 Nuclear Physics (3 credits)
• PHY 563 High Energy Nuclear Physics (1 credit)
• PHY 571 Solid State Physics (3 credits)
• PHY 587 Laser Physics (3 credits)
• PHY 595 Special Topics (3 credits)
• (Advanced Lab Elective: Choose 3 credits from the following:)
• PHY 497 Directed Independent Research (1-3 credit(s))
• PHY 562 Nuclear Instruments and Methods (2 credits)
• PHY 572 Solid State Laboratory (1 credit)

Requisite Courses: The courses listed above require the calculus sequence MTH 245, 246, 347 (12 credits)

Additional coursework in physics, mathematics, computer science, chemistry, biology, or other sciences is recommended. Choices will depend on the specific career plans and interests of the students.