Undergraduate Physics Major & Pre-Graduate Programs
Physics Department Undergraduate Catalog (.pdf)
School of Science and Engineering Undergraduate Catalog (.pdf)
Physics Major Program
The intention of the liberalized physics major program is to encourage cross-disciplinary preparation for students interested in public interest science or in physics as a preparation for medical or other professional schools. Dual majors are encouraged. Students pursuing a career in physics are advised to follow the “Pre-graduate Training” sequence as described below.
The basic requirements for a physics major are as follows:
- The minimum requirements are seven courses in Physics, four in Mathematics, and an additional four in any Mathematics, Physics, or other Science courses at the two hundred level and above, and approved by the Physics Department.
- Six credits of upper level courses must be chosen from among contemporary topics (235, 236, 321, 327, 447, 607, 608, 621, 625, 627, 630, 675) and six credits from classical topics (363, 374, 423, 465, 601, 602).
- Three credits of Advanced Laboratory 353 are also required.
- Satisfactory completion of one semester of Seminar 380 is required for degree certification (one credit).
- At least 13 credits (four courses) of mathematics are required including MATH 221 or one of MATH 224 or 424, or both MATH 221 and MATH 224/424. No more than two of the four mathematics courses may be at the 100 level.
- Twelve additional credits above the 100 level of physics, chemistry, biology, geology or mathematics must be selected with the approval of the major advisor. This approval will normally be given only for courses that have disciplinary prerequisites at the 100 level.
- It is recommended that a course in computer science be taken early in a student’s undergraduate career.
Students are encouraged to consider a bachelor of science in physics as preparation for graduate study in disciplinary and interdisciplinary sciences (physics, astrophysics, biophysics, chemistry, neuroscience, materials science, geophysics, meteorology, oceanography, and applied physics), for professional study in medicine, in patent law, or in engineering, and for careers in environmental science, in mathematical or computer modeling, in science writing, or in science and public policy.
Within the requirements above, programs can be tailored to suit the needs of students who elect these career options. In addition, we have a 4+1 program that allows students to obtain a Master’s Degree in five years, by enabling them to take graduate level courses as an undergraduate.
Physics Pre-Graduate Training
The student who intends to continue graduate work in physics should complete at least 32 credits in physics including general physics, 363, 374, 423, 447, 465. Students are encouraged to undertake a research project and write a senior honors thesis under the supervision of a physics faculty member. The student should also take Mathematics 347 or its equivalent. Other recommended mathematics courses include 305, 309, 406, 421, and 430. Courses in scientific computing, e.g., Mathematics 331 are also recommended.