Physics, BS

Freshman Year

Sophomore Year

Junior Year

Senior Year

120 credits required for graduation

Curriculum Notes

At the end of the sophomore year 12 hours of electives must include 6 hours in humanities (in two disciplines or in a sequence of foreign language courses) and 6 hours in social sciences (in two disciplines) to fulfill the Board of Regents General Education Requirements. These courses must be at the 100 or 200 level.

The electives must contain a minimum of 12 hours in social sciences and humanities (100 or 200 level) and 3 hours of mathematics or computer science at the 200 level or above. 10 credit hours of military science may also be used as electives.

¹ Fulfills General Education requirement. Students should consult the “General Education Requirements ” section of this catalog for a complete listing of all general education requirements.

² Courses offered alternate years.

Atmospheric Physics

Recommended electives for atmospheric physics include:

• AES 201 Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences Credits: (3-0) 3
• AES 404/504 Atmospheric Thermodynamics Credits: 2 or 3
• *  AES 460/560 Atmospheric Dynamics Credits: (3-0) 3
• *  AES 401/501 Atmospheric Physics Credits: (3-0) 3

Computational Physics

Recommended electives for computational physics include:

• CSC 215 Programming Techniques Credits: (4-0) 4
• CSC 340 Software Engineering and Design Credits: (3-0) 3
• MATH 373 Introduction to Numerical Analysis Credits: (3-0) 3
• MATH 381 Introduction to Probability and Statistics Credits: (3-0) 3
• MATH 443/543 Data Analysis Credits: (3-0) 3
• MATH 447/547 Design of Experiments Credits: (3-0) 3
• MATH 451/551 Math Modeling Credits: (3-0) 3

Engineering Physics

Recommended electives for engineering physics include:

• ME 216 Introduction to Solid Mechanics Credits: (3-0) 3
• ME 221 Dynamics of Mechanisms Credits: (3-0) 3
• MET 231 Structures and Properties of Materials Lab Credits: (0-1) 1
• MET 232 Properties of Materials Credits: (3-0) 3
• *  ME 316 Solid Mechanics Credits: (3-0) 3
• ME 331 Thermo Fluid Dynamics Credits: (3-0) 3

• *

• ME 477 Mechanical Engineering Design I Credits: (0-2) 2
• ME 481L Advanced Production Development Lab I Credits: (0-1) 1
• ME 479 Mechanical Systems Design II Credits: (0-2) 2
• MET 330 Physics of Metals Credits: (3-0) 3
• MET 330L Physics of Metals Lab Credits: (0-1) 1
• EE 220/220L Circuits I/Lab Credits: (3-1) 4
• EE 301/301L Introduction to Circuits, Machines, and Systems/Lab Credits: (3-1) 4
• EE 320/320L Electronics I/Lab Credits: (3-1) 4
• EE 322/322L Electronics II/Lab Credits: (3-1) 4

Medical Physics

Recommended electives for medical physics include:

• BIOL 221 Human Anatomy Credits: (3-0) 3
• BIOL 221L Human Anatomy Lab Credits: (0-1) 1
• MATH 381 Introduction to Probability and Statistics Credits: (3-0) 3
• BIOL 326 Biomedical Physiology Credits: (3-0) 3
• BIOL 326L Biomedical Physiology Lab Credits: (0-1) 1

General Physics

Recommended electives for general physics include:

• PHYS 275 Relativity Credits: (3-0) 3
• PHYS 321 The Physics & Implications of Space Travel Credits: (3-0) 3
• MATH 373 Introduction to Numerical Analysis Credits: (3-0) 3
• MATH 381 Introduction to Probability and Statistics Credits: (3-0) 3
• MATH 382 Probability Theory and Statistics II Credits: (3-0) 3
• PHYS 386/386L Observational Astronomy/Lab Credits: (2-1) 3
• MATH 421 Complex Analysis Credits: (3-0) 3
• MATH 432/532 Partial Differential Equations Credits: (3-0) 3
• MATH 443/543 Data Analysis Credits: (3-0) 3
• MATH 447/547 Design of Experiments Credits: (3-0) 3
• MATH 451/551 Math Modeling Credits: (3-0) 3
• CHEM 114 General Chemistry II Credits: (3-0) 3
• CHEM 342 Physical Chemistry I Credits: 2 to 3
• CHEM 344 Physical Chemistry II Credits: 2 to 3
• CHEM 352 Systematic Inorganic Chemistry Credits: (3-0) 3