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Physics

BACHELOR DEGREE (B.S. or B.A.)

 

Program Prerequisite

Not required for Physics or Applied Physics. Physics Teaching majors must meet the Teacher Education admission and certification requirements (see Teacher Education Department).

 

Minor

 

No minor is required; however a math minor may be satisfied with one additional upper division math course beyond the minimum required for the Physics major.

 

Grade Requirements

 

An overall GPA of 2.00 is required for Physics and Applied Physics majors. Physics Teaching majors must achieve an overall GPA of 3.00 for admission to the Teacher Education program. Also refer to the general grade requirements for graduation under General Requirements.

 

Credit Hour Requirements

 

A total of 120 semester credit hours is required for graduation -- 75 of these are required within the Physics major, 72 within the Applied Physics Major, and 43 hours are required within the Physics Teaching major, plus the credits required by the Teacher Education department. Forty upper-division credit hours are required (courses numbered 3000 and above) -- 31 of these are required within the Physics major, 26 to 31 within the Applied Physics major, and 12 upper-division physics hours within the Physics Teaching major.

Advisement

All Physics majors are strongly encouraged to meet with the chair at least annually for course and program advisement. Call 801-626-6163 for more information or to schedule an appointment. Physics Teaching majors are encouraged to also meet with a Jerry and Vickie Moyes College of Education advisor (call 801-626-6269).  (Also refer to the Department Advisor Referral List.)

Admissions Requirements

Declare your program of study. There are no special admission or application requirements for the Physics and Applied Physics majors. Teaching majors must meet the Teacher Education admission and certification requirements (see Teacher Education Department).

General Education

Refer to General Requirements for specific requirements. The following courses required for the Physics and Applied Physics majors will satisfy general education requirements: Phys PS/SI2210, Chem PS/SI1210 and Math SI1210. The following courses required for the Physics Teaching Major will satisfy general education requirements: Phys PS/SI1010, PS1030, PS/SI2210, and Math1210.

Course Requirements for B.S. or B.A. Degree

Physics Courses Required (41 credit hours)

• Phys PS/SI2210/SI2220 Physics for Scientists & Engineers (10)
• Phys 2300 Scientific Computing with C++ and Fortran (3)
• Phys 2710 Introductory Modern Physics (3)
• Phys 3180 Thermal Physics (3)
• Phys 3410 Electronics for Scientists (4)
• Phys 3500 Analytical Mechanics (3)
• Phys 3510 Electromagnetic Theory (3)
• Phys 3540 Mech. & Electromagnetic Waves (3)
• Phys 3640 Advanced Physics Lab (2)
• Phys 4610 Quantum Mechanics (3)
• Phys 4620 Atomic, Nuclear, & Particle Physics (3)
• Phys 4990 Seminar in Physics (1)

Physics Electives (3 credit hours)

• Phys 3160 Astrophysics (3)
• Phys 3190 Applied Optics (3)
• Phys 3200 Solid State Physics (3)
• Phys 3300 Computational Physics (3)
• Phys 3420 Data Acquisition and Analysis (3)
• Phys 4800 Individual Research Problems (1-3)
• Phys 4830* Readings in Physics (1-3)
  * as approved by instructor
• Phys 4970 Senior Thesis (2)

Support Courses Required (31 credit hours)

• Chem PS/SI1210/SI1220 Principles of Chemistry (10)
• Math SI1210 Calculus I (4)
• Math SI1220 Calculus II (4)
• Math 2210 Calculus III (4)
• Math 2270 Elementary Linear Algebra (3)
• Math 2280 Ordinary Differential Equations (3)
• Math 3710 Boundary Value Problems (3)

Suggested Course Sequence

The following suggested course sequences are provided to assist students in planning their schedules. Use this only as a guideline and be sure to consult with an advisor.