Undergraduate Program

Major Requirements

The minimum requirements of the B.S. program include eleven lecture courses (with associated laboratory) in physics of which nine are numbered above 300.

• Among these courses, the following nine are required:
PH 209   PH 210 (or PH 211 and PH 212)
PH 301   PH 303
PH 401   PH 402
PH 407   PH 408
PH 420

• In addition, a physics major must choose at least two elective courses. Courses vary from year to year, but the typical offerings are:
PH 412   PH 425
PH 441   PH 480
PH 515   PH 525
PH 540

• The required laboratory courses are the following:
PH 203-204   PH 409,
and at least one of
PH 430 or PH 532, or PH 535.

• Students planning to take PH 430 need to take an introductory computer programming course such as CS 127.

• PH 532 Senior Thesis is recommended for students planning graduate work in physics, and requires that the student finds a faculty mentor.

• The following mathematics courses are required:
MT 102   MT 103 (or MT 105 with AP credit)
MT 202   MT 305.

• Students entering with Mathematics AP placement are advised to substitute MT 210 Linear Algebra and MT 410 Differential Equations for MT 305.

• The final requirement is two approved courses in a science other than physics, normally CH 109-110 General Chemistry along with the associated laboratories.