1998 - 2000 Catalog Archive

Philip B. James, Chairperson
David G. Ellis, Undergraduate Adviser
Scott A. Lee, Undergraduate Adviser

The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers courses of study leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in physics.

Students with a score of 3 on the Physics B test will receive credit for PHYS 2070; students with a score of 4 or 5 on the B test will receive credit for PHYS 2070 and 2080. Students with a score of 4 or 5 on the Physics C Mechanics test will receive credit for PHYS 2130; students with a score of 4 or 5 on the Physics C Electricity and Magnetism test will receive credit for PHYS 2140.

The major in physics consists of a core program that all students must complete and a choice of one concentration with additional requirements as listed below. The core program contains 18 hours of courses from the Mathematics Department: MATH 1850, 1860, 1890, 2850 and 3860, and 19 hours from the Physics Department: PHYS 2130, 2140, 3310, 3320 and 3410. With Department approval, a student may substitute PHYS 2070, 2080 and 2100 for 2130 and 2140.

The College requirement of 18 hours in related courses is met by the mathematics requirement and further requirements listed in the concentrations below.

The student must choose one of the following concentrations:

Physics: CHEM 1280 and PHYS 3180, 4210, 4230, 4310, and either 4580 or 4780. This option is for the student wishing a strong and broad background in fundamental physics. It is particularly recommended for those students planning to continue on to a graduate program in physics. The Department strongly recommends that students also complete PHYS 3610, 4130, 4240 and 4510.

Astrophysics: CHEM 1280, ASTR 4810, 4820 and 4880, and PHYS 4210 and 4230. The Department also recommends completing PHYS 3180, 3610, 4240 and 4310.

Applied Physics: CHEM 1280 and PHYS 3610, 4210, 4230, 4510 and either 4580 or 4780. The Department recommends completing additional 4000-level courses in chemistry, engineering and/or physics, chosen according to the application on consultation with a departmental adviser.

Other concentrations may be designed on consultation with a departmental adviser and must be approved by the Department Chairperson. Such options might include but are not limited to: biophysics, computational physics, geophysics, physics and philosophy, and teaching physics.

While any course that fulfills the requirements of a physics concentration may be used in fulfilling the requirements for the interdepartmental major, the Department recommends that interested students choose the 19 hours in the Physics core. Interested students should meet with a departmental adviser to discuss which courses would be most appropriate.

Minor in Physics or Astrophysics

Students seeking a minor in physics must complete at least 21 hours of course work in physics as follows:

Required for both minors:

PHYS 2130 and 2140 or 2070, 2080 and 2100; 3310 and 3180.

Required for the Physics Minor:

PHYS 3320 and either 4580 or 4780.

Required for the Astrophysics Minor:

ASTR 4810 and 4820.

Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 for all course work in the minor. Candidates for the minor must have their course work verified and approved by a departmental adviser or the Chairperson of the Department prior to making formal application for graduation.

Qualified juniors and seniors may be invited to work for the citation "Honors in Physics and Astronomy."

Admission

The Honors Program in the Department of Physics and Astronomy is open to physics majors and may be taken concurrently with the College Honors. Admission to the program is based upon the student's academic achievement (at least a 3.0 GPA overall; 3.3 GPA in the major), recommendations of previous instructors and an interview with the departmental Honors Officer. A petition for entrance into the program normally should be made before the end of the sophomore year.

Requirements

Inorder to remain in the program and graduate with departmental Honors, the students must maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 3.3 GPA in the major. In addition to the normal requirements for a physics undergraduate major, the student must successfully complete six hours of physics with honors in courses numbered above 3320*, six hours of math at or above the 3000-level and three hours of PHYS 4910. PHYS 4910 is independent research and requires a written thesis and presentation of an oral report upon completion of work. The oral report and written thesis will strongly influence the granting of the Honors citation. *ASTR 4810, 4820 may count toward this requirement.