2024-2025 Catalog

Physics, A.B. Major

Requirements

The program consists of a minimum of 10 major courses and 4 collateral courses:

PHYS 130Relativity, Spacetime and Contemporary Physics

 

PHYS 131Physics I: Mechanics

Or

PHYS 151Accelerated Physics I: Mechanics and Thermodynamics

 

PHYS 133Physics II: Electricity, Magnetism, and Waves

Or

PHYS 152Accelerated Physics II: Electricity, Magnetism, and Optics

 

PHYS 215Introduction to Quantum Physics

PHYS 218Oscillatory and Wave Phenomena

MATH 161Calculus I

MATH 162Calculus II

MATH 263Calculus III

MATH 264Differential Equations with Linear Algebra

PHYS
Five PHYS electives

Nine of the ten Physics courses must be numbered greater than 110

In special circumstances, students who have taken advanced electrical and computer engineering or mechanical engineering courses in electromagnetic theory, electronics, dynamics, or thermodynamics may waive certain of these required courses with approval of the head of the physics department and the Student Affairs Committee.

Advanced courses from other science or engineering departments may be substituted for physics elective courses and up to two required physics courses with the approval of the head of the physics department and the Student Affairs Committee, when doing so will produce a coherent program of physics applied to an interdisciplinary field such as material science, biophysics, geophysics, etc.

 

This page reflects the requirements for completing this major. General graduation requirements for all students can be found here