Degree Requirements
The Bachelor of Science is recommended for those students planning to work in the industry immediately upon graduating, or for those students who wish to pursue graduate studies in physics. Students interested in the secondary education teacher licensure should complete the traditional BS in physics and subsequently enroll in a Master of Arts in teaching program.
The Department of Physics maintains teaching and research laboratories in which students develop measurement and data analysis skills. Seniors will develop individual research projects suited to their interests, although all majors are encouraged to get involved with research projects throughout their program of study. The Department provides experimental research opportunities in the areas of nonlinear optics, nonlinear optical properties of materials and holographic data storage, ultrafast spectroscopy, electro-optical properties and phase transitions of liquid crystal composite materials, studies of the photon yields of scintillating optical fibers, the magneto-optic Kerr effect, and eclipsing binary stars and exoplanet research. Our theoretical group offers research opportunities in optical properties of solids modeling and design ultra-intense lasers, and modeling ultra-intense light-matter interactions. The Department also has physics education research as an area of study. Specifically, studying problem-solving in physics; implementing and developing curriculum that reduces the cognitive load on the learner, and developing reliable and valid assessments.
The Department also maintains a supercomputer cluster used for modeling and computational physics research, a fully automated and remotely controlled state-of-the-art observatory.
Requirements for the Major
While fulfilling University general education requirements, all physics majors are required to complete the following:
Degree Requirements, Bachelor of Science in Physics
- CHEM 131, 135
- CS 145
- MATH 150, 152, 250, 305, 321
- ENG 334
- PHYS 120, 151, 151L, 152, 152L, 201, 201L, 251, 304, 314, 318, 321, 323, 376, 406, 416, 499A, 499B
- IS 364
Elective 1: PHYS 240 or 410
Elective 2: One of the following - PHYS 230, 343, 450, 472, 497
Retention
Students should show satisfactory academic progress to be retained in a degree program. Students may be dropped from the program for any one of the following circumstances:
- GPA of 1.0 or below in any term
- Cumulative GPA below 2.0 in the major at any time
- Withdrawal, incomplete and a combination of failing grades in 50% or more of the courses for which the student is registered during two successive terms
- Any combination of two withdrawals, incompletes or failing grades in any single required course in the major discipline
For readmission, students must meet the same admission requirements as students entering the program for the first time.
General Education Requirements
University general education requirements are outlined in the General Education section of the undergraduate academic catalog and included in the sample curriculum outline.
