Physics (BA)

Physics BA BS

Departmental Admission Requirements

There are no specific admission requirements for this degree plan.

The Change Major Request form can be found under the Academic Progress tile on ULink.

General Education Requirements

General Education Requirements 131
The following courses are required by the program and can be taken to fulfill the respective General Education Requirement:
Calculus I - QR
Introductory Mechanics, Heat and Sound - S
Introductory Laboratories I - SL
Any three credit hour Natural Science Gen Ed - S (excluding PHYS 221, PHYS 222, PHYS 223, and PHYS 224) at the 200 level or above
Minimum Total Hours31

All degrees require the completion of the University-wide General Education Program (link provided above).  Some General Education requirements may be met in the requirements for the major or supporting coursework, in which case additional electives may be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

College/School Requirements

Arts & Sciences Requirements
GEN 100Student Success Center First Year Experience1
or GEN 101 Arts & Sciences First Year Experience
Foreign Language 212
Electives in Humanities or Social Sciences 39
WR—two approved courses at the 300 level or above 4
Minimum Total Hours22

Program/Major Requirements

Department of Physics
PHYS 275Introduction to Scientific Computing and Data Analysis3
PHYS 295Introductory Laboratories I - SL1
PHYS 296Introductory Laboratories II - SL1
PHYS 298Introductory Mechanics, Heat and Sound - S4
PHYS 299Introductory Electricity, Magnetism and Light4
PHYS 300Introductory Modern Physics3
PHYS 301Introductory Modern Physics Laboratory1
PHYS 350Differential Equations for the Physical Sciences4
Select one of the following courses:3
Practicum in Physics Education - CUE
Senior Seminar in Physics - CUE, WR
Senior Thesis in Physics - WR, CUE
Undergraduate Research - CUE
Cooperative Internship in Physics - CUE
PHYS electives at the 300 level or above6
Select one of the following courses:3
Mechanics
Thermal Physics
Electromagnetic Fields
Minimum Total Hours33
Supporting Courses
MATH 205Calculus I - QR4
MATH 206Calculus II4
Select one from the following courses:3-4
Calculus III
Statistical Data Analysis - WR
Intermediate Scientific Computing and Data Analysis
STEM Electives (excluding PHYS 221, PHYS 222, PHYS 223, and PHYS 224) at the 200 level or above 512
STEM Electives at the 300 level or above 56
General Electives at the 200 level or above6
Minimum Total Hours35-36
Minimum Hours Required for Degree121-122

At least 50 of the total minimum hours required must be at the 300 level or above. 

Culminating Undergraduate Experience (Graduation requirement)
Requirement fulfilled by completing one of the following:
Practicum in Physics Education - CUE
Senior Seminar in Physics - CUE, WR
Senior Thesis in Physics - WR, CUE
Undergraduate Research - CUE
Cooperative Internship in Physics - CUE
1

Ten credit hours from the General Education Requirements may be satisfied by courses defined by the program, in which case additional electives will be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree. 

2

Completion of the intermediate level of a single foreign language.

3

In addition to courses counted toward General Education, 6 hours must be at the 300 level or above.

4

May be incorporated into other degree requirements. 

5

STEM electives refer to courses from Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Engineering & CSE. Classes that meet the 12 hours for STEM electives at the 200+ level: CHEM 201, CHEM 202, CHEM 207, CHEM 208, CHEM 209, BIOL 240, BIOL 241, BIOL 242, and BIOL 243. Additional classes that meet the 6 hours for STEM electives at the 300+ level: CHEM 341, CHEM 342, CHEM 445, BIOL 540, and BIOL 329.

General Flight Plan

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallHours
GEN 100
Student Success Center First Year Experience
or Arts & Sciences First Year Experience
1
ENGL 101 Introduction to College Writing - WC 3
MATH 205 Calculus I - QR 4
PHYS 295 Introductory Laboratories I - SL 1
PHYS 298 Introductory Mechanics, Heat and Sound - S 4
General Education: Cardinal Core Oral Communication - OC 3
 Hours16
Spring
ENGL 102 Intermediate College Writing - WC 3
MATH 206 Calculus II 4
PHYS 296 Introductory Laboratories II - SL 1
PHYS 299 Introductory Electricity, Magnetism and Light 4
Elective in the Humanities or Social Sciences 3
 Hours15
Year 2
Fall
PHYS 275 Introduction to Scientific Computing and Data Analysis 3
General Education: Cardinal Natural Sciences - S 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanitites - AH 3
Foreign Language 1 4
300+ Elective 3
 Hours16
Spring
PHYS 300 Introductory Modern Physics 3
PHYS 301 Introductory Modern Physics Laboratory 1
200+ STEM Elective 3
200+ STEM Elective 3
Foreign Language 2 4
 Hours14
Year 3
Fall
PHYS 350 Differential Equations for the Physical Sciences 4
Foreign Language 3 4
General Education: Cardinal Core Social & Behavioral Sciences Historical Perspective - SBH 3
200+ STEM Elective 3
200+ STEM Elective 3
 Hours17
Spring
PHYS 375
Intermediate Scientific Computing and Data Analysis
or Calculus III
or Statistical Data Analysis - WR
3
PHYS 460 Mechanics 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanities Global Diversity - AHD2 3
Humanities or Social Science WR Elective (300 level or above) 3
Foreign Language 4 (if needed) or 300+ Elective 3
 Hours15
Year 4
Fall
Select one of the following courses: 3
Practicum in Physics Education - CUE
Senior Seminar in Physics - CUE, WR
Senior Thesis in Physics - WR, CUE
Undergraduate Research - CUE
Cooperative Internship in Physics - CUE
PHYS 300+ elective 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Social & Behavioral Sciences US Diversity - SBD1 3
300+ General Elective 3
300+ STEM Elective 3
 Hours15
Spring
PHYS 300+ elective 3
Humanities or Social Science WR Elective (300 level or above) 3
300+ Elective 3
300+ Elective 3
300+ Elective 3
 Hours15
 Minimum Total Hours123

Pre-Med Flight Plan

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallHours
GEN 100
Student Success Center First Year Experience
or Arts & Sciences First Year Experience
1
ENGL 101 Introduction to College Writing - WC 3
MATH 205 Calculus I - QR 4
PHYS 298 Introductory Mechanics, Heat and Sound - S 4
PHYS 295 Introductory Laboratories I - SL 1
General Education: Cardinal Core Oral Communication - OC 3
 Hours16
Spring
MATH 206 Calculus II 4
PHYS 299 Introductory Electricity, Magnetism and Light 4
PHYS 296 Introductory Laboratories II - SL 1
CHEM 201 General Chemistry I - S 3
CHEM 207 Introduction to Chemical Analysis I - SL 1
CHEM 208 Introduction to Chemical Analysis II - SL 1
ENGL 102 Intermediate College Writing - WC 3
 Hours17
Year 2
Fall
PHYS 275 Introduction to Scientific Computing and Data Analysis 3
CHEM 202 General Chemistry II - S 3
CHEM 209 Introduction to Chemical Analysis III 1
BIOL 240 Unity of Life - S 3
BIOL 241 Unity of Life Lab - SL 1
Foreign Language 1 4
 Hours15
Spring
PHYS 300 Introductory Modern Physics 3
PHYS 301 Introductory Modern Physics Laboratory 1
CHEM 341 Organic Chemistry I 3
BIOL 242 Diversity of Life - S 3
BIOL 243 Diversity of Life Lab - SL 1
Foreign Language 2 4
 Hours15
Year 3
Fall
PHYS 350 Differential Equations for the Physical Sciences 4
CHEM 342 Organic Chemistry II 3
BIOL 329 Cellular and Molecular Biology 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanitites - AH 3
Foreign Language 3 4
 Hours17
Spring
PHYS 460 Mechanics 3
PHYS 375 Intermediate Scientific Computing and Data Analysis 3
CHEM 445
Survey of Biochemistry
or Metabolic Biochemistry
3
General Education: Cardinal Core Social & Behavioral Sciences Historical Perspective - SBH 3
Foreign Language 4 (if needed) or General Elective 3
 Hours15
Year 4
Fall
Select one of the following courses: 3
Practicum in Physics Education - CUE
Senior Seminar in Physics - CUE, WR
Senior Thesis in Physics - WR, CUE
Undergraduate Research - CUE
Cooperative Internship in Physics - CUE
PHYS 300+ elective 3
Humanities or Social Science WR Elective (300 level or above) 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Social & Behavioral Sciences US Diversity - SBD1 3
General Elective 3
 Hours15
Spring
PHYS 300+ elective 3
Humanities or Social Science WR Elective (300 level or above) 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanities Global Diversity - AHD2 3
Humanities or Social Science Elective 3
 Hours12
 Minimum Total Hours122

The Flight Plan outlined above is intended to demonstrate one possible path to completing the degree within four years.  Course selection and placement within the program may vary depending on course offerings and schedule, elective preferences, and other factors (study abroad, internship availability, etc.). Please consult your advisor for additional information about building a flight plan that works for you.

Degree Audit Report
Degree Audit reports illustrate how your completed courses fulfill the requirements of your academic plan, and which requirements are still outstanding. Degree audits also take transfer credits and test credits into account. "What-if" reports allow you to compare the courses you have completed in your current academic plan to the courses required in another academic plan.  Should you have questions about either report, please consult with your academic advisor.

Flight Planner
The Flight Planner tool is available for you to create a personalized Flight Plan to graduation.  Advisors have access to review your Flight Planner and can help you adjust it to ensure you remain on track to graduate in a timely manner.

To create these reports:

  1. Log into your ULink account.
  2. Click on the Academic Progress tile.
  3. Select the appropriate report.
    1. To run a Degree Audit report, click on "View my Degree Audit."
    2. To create a What-if report, click on "Create a What-if Advisement Report."
    3. To run a Flight Planner report, click on "Use My Flight Planner."

Click here to run a Degree Audit report, create a What-if report, or run a Flight Planner report.