Academic Programs Catalog

The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in physics is provided for those students who wish a physics major combined with a broader education in the liberal arts than the Bachelor of Science degree program permits. This degree program is also suitable for those students who plan to meet the requirements for teacher certification.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Physics

1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics.
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Physics major is met by completing one of the clusters of courses referenced in item 3. b. (2) below.
   
   Students who are enrolled in the College of Natural Science may complete the alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences that is described in item 1. under the heading Graduation Requirements in the College statement.  Certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be used to satisfy the alternative track.
2. The requirements of the College of Natural Science for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
   
   The credits earned in certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.
3. The following requirements for the major:

   a.	The following courses outside the Department of Physics and Astronomy (25 or 26 credits):
   	(1)	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   		BS	110	Organisms and Populations			4
   		BS	111	Cells and Molecules			3
   		ENT	205	Pests, Society and Environment			3
   		MMG	205	Allied Health Microbiology			3
   		PLB	105	Plant Biology			3
   		PSL	250	Introductory Physiology			4
   		ZOL	141	Introductory Human Genetics			3
   	(2)	One of the following courses (4 credits):
   		CEM	141	General Chemistry			4
   		CEM	151	General and Descriptive Chemistry			4
   	(3)	All of the following courses (18 credits):
   		CEM	161	Chemistry Laboratory I			1
   		MTH	132	Calculus I			3
   		MTH	133	Calculus II			4
   		MTH	234	Multivariable Calculus			4
   		MTH	235	Differential Equations			3
   		One Mathematics course at the 300 level or above of at least 3 credits.
   b.	The following courses in the Department of Physics and Astronomy (27 to 32 credits):
   	(1)	All of the following courses (8 credits):
   		PHY	191	Physics Laboratory for Scientists, I			1
   		PHY	192	Physics Laboratory for Scientists, II			1
   		PHY	321	Classical Mechanics I			3
   		PHY	410	Thermal and Statistical Physics			3
   	(2)	One of the following clusters of courses (4 to 6 credits):
   		(a)	Thesis cluster:
   			PHY	390	Physics Journal Seminar		1
   			PHY	490	Senior Thesis		3
   		(b)	Lecture course cluster:
   			PHY	491	Atomic, Molecular, and Condensed Matter Physics		3
   			PHY	492	Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics		3
   	(3)	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   		PHY	183	Physics for Scientists and Engineers I			4
   		PHY	183B	Physics for Scientists and Engineers I			4
   		PHY	193H	Honors Physics I—Mechanics			3
   	(4)	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   		PHY	184	Physics for Scientists and Engineers II			4
   		PHY	184B	Physics for Scientists and Engineers II			4
   		PHY	294H	Honors Physics II—Electromagnetism			3
   	(5)	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   		PHY	215	Thermodynamics and Modern Physics			3
   		PHY	215B	Thermodynamics and Modern Physics			3
   	(6)	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   		PHY	431	Optics I			3
   		PHY	440	Electronics			4
   	(7)	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   		PHY	471	Quantum Physics I			3
   		PHY	481	Electricity and Magnetism I			3
   		The completion of Physics 390 and 490 or Physics 491 and 492, fulfills the department's capstone course requirement.