For information about the B.S. in Physics, M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (an external, 5-year dual degree program with Stevens Institute of Technology), click here.
Unless otherwise noted, 120 credits of coursework is required for the baccalaureate degree with a minimum 2.0 overall GPA, and a minimum 2.0 major GPA.
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Program Requirements Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 32 | |
| World Languages and Cultures Requirements | 3-6 | |
| Major Requirements | 71-75 | |
| Free Electives 1 | 14-7 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
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Graduate Swing Courses will count toward free electives for students in combined (UG/GR) programs.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Physics Required Courses | ||
| PHYS 191 | University Physics I | 4 |
| PHYS 192 | University Physics II | 4 |
| PHYS 198 | Introductory Physics Seminar | 1 |
| PHYS 210 | Intermediate Mechanics | 3 |
| PHYS 220 | Oscillations, Waves, and Optics | 3 |
| PHYS 230 | Intermediate Physics Laboratory | 4 |
| PHYS 300 | Junior/Senior Physics Seminar | 1 |
| PHYS 320 | Statistical and Thermal Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 330 | Advanced Physics Laboratory | 4 |
| PHYS 340 | Electricity and Magnetism | 3 |
| PHYS 360 | Modern Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 464 | Quantum Mechanics | 3 |
| Physics Elective Courses | ||
| Select 9-12 credits from the list below. | 9-12 | |
| Physics Collateral Courses | ||
| CHEM 120 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 121 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| CSIT 104 | Python Programming I | 3 |
| MATH 122 | Calculus I | 4 |
| or AMAT 120 | Applied Calculus A | |
| MATH 221 | Calculus II | 4 |
| or AMAT 220 | Applied Calculus B | |
| MATH 222 | Calculus III | 4 |
| AMAT 350 | Applied Mathematics I | 3-4 |
| or MATH 325 | Ordinary Differential Equation | |
| or PHYS 377 | Mathematical Physics | |
| Total Credits | 71-75 | |
Major Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHYS 180 | Astronomy for Everyone | 4 |
| PHYS 245 | Fundamentals of Electronics | 4 |
| PHYS 280 | Astronomy for Physicists | 4 |
| PHYS 310 | Advanced Mechanics | 3 |
| PHYS 325 | Computational Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 341 | Electronics and Digital Circuits | 4 |
| PHYS 350 | Modern Optics | 4 |
| PHYS 368 | Fluid Mechanics | 3 |
| PHYS 377 | Mathematical Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 380 | Observational Astronomy | 4 |
| PHYS 399 | Special Topics in Physics | 1-4 |
| PHYS 451 | Radiation and Medical Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 461 | General Relativity | 3 |
| PHYS 462 | Nuclear Physics | 4 |
| PHYS 470 | Solid State Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 480 | Astrophysics | 3 |
| PHYS 495 | Research or Independent Study in Physics | 1-4 |
General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A. New Student Seminar | ||
| Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar course. | 1 | |
| C. Communication | ||
| 1. Writing | 3 | |
| 2. Literature | 3 | |
| 3. Communication | 3 | |
| D. Fine and Performing Arts | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course. | 3 | |
| F. Humanities | ||
| 1. Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | |
| 2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | 3 | |
| G. Computer Science | ||
| Python Programming I (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| H. Mathematics | ||
| Fulfilled in the major. | ||
| Applied Calculus A | ||
or MATH 122 | Calculus I | |
| I. Natural Science Laboratory | ||
| University Physics I (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| J. Physical Education | ||
| Complete a 1 credit Physical Education course. | 1 | |
| K. Social Science | ||
| 1. American and European History | 3 | |
| 2. Global Cultural Perspectives | 3 | |
| Course selected must also satisfy the World Cultures requirement. | ||
| 3. Social Science Perspectives | 3 | |
| L. Interdisciplinary Studies | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Interdisciplinary Studies course. | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 32 | |
World Languages and Cultures Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| World Languages | ||
| Based on language placement exam, complete one or two sequential courses in the same language. Requirement is automatically fulfilled by language major courses. | 3-6 | |
| World Cultures | ||
| Requirement may be fulfilled by course selected in General Education - Social Science: Global Cultural Perspectives. Requirement may also be fulfilled by major coursework. See list of courses. | 0-3 | |
| Total Credits | 3-9 | |
Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion
This four-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years. This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (A) New Student Seminar | 1 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (C2) Literature | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (C1) Writing | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (C3) Communication | 3 |
| AMAT 120 or MATH 122 | 4 | AMAT 220 or MATH 221 | 4 |
| CSIT 104 | 3 | PHYS 192 | 4 |
| PHYS 191 | 4 | PHYS 198 | 1 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (K3) Social Science – Social Science Perspectives | 3 | AMAT 350, MATH 325, or PHYS 377 | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (L) Interdisciplinary Studies | 3 | CHEM 121 | 4 |
| CHEM 120 | 4 | PHYS 320 | 3 |
| MATH 222 | 4 | PHYS 340 | 3 |
| PHYS 210 | 3 | ||
| 17 | 13 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (D) Fine and Performing Arts | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (F1) Humanities – Great Works and Their Influences | 3 |
| World Language 1 | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (F2) Humanities – Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | 3 |
| PHYS 220 | 3 | World Language 2 | 3 |
| PHYS 230 | 4 | PHYS 360 | 3 |
| PHYS 300 | 1 | Physics Elective | 3-4 |
| 14 | 15-16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (K1) Social Science – American and European History | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (J) Physical Education | 1 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (K2) Social Science – Global Cultural Perspectives | 3 | Physics Elective | 3-4 |
| PHYS 330 | 4 | Free Electives | 11-8 |
| PHYS 464 | 3 | ||
| Physics Elective | 3-4 | ||
| 16-17 | 15-13 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||