Students who wish to pursue P-12 teacher certification in must apply to and be admitted to the Teacher Education Program. Once admitted, students will be matriculated into the B.A. in Secondary Education program as a second major.
Please visit the Teacher Education Program website for the required professional sequence of courses and other important program requirements, guidelines, and procedures. Students are strongly advised to review the Teacher Education Program Handbook. Students majoring in physics have two teacher certification options to choose from – Physical Science or Physics – and should consult with an advisor to determine which certification program they wish to complete. Physics majors, with some additional chemistry courses, can qualify for Physical Science Teacher Certification. Courses specific to the Physics teacher certification program are listed below.
120 credits of coursework is required for the baccalaureate degree with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA. Major GPA requirements differ depending on field of study. Consult the Teacher Education Program Handbook for more information.Degree Requirements Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| New Student Seminar | 1 | |
| SEEDS General Education Requirements | 21-24 | |
| Major Requirements | 65-67 | |
| Teacher Education Program Requirements | 37 | |
| Total Credits | 124-129 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Physics Core | ||
| 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 Electives | ||
| Complete 3-4 credits from the list below. | 3-4 | |
| Collateral Requirements | ||
| CSIT 104 | Python Programming I | 3 |
| CHEM 120 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 121 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| 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 | 65-67 | |
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 |
Co-Major in Secondary Education
New Student Seminar
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Students in the Adult Learner program must take GNED 100. | ||
| Complete one course from the following. Some courses may be restricted by major. Consult with an academic advisor. | 1 | |
| Pathways to Success | ||
| Freshman Seminar in Chemistry | ||
| First Year Seminar | ||
| Adult Academic Success Seminar | ||
| New Student Seminar | ||
| Freshman Seminar in Health and Physical Education | ||
| Pathways to Adult Learning | ||
| New Student Seminar | ||
| New Student Experience for Mathematical Sciences | ||
| Freshman Seminar for Music Majors | ||
| Introduction to Nursing | ||
| Freshman Seminar in Political Science and Law | ||
SEEDS General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill the SEEDS requirements.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations | ||
| Effective Writing I | ||
| Complete one Effective Writing I course. | 3 | |
| Effective Writing II | ||
| Complete one Effective Writing II course. | 3 | |
| Interactive Communication | ||
| Complete one Interactive Communication course. | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Fulfilled by AMAT 120 or MATH 122 in the major. | ||
| Political and Civic Life | ||
| Fulfilled by SASE 210 in the Teacher Education requirements. | ||
| World Language | ||
| Complete two sequential classes in one World Language when starting at the Beginner I or Beginner II level. Complete one class when starting at the Intermediate/Advanced Level. | 3-6 | |
| Exploration | ||
| Complete one course from four different Exploration categories: | 9 | |
| Analyzing Cultures and Societies | ||
| Creative Expression | ||
| Ethical Inquiry | ||
| Historical Thinking | ||
| Literary and Artistic Analysis | ||
| Scientific Reasoning | ||
| Fulfilled by PHYS 191 in the major. | ||
| Total Credits | 21-24 | |