Suggested 4-year Plan
- We encourage you to select your General Education (GE) and minor/second major/Themed Inquiry/Honors program around the plan below. Once you fill your GE classes around your major classes, you will have a better idea of space remaining each semester when choosing your Exploration Focus.
- To be enrolled full time, you must take at least 12 credits a semester.
- In order to graduate within 4 years, we recommend you take 30 credits a year.
Year 1
Fall Semester (7 credits for major)
- FFC 100B - First Year Foundations: Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering (3 credits)
- MATH 115 - Accelerated Calculus Part I: Differentiation and Integration (4 credits)*
Spring Semester (9 credits for major)
- PHYS 101 - General Physics I (3 credits)
- PHYS 101L - General Physics I Laboratory (1 credit)
- MATH 116 - Accelerated Calculus Part II: Series, Differential Equations and Multivariable Calculus (4 credits)*
- SCI 150 - Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering I (1 credit)
* The accelerated calculus sequence MATH 115, MATH 116 is recommended for Physics majors, but students may substitute the regular calculus sequence MATH 110, MATH 111, MATH 210 in consultation with their Physics program advisor.
Year 2
Fall Semester (11 credits for major)
- PHYS 102 - General Physics II (3 credits)
- PHYS 102L - General Physics II Laboratory (1 credit)
- SCI 200 - Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering II (1 credit)
- MATH 215 - Introduction to Linear Algebra and Differential Equations (3 credits)
- PHYS 220 - Scientific Computing I (3 credits)
Spring Semester (7 credits for major)
- PHYS 201 - General Physics III (3 credits)
- PHYS 250 - Mathematical Methods in Physics (3 credits)
- SCI 250 - Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering III (1 credit)
Year 3
Fall Semester (9 or 10 credits for major)
- PHYS 320 - Mechanics I (3 credits)
- PHYS 421 - Electricity and Magnetism I (3 credits)
- Elective (3 or 4 credits)*
Spring Semester (9 or 10 credits for major)
- PHYS 321 - Mechanics II (3 credits)
- PHYS 422 - Electricity and Magnetism II (3 credits)
- Elective (3 or 4 credits)*
* Your two electives can be taken in any semester.
Year 4
Fall Semester (6 credits for major)
- PHYS 430 Thermal and Statistical Physics I (3 credits)
- PHYS 451 Quantum Mechanics I (3 credits)
Spring Semester (6 credits for major)
- PHYS 431 Thermal and Statistical Physics II (3 credits)
- PHYS 452 Quantum Mechanics II (3 credits)
Suggested Electives
In consultation with your Physics program adviser, you will design individual elective programs to suit your academic goals. Courses may be selected from the following list:
- MATH 315 - Linear Algebra II (Advanced Linear Algebra) (3 credits)
- PHYS 325 - Biophysics (3 credits)
- PHYS 326 - Cosmology (3 credits)
- CPSC 330 - Digital Logic Design I (3 credits) and CPSC 330L - Lab - Digital Logic Design I (1 credit)
- CHEM 340 - Physical Chemistry-Quantum Chemistry, Lecture and Laboratory (4 credits)
- BIOL 345 - Comparative Biomechanics (3 credits)
- MATH 350 - Differential Equations (3 credits)
- PHYS 350 - Experimental Methods in Optics (3 credits)
- MATH 360 - Probability Theory (3 credits)
- CPSC 366 - Digital Logic Design II (3 credits) and CPSC 366L - Lab - Digital Logic Design II (1 credit)
- PHYS 370 - Special Topics in Physics (½-3 credits)
- BCHM 420 - Physical Biochemistry, Lecture and Laboratory (4 credits)
- CHEM 441 - Physical Chemistry-Thermodynamics and Kinetics, Lecture and Laboratory (4 credits)
- CHEM 451 - Molecular Spectroscopy (3 credits)
- MATH 451 - Complex Analysis (3 credits)
- PHYS 453 - Foundations of Quantum Mechanics (3 credits)
- PHYS 491 - Student-Faculty Research/Creative Activity (1-3 credits)
- PHYS 499 - Individual Study (1-3 credits)
