Departments & Programs

Physics

Program II: Applied Physics
Required Courses

Students must complete the following course work with a minimum grade of C– in each course and a minimum grade point average of C (2.000) in the courses overall:

  1. At least 35 credit hours of physics, including P221, P222, and P301; upper-level lecture courses P331, P441; laboratory courses P309, P350, and one of P400, P451, or P460. It is recommended that students take two of the latter three courses. Students are strongly encouraged to take the honors sections of P221-P222. General Physics P201-P202 may be substituted for P221-P222 only with permission of the physics advisor.
  2. At least 16 credit hours of mathematics, including M311, M312, and M343, or the honors equivalents. Physics P321 may be substituted for Mathematics M312.
  3. At least 4 credit hours in computer science, including A201 or both A304 and A306. C211 or H211 may be substituted only with permission of the physics advisor.
  4. At least 1 credit hour of internship with industry or at a national laboratory, S407. A second internship is highly recommended. These internships would normally take place during the summers between the sophomore and junior year (1 credit). Placement will be organized through the department in cooperation with the student and the student's faculty mentor.

Recommendations

The following courses are recommended:

  1. Physics P314, P321, P332, P340, P410-P411, P442, P453, P454 for students planning to pursue a graduate degree in applied physics; alternative programs (such as those with more emphasis on electronics, optics, medical physics, biophysics, accelerator physics, or environmental physics) should be discussed with the physics advisor.
  2. Mathematics M301 (or M303), M344, M415, M441-M442.
  3. Business courses chosen with the advice of the physics advisor for those students interested in entrepreneurial and management skills in scientific environments.
  4. Alternative courses from the natural and physical sciences should be discussed with the physics advisor.