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Courses

Below are listed all the undergraduate courses offered by the Physics Department.  See the Major Checklist or the University Catalog for all the courses required for a Bachelor's of Science degree in Physics, and for a suggested semester-by-semester schedule of when during your undergraduate career to take these courses, please consult the Four Year Plan.

  • PHYS 160. ASTRONOMY OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture.Introduction astronomy for the general student. Primary emphasis on Solar System. Representative topics include: Seasons, phases of the moon, motions of the Earth and planets, history of Earth and Solar System, description of individual planets and their moons, comets, formation of the Solar System, prospects for life in other solar systems. No physics background required.
  • PHYS 170. ASTRONOMY BEYOND THE SOLAR SYSTEM. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Introductory astronomy for the general student. Primary emphasis on the universe beyond the Solar System. Representative topics include: stars, stellar evolution, supernovae, neutron stars, black holes, galaxies, quasars, big bang cosmology. No physics or astronomy background required.
  • PHYS 191-192. SEMINAR I, II. 1 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 0 Hour(s) Lecture.
  • PHYS 201. GENERAL PHYSICS I. 4 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 4 Hour(s) Lecture. Classical and relativistic mechanics, heat, mechanical waves. Prereq: MATH 270 or 272 with grade of C; or better. Coreq: MATH 301.
  • PHYS 202. GENERAL PHYSICS II. 4 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 4 Hour(s) Lecture. Electricity, Magnetism, Optics, Quantum Physics, Waves and Particles, Atomic and Nuclear Physics. Prereq: PHYS 201. Coreq: MATH 302 or 350.
  • PHYS 203. HONORS GENERAL PHYSICS I. 5 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 4 Hour(s) Lecture. Classical and relativistic mechanics, mechanical waves, fluids and heat. Prereq: MATH 270 or 272 with grade of C or better. Coreq: MATH 301 or 309.
  • PHYS 204. HONORS GENERAL PHYSICS II. 5 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 4 Hour(s) Lecture. Electricity and magnetism, light, modern physics. Prereq: PHYS 201 or 203 with grade of C or better. Coreq: MATH 302, 310 or 350.
  • 207. INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICS I. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Prereq: MATH 140, 143, 110 or 210 (or equivalent).
  • 208. INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICS II. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Prereq: PHYS 207.
  • 213. CONCEPTUAL PHYSICS. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Designed to introduce the basic principles of physics to nonphysical science majors. Emphasis will be placed on the development of an appreciation of the goals of physics as well as an understanding of the basic principles of the physical world that the student encounters.
  • PHYS 215. PHYSICS LABORATORY I. 3 Credit(s). 3 Hour(s) Lab. 1 Hour(s) Lecture. Experiments illustrating principles in mechanics, waves, and thermodynamics. Prereq: PHYS 201 or 207.
  • PHYS 216. PHYSICS LABORATORY II. 3 Credit(s). 3 Hour(s) Lab. 1 Hour(s) Lecture. Experiments illustrating principles in electricity, magnetism, optics, and atomic physics. Prereq: PHYS 202 or 208.
  • PHYS 217. INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICS LABORATORY I. 3 Credit(s). 2 Hour(s) Lab. 1 Hour(s) Lecture. Prereq: PHYS 207.
  • PHYS 218. INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICS LABORATORY II. 3 Credit(s). 2 Hour(s) Lab. 1 Hour(s) Lecture. Prereq or Coreq: PHYS 208
  • PHYS 223. PHYSICS LABORATORY FOR ELEMENTARY SCIENCE TEACHERS. 3 Credit(s). 2 Hour(s) Lab. 1 Hour(s) Lecture. Course designed to enhance an individual's understanding of basic physics principles and their relationship to the experiences of the elementary science education student. Prereq or Coreq: PHYS 213.
  • PHYS 291-292. SEMINAR I, II. 1 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 0 Hour(s) Lecture.
  • PHYS 301. GENERAL PHYSICS III. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Modern Physics, Schroedinger theory, one-dimensional wells and barriers. Prereq: PHYS 202.
  • PHYS 311-312. GENERAL PHYSICS LABORATORY III, IV. 3 Credit(s). 3 Hour(s) Lab. 1 Hour(s) Lecture. Prereq: PHYS 216. Coreq PHYS 301.
  • PHYS 315. LABORATORY CIRCUITS AND INSTRUMENTS. 2 Credit(s). 3 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Physics of electronic circuit components and their application in laboratory circuits of interest to scientists. Laboratory work emphasizes construction and evaluation of circuits and the use of test instruments.
  • PHYS 320. PHYSICS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Designed for and limited to the practicing elementary or middle school teacher. Emphasis in this lecture/demonstration course is to offer Course Offerings 351 hands-on experience with apparatus and techniques designed for teaching physics concepts to elementary (6-8 grades) students.
  • PHYS 323. MECHANICS. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Application of scalar and vector fields to problems in classical mechanics and mechanical waves. Prereq: PHYS 202; MATH 302. Coreq: MATH 350.
  • PHYS 324. ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Application of scalar and vector fields to problems in electrostatics, magnetostatics and electromagnetic waves. Prereq: PHYS 323.
  • PHYS 352. OPTICS. 2 Credit(s). 2 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Interference, diffraction, polarization, lasers. Prereq: PHYS 202; MATH 350.
  • PHYS 391,392. SEMINAR I, II. 1 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture each.
  • PHYS 397,398. EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICS I, II. 1 Credit(s). 3 Hour(s) Lab. 0 Hour(s) Lecture each. Emphasis on laboratory techniques and equipment. Includes simple research problems. Prereq: PHYS 216. To enroll in any 400-level course, students must be admitted to the Upper Division; to enroll in a 400(G)-level course in which there are graduate students, students must have junior or higher standing.
  • PHYS 405(G). THERMODYNAMICS. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Development of the laws of classical thermodynamics from the statistical mechanics of atomic systems. Applications of classical thermodynamics and quantum statistical mechanics. Prereq: PHYS 202.
  • PHYS 411(G). COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS LABORATORY. 3 Credit(s). 2 Hour(s) Lab. 2 Hour(s) Lecture. Exploration of advanced problems in physics using multimedia software and utilization of Internet resources. Prereq: PHYS 301, 323.
  • PHYS 420(G). PHYSICAL ACOUSTICS. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Introduction to physical phenomena related to the propagation of acoustic waves through matter. Topics include vibrational motion, plane waves, reflection and refraction at interfaces, spherical waves, absorption of sound, and applications of acoustics. Prereq: PHYS 202 or 208; MATH 302 or permission of instructor.
  • PHYS 423(G). ADVANCED MECHANICS. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Lagrangian and Hamiltonian dynamics of mechanical systems. Prereq: PHYS 323.
  • PHYS 424(G). ADVANCED ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Maxwell's equations, electromagnetic waves, and the Special Theory of Relativity. Prereq: PHYS 324.
  • PHYS 437(G). QUANTUM MECHANICS. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Schroedinger Theory applied to simple and multiparticle systems, perturbation and collision theories. Prereq: PHYS 301; MATH 350.
  • PHYS 440(G). NUCLEAR PHYSICS. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Nuclear properties, models, reactions and instrumentation. Nucleon-nucleon forces, radioactive decay, radiation safety, high energy physics. Prereq: PHYS 202, MATH 350.
  • PHYS 450(G). SOLID STATE PHYSICS. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Crystal structure, crystal diffraction, lattice vibrations, electrons in metals and semiconductors, other physical phenomena in solids. Prereq: PHYS 202, MATH 350.
  • PHYS 460(G). TOPICS IN ADVANCED PHYSICS. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Content varies. Alternate subtitles will appear on transcript. Restr: Permission of instructor required
  • PHYS 471(G). PHYSICS FOR SECONDARY TEACHERS. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Limited to and designed for the practicing secondary science teacher. Emphasis on the further development of the teacher's understanding of physical phenomena and the demonstration techniques of presenting such phenomena.
  • PHYS 472(G). PHYSICS FOR SECONDARY TEACHERS II. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Limited to and designed for the practicing secondary science teacher. Emphasis on the further development of the teacher's understanding of physical phenomena and the demonstration techniques of presenting such phenomena. Prereq. 471(G).
  • PHYS 473(G). PHYSICS FOR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS. 3 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 3 Hour(s) Lecture. Limited to and designed for the practicing elementary teacher. Emphasis in this lecture/demonstration course is on the enhancement of the teacher's understanding of basic physical principles and their relationship to the experiences of typical elementary physics students.
  • PHYS 491,492. SEMINAR I, II. 1 Credit(s). 0 Hour(s) Lab. 0 Hour(s) Lecture each.
  • PHYS 497,498. SENIOR RESEARCH I, II. 2 Credit(s). 6 Hour(s) Lab. 0 Hour(s) Lecture each.