• Concentrations and course offerings may vary by campus and/or by program modality.  Please consult with your advisor or admissions coach for the course availability each term at your campus or within your program modality. 
  • Certain options within the program may be required at certain campuses or for certain program modalities.  Please consult with your advisor or admissions coach for requirements at your campus or for your program modality. 

Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.

Universitywide Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.

NUpath Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.

Applied Physics Major Requirements

Introductory Physics
Physics 1
Complete one of the following:5
PHYS 1151
and PHYS 1152
and PHYS 1153
Physics for Engineering 1
and Lab for PHYS 1151
and Interactive Learning Seminar for PHYS 1151
PHYS 1161
and PHYS 1162
Physics 1
and Lab for PHYS 1161
PHYS 1191
and PHYS 1192
Foundations of Theoretical Physics
and Lab for PHYS 1191
Physics 2
Complete one of the following:5
PHYS 1155
and PHYS 1156
and PHYS 1157
Physics for Engineering 2
and Lab for PHYS 1155
and Interactive Learning Seminar for PHYS 1155
PHYS 1165
and PHYS 1166
Physics 2
and Lab for PHYS 1165
Intermediate Physics
PHYS 2303Modern Physics4
PHYS 2371
and PHYS 2372		Electronics
and Lab for PHYS 2371		4
Advanced Physics
PHYS 3600Advanced Physics Laboratory4
PHYS 3602Electricity and Magnetism 14
PHYS 3603Electricity and Magnetism 24
PHYS 4305Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics4
Advanced Physics Electives
Complete three of the following:12
MATH 4606
Mathematical and Computational Methods for Physics
PHYS 3601
Classical Dynamics
PHYS 4115
Quantum Mechanics
PHYS 4621
Biological Physics 1
PHYS 4623
Medical Physics
PHYS 4651
Medical Physics Seminar 1
PHYS 4652
Medical Physics Seminar 2
PHYS 5113
Particle Physics
PHYS 5116
Network Science 1
PHYS 5117
Advanced Astrophysics Topics
PHYS 5118
General Relativity and Cosmology
PHYS 5125
Advanced Quantum Mechanics
PHYS 5260
Introduction to Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
Experiential Learning
Note: The experiential learning requirement is waived following a student presentation connected with a co-op and/or research experience. The requirement is often fulfilled by a talk at a Society of Physics Students meeting but can be fulfilled by an adequately documented presentation at a professional meeting or at an appropriate campus event. Contact your faculty advisor for additional information.
PHYS 4996Experiential Education Directed Study4
Senior Capstone
PHYS 5318Principles of Experimental Physics4

Supporting Courses

Mathematics
MATH 1341Calculus 1 for Science and Engineering4
MATH 1342Calculus 2 for Science and Engineering4
MATH 2321Calculus 3 for Science and Engineering4
MATH 2331Linear Algebra4
MATH 2341Differential Equations and Linear Algebra for Engineering4
Computational Methods
PHYS 1211Computational Problem Solving in Physics4
or PHYS 1130 Computing, Data, and Science
or GE 1111 Engineering Problem Solving and Computation
Chemistry
CHEM 1211
and CHEM 1212		General Chemistry 1
and Lab for CHEM 1211		5
Technical Electives
Complete 16 semester hours of technical electives from the following:16
BIOL 2301 to BIOL 5999
CHEM 2311 to CHEM 5999
CHME 2001 to CHME 4699
CIVE 2001 to CIVE 4699
CS 2990 to CS 4900
EECE 2001 to EECE 5999
ENVR 2300 to ENVR 5999
IE 2001 to IE 4699
MATH 2280
Statistics and Software
MATH 2321 to MATH 5999
ME 2001 to ME 4699
PHYS 2303 to PHYS 7999

NUpath Requirements

Students are responsible for using the general electives in this program to complete NUpath requirements not satisfied by required courses in this program.

Applied Physics Major Credit Requirement

Complete 95 semester hours in the major.

Astrophysics Concentration (Optional)

Students working toward this concentration must declare it with their advisor for it to be added to their academic record.

Note: Opting to take this concentration may require additional coursework to be completed beyond the total program hours.

Astrophysics Core
PHYS 1111Introduction to Astronomy4
The following courses may be counted toward major electives, if they are listed as applicable options in the approved curriculum:
PHYS 3111Astrophysical Processes: Decoding the Universe4
PHYS 4111Multimessenger Astrophysics4
PHYS 5117Advanced Astrophysics Topics4
or PHYS 5118 General Relativity and Cosmology

Program Requirement

133 total semester hours required

Note on Applied Physics Sample Plans of Study

Some required physics courses are offered in both fall and spring semesters, while other required courses are offered less frequently. Therefore, the suggested plan of study will vary from student to student, depending on the year of entry for that student. See course offering schedule at the end of the plan of study.

Please contact your academic advisor for additional information and plans of study.

Four Years, Two Co-ops in Summer 2/Fall

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
INSC 10001PHYS 11654MATH 23214MATH 23414
PHYS 11614PHYS 11661Elective4Elective4
PHYS 11621PHYS 11670  
PHYS 11630PHYS 12114  
MATH 13414MATH 13424  
ENGW 11114Elective4  
Elective4   
 18 17 8 8
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
PHYS 23034PHYS 43054PHYS 36004Co-op0
PHYS 23713PHYS 36024PHYS 36034 
PHYS 23721Elective4  
MATH 23314Elective4  
CHEM 12114EESC 20001  
CHEM 12121   
CHEM 12130   
 17 17 8 0
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
Co-op0PHYS advanced elective4Technical elective4Co-op0
 PHYS advanced elective4Elective4 
 ENGW 33074  
 Technical elective4  
 0 16 8 0
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHours  
Co-op0PHYS 53184  
 PHYS advanced elective4  
 Technical elective4  
 Technical elective4  
 0 16  
Total Hours: 133

Five Years, Three Co-ops in Spring/Summer 1

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
PHYS 10001PHYS 11654VacationVacation
PHYS 11614PHYS 11661  
PHYS 11621PHYS 11670  
PHYS 11630PHYS 12114  
MATH 13414MATH 13424  
ENGW 11114Elective4  
Elective4   
 18 17 0 0
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
PHYS 23034Co-op0Co-op0MATH 23414
PHYS 23713  PHYS 43054
PHYS 23721   
MATH 23214   
CHEM 12114   
CHEM 12121   
CHEM 12130   
EESC 20001   
 18 0 0 8
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
PHYS 36024Co-op0Co-op0PHYS 36004
MATH 23314  Elective4
Technical elective4   
Technical elective4   
 16 0 0 8
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
ENGW 33074Co-op0Co-op0Vacation
Technical elective4   
Technical elective4   
Elective4   
 16 0 0 0
Year 5
FallHoursSpringHours  
PHYS 36034PHYS 53184  
Elective4PHYS advanced elective4  
Elective4PHYS advanced elective4  
Elective4PHYS advanced elective4  
 16 16  
Total Hours: 133

Physics Course Offering Schedule

PHYS 2303 offered every fall, spring, and summer 2

PHYS 2371/PHYS 2372 offered every fall

PHYS 3600 offered every summer 1 and summer 2

PHYS 3601 offered every fall and spring

PHYS 3602 offered every fall and spring

PHYS 3603 offered fall, spring all years, and summer 1 (odd years)

PHYS 4115 offered every fall and spring

PHYS 4305 offered fall, spring all years, and summer 2 (even years)

PHYS 4621 offered fall (even years) and spring (odd years)

PHYS 4623 offered fall (even years) and summer 1 (even years)

PHYS 4651 offered fall (odd years) and spring (odd years)

PHYS 4652 offered every spring

PHYS 5318 offered every spring