- 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.
Physics Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Physics | ||
| Physics 1 | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 5 | |
| Physics for Engineering 1 and Lab for PHYS 1151 and Interactive Learning Seminar for PHYS 1151 | ||
| Physics 1 and Lab for PHYS 1161 | ||
| Foundations of Theoretical Physics and Lab for PHYS 1191 | ||
| Physics 2 | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 5 | |
| Physics for Engineering 2 and Lab for PHYS 1155 and Interactive Learning Seminar for PHYS 1155 | ||
| Physics 2 and Lab for PHYS 1165 | ||
| Intermediate Physics | ||
| PHYS 2303 | Modern Physics | 4 |
| PHYS 2371 and PHYS 2372 | Electronics and Lab for PHYS 2371 | 4 |
| Advanced Physics | ||
| PHYS 3600 | Advanced Physics Laboratory | 4 |
| PHYS 3601 | Classical Dynamics | 4 |
| PHYS 3602 | Electricity and Magnetism 1 | 4 |
| PHYS 3603 | Electricity and Magnetism 2 | 4 |
| PHYS 4115 | Quantum Mechanics | 4 |
| PHYS 4305 | Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics | 4 |
| Elective Course | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Mathematical and Computational Methods for Physics | ||
PHYS 3500 to PHYS 7999 | ||
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Complete one course in experiential learning. See department for approved courses. 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. | ||
| Senior Capstone | ||
| PHYS 5318 | Principles of Experimental Physics | 4 |
Supporting Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | ||
| MATH 1341 | Calculus 1 for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| MATH 1342 | Calculus 2 for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| MATH 2321 | Calculus 3 for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| MATH 2331 | Linear Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 2341 | Differential Equations and Linear Algebra for Engineering | 4 |
| MATH 3081 | Probability and Statistics | 4 |
| Computational Methods | ||
| PHYS 1211 | Computational Problem Solving in Physics | 4 |
| 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 8 semester hours from the following: | 8 | |
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 | ||
| 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.
Physics Major Credit Requirement
Complete 91 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.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Astrophysics Core | ||
| PHYS 1111 | Introduction to Astronomy | 4 |
| The following courses may be counted toward major electives, if they are listed as applicable options in the approved curriculum: | ||
| PHYS 3111 | Astrophysical Processes: Decoding the Universe | 4 |
| PHYS 4111 | Multimessenger Astrophysics | 4 |
| PHYS 5117 | Advanced Astrophysics Topics | 4 |
| or PHYS 5118 | General Relativity and Cosmology | |
Program Requirement
133 total semester hours required
Note on Physics 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.
Sample Plan of Study: Five Years, Three Co-ops in Summer 2/Fall
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| PHYS 1000 | 1 | PHYS 1165 | 4 | Vacation | Vacation | ||
| PHYS 1161 | 4 | PHYS 1166 | 1 | ||||
| PHYS 1162 | 1 | PHYS 1167 | 0 | ||||
| PHYS 1163 | 0 | PHYS 1211 | 4 | ||||
| MATH 1341 | 4 | MATH 1342 | 4 | ||||
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 18 | 17 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| PHYS 2303 | 4 | PHYS 3601 | 4 | Vacation | Co-op | 0 | |
| PHYS 2371 | 3 | MATH 2331 | 4 | ||||
| PHYS 2372 | 1 | MATH 2341 | 4 | ||||
| MATH 2321 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| CHEM 1211 | 4 | EESC 2000 | 1 | ||||
| CHEM 1212 | 1 | ||||||
| CHEM 1213 | 0 | ||||||
| 17 | 17 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Co-op | 0 | PHYS 3602 | 4 | PHYS 3600 | 4 | Co-op | 0 |
| MATH 3081 | 4 | PHYS 3603 | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 0 | 16 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Co-op | 0 | PHYS 4115 | 4 | Technical elective | 4 | Co-op | 0 |
| PHYS 4305 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| ENGW 3307 | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 0 | 16 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 5 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| Co-op | 0 | PHYS 5318 | 4 | ||||
| PHYS advanced elective | 4 | ||||||
| Technical elective | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 0 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 133 | |||||||
Odd-Numbered Year One
Sample Plan of Study: Four Years, Two Co-ops in Spring/Summer 1
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| PHYS 1000 | 1 | PHYS 1165 | 4 | MATH 2321 | 4 | MATH 2331 | 4 |
| PHYS 1161 | 4 | PHYS 1166 | 1 | Elective | 4 | MATH 2341 | 4 |
| PHYS 1162 | 1 | PHYS 1167 | 0 | ||||
| PHYS 1163 | 0 | MATH 1342 | 4 | ||||
| MATH 1341 | 4 | PHYS 1211 | 4 | ||||
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | CHEM 1211 | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | CHEM 1212 | 1 | ||||
| CHEM 1213 | 0 | ||||||
| 18 | 18 | 8 | 8 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| PHYS 2303 | 4 | Co-op | 0 | Co-op | 0 | PHYS 3600 | 4 |
| PHYS 2371 | 3 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| PHYS 2372 | 1 | ||||||
| PHYS 3602 | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| EESC 2000 | 1 | ||||||
| 17 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| PHYS 3601 | 4 | Co-op | 0 | Co-op | 0 | MATH 3081 | 4 |
| PHYS 3603 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| PHYS 4115 | 4 | PHYS 5318 | 4 | ||||
| PHYS 4305 | 4 | PHYS advanced elective | 4 | ||||
| ENGW 3307 | 4 | Technical elective | 4 | ||||
| Technical elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 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