Four year plan for a student starting with physics second semester

This is a proposed sequence of courses. Each student will need to modify the schedule to fit his or her needs.

Semester 1

CHEM 151 (Intro Chem) * 4
MATH 125 (Calculus I) 3
ENGL 101 3
Tier 1 Gen Ed 3
Tier 1 Gen Ed 3
  16

 

Semester 2

PHYS 161H (Mechanics) 4
MATH 129 (Calculus II) 3
ENGL 102 3
Tier 1 Gen Ed 3
Tier 1 Gen Ed 3
  16

 

Semester 3

PHYS 162H (Thermo, optics) 4
MATH 223 (Vector Calc) 4
MATH 254 (Intro Diff Eqn) 3
Tier 2 Gen Ed 3
PHYS105A (Intro Computing) 1
  15

 

Semester 4

PHYS 261H (Elec. & Mag.) 4
PHYS 263H (Modern Physics) 3
PHYS 204 (Math Meth) 3
Tier 2 Gen Ed 3
Elective 3
  16

 

Semester 5

PHYS 305 (Comput Phys) 3
PHYS 321 (Classical Mech) 3
PHYS 331 (Intermed E&M I) 3
Tier 2 Gen Ed 3
Elective 3
  15

 

Semester 6

PHYS 332 (Intermed E & M II) 3
PHYS 381 (Advanced Lab I) 2
PHYS 371 (Quantum Theory I) 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
  14

 

Semester 7

PHYS 472 (Quantum Theory II) 3
PHYS 426 (Thermo/Stat Mech) 3
PHYS 382 (Advanced Lab II) 2
PHYS research elective 3
Elective 3
  14

 

Semester 8

PHYS elective 3
PHYS elective 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
  15

 

Notes

  • Use one of the Tier 2 GenEds to satisfy the diversity requirement.
  • Second-semester proficiency in a foreign language is required; normally this is fulfilled with high school language.
  • The physics department recommends that its majors take Chem 151 and Chem 152.
  • Care must be taken to meet the requirement for 42 units of upper-division credit. This means that some of the electives may need to be upper-division courses.
  • Phys 381 and 382 are writing-emphasis courses.