Physics Courses

Physics Courses
Courses required for Physics Majors
  • 211 College Physics, 5 hours. Principles of mechanics, heat, wave motion, and sound. Three lectures per week plus one three hour laboratory and recitation per week.
  • 213 College Physics, 5 hours. Continuation of 211 with emphasis on the fundamental concepts of electricity, magnetism, light, and selected topics from modern physics.
  • 314 Analytical Mechanics, 4 hours. Formal development of the principles of Newtonian mechanics. Topics include particle dynamics, central force problems, oscillatory motion, rigid body motion and Lagrangian dynamics.
  • 334 Electricity and Magnetism, 4 hours. Formal development of Maxwell's equations from experimental laws. microscopic descriptions of electric and magnetic properties of matter. Theory of electrostatic potential, dielectrics, and field theory. Lab experiments in electric and magnetic phenomena.
  • 344 Electronics, 4 hours. Introduction to physical principles of electronic devices. Topics include semi-conductor theory, circuit theory, digital techniques, and special circuits using integrated circuits.
  • 354 Physical Optics, 4 hours. Topics include interference, diffraction, polarization, origin of spectra, and electromagnetic wave theory. Lab experiments include velocity of light, polarization, optical activity, interference and diffraction.
  • 364 Mathematical Physics, 4 hours. Emphasis placed on the role of mathematics in the development of physical principles. Topics include series, complex variables, variational calculus, special functions, special differential equations, and transforms.
  • 374 Modern Physics, 4 hours. Provides a broad foundation of the fundamentals of atomic principles. Topics include relativity, atomic theory of matter, and quantum theory. lab experiments in selected atomic phenomena.
  • 384 Modern Physics, 4 hours. Continuation of PHY 374 with emphasis on the fundamental concepts of quantum mechanics. Topics include Schroedinger's Equations, barrier potential problems, and nuclear models. lab experiments in radioactivity, neutron activation, and radiation detection.
  • 422 Advanced Laboratory, 3 hours. Experiences in the physics lab including topics in mechanics, optics, electricity, and modern physics not covered in the regular courses.
Other courses in the department
  • 324 Thermodynamics, 3 hours. Studies in the theory of heat, first and second laws, entropy, carnot cycle, and statistical mechanics.
  • SCI 223 Astronomy, 4 hours. Topics discussed in the class include our solar system, star birth and death, galaxies, and cosmology. Laboratory exercises and observation sessions are conducted at the Sachtleben Observatory. 
  • SCI 232 Welcome to the Atmosphere, 3 hours. A study of the atmosphere and all phenomena that occur within it.