What is Physics?

The program of study in physics leading to a Bachelor of Science degree provides students with the opportunity to pursue a major field of concentration in physics with the necessary specialization to succeed in a wide array of post-baccalaureate opportunities. The following concentrations include the course work and experience necessary for student success.  See an academic advisor for specific course information and important aspects of each of these concentrations.

Electrical Engineering Concentration: This concentration in electrical engineering combines the study of physics with electrical engineering by further broadening knowledge and skills. In addition, a degree with an electrical engineering concentration will increase the marketability of the physics student.

a man with a telescope looking at the night sky

General Physics Concentration: Physics is the study of matter, motion, force, and energy across space and time. Physicists develop theories and perform experiments to understand the physical world including everything from the elementary constituents of a proton, electric and magnetic phenomena, lasers, high tech materials, and black holes. The general physics concentration will provide students with a broad conceptual understanding of physical phenomena and technical problem-solving skills. Students who earn bachelor鈥檚 degrees in physics are well prepared to pursue advanced graduate degrees in physics or related areas of study. It also prepares students for 21st-century careers in government and industry as professional physicists.

Mechanical Engineering Concentration: This concentration in mechanical engineering combines the study of physics with mechanical engineering. This curriculum design helps to further broaden the students鈥� analytical skills. In addition, a degree with a mechanical engineering concentration will increase the marketability of the physics student.

College of Science and Mathematics

Admission Requirements

None. 

This program does not have specific admission requirements. Only admission to 食色视频 State University is required to declare this major.

Recommended IMPACTS Courses

M: Students should take MATH 1113 or higher.

T: Students should take MATH 1179 or higher.

T: Students should take two four-hour laboratory sciences in the Natural Sciences. Students may choose from CHEM 1211/1211L , CHEM 1212/1212L , PHYS 1111/1111L *, PHYS 1112/1112L , PHYS 2211/2211L *, PHYS 2212/2212L, BIOL 1107/1107L , or BIOL 1108/1108L. *Students cannot take both PHYS 1111/L and PHYS 2211/L nor PHYS 1112/L and PHYS 2212/L.

Degree Concentrations Available

Not majoring in this? Check out these non-degree options!

Double Owl Pathways

Sample Classes

  • This course students will review mathematical techniques that are often used in upper-level physics courses. Students will learn to apply linear algebra, differential equations, vector calculus, Fourier series, Fourier transforms, Bessel functions, Legendre polynomials, and complex analysis to solve problems in physics.
  • The topics covered in this course constitute the most fundamental background in modern physics. The main objective of this course is to provide the student with a basic understanding of the physical laws and phenomena that constitute the framework leading to quantum mechanics. Students will strengthen their knowledge of special relativity and explore aspects of the quantum theory of wave/particle duality and the probabilistic interpretation. Students will learn the Schr枚dinger鈥檚 equation, its solutions for simple potentials, and properties of the one-electron atom. Students will also study applications of quantum principles to atomic, molecular and nuclear structures.
  • This course presents a systematic development of quantum mechanical laws. Students will be introduced to Dirac鈥檚 notation and will learn about the theory of angular momentum quantization and will use the operator formalism to solve the Schr枚dinger鈥檚 equation in 3-dim for a particle in a central force field, and the simple harmonic oscillator. In addition, students will learn concepts of time-independent and time-dependent perturbation theory and scattering theory.
  • This course is a study of the principles of thermal equilibrium, physical statistics, irreversible processes, and the approach to equilibrium. Students will learn how to apply the statistical nature of thermodynamics using Boltzmann, Bose-Einstein, and Fermi-Dirac statistics