Physics (B.S.) Major Requirements
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Credit Hours: 58+
"PR" indicates a pre-requisite. "CO" indicates a co-requisite.
Courses within this major may also satisfy general education requirements. Please consult http://advising.cofc.edu/general-edu for more information.
Required Courses
General Physics I (3) PR or CO: MATH 120 or equivalent or instructor permission; PHYS 111L |
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General Physics I Lab (1) CO: PHYS 111 |
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General Physics II (3) PR: MATH 120 or equivalent; PHYS 111, PHYS 111L or HONS 157; PR or CO: MATH 220 or equivalent or instructor permission; CO: PHYS 112L |
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General Physics II Lab (1) CO: PHYS 112 |
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Introduction to Modern Physics I (3) PR: PHYS 112 or HONS 158; CO or PR: MATH 211 or instructor permission |
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Classical Mechanics (3) PR: PHYS 112 or HONS 158, and MATH 323 or instructor permission |
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Experimental Physics (4) PR: PHYS 230 or instructor permission |
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Introductory Quantum Mechanics (3) PR: PHYS 230; CO or PR: MATH 323 or instructor permission |
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Electricity and Magnetism (3) PR: PHYS 112 or HONS 158 and MATH 323 or instructor permission |
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Research Seminar (1) PR or CO: PHYS 370 or ASTR 377 or instructor and department chair permission |
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Senior Research (3) PR: PHYS 419 and instructor and department chair permission |
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OR |
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Bachelor's Essay (6) PR: PHYS 419 and instructor and department chair permission. |
Notes: *Credit will not be awarded for both PHYS 420 and PHYS 499.
Select 15 credit hours from the following electives with department approval. Please note a maximum of 6 credit hours are allowed from PHYS 381, 390 and 399.
Planetary Astronomy (3) PR: PHYS 111, 111L or PHYS 101, 101L and MATH 120 or equivalent and instructor permission |
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Stellar Astronomy and Astrophysics (3) PR: ASTR 206 and PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 |
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Galactic and Extragalactic Astronomy (3) PR: ASTR 311 and MATH 221 |
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Experimental Astronomy (4) PR: PHYS 230 or instructor permission |
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Black Holes: Advanced Topics (1) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or instructor permission; PR or CO: ASTR 210 |
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Astrophysics (3) PR: PHYS 301 and MATH 323 or instructor permission |
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NASA Space Mission Design Leadership Lab (1) PR: Instructor permission; PR or CO: ASTR 260 |
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Biophysical Modeling of Excitable Cells (3) PR: (BIOL 112, BIOL 112L and PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158) or (BIOL 211, BIOL 211D, BIOL 305 and PHYS 102, PHYS 102L or PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158) or instructor permission |
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Classical Mechanics (3) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 and MATH 323 |
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Classical Mechanics (3) PR: PHYS 301 |
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Atmospheric Physics (3) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 or instructor permission |
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Intro to Electronics (4) PR: PHYS 102, PHYS 102L or PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 |
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Intro to Modern Physics II (3) PR: PHYS 230 |
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Photonics (4) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 |
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Energy Production (4) PR: CHEM 111, CHEM 111L; (PHYS112, 112L or HONS 158) or (PHYS 102, 102L and MATH 120) |
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Experimental Physics (4) PR: PHYS 230 |
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Internship (1-4) PR: Declared PHYS major, PHYS 370, and coordinator permission |
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Research (1-3; repeatable up to 6) PR: Department chair and instructor permission |
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Research Experience Physics and Astronomy (0) PR: Only declared majors can take a Zero Credit Research course. Instructor and department chair permission required. |
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Tutorial (3, repeatable up to 12) PR: Junior standing and department chair and instructor permission |
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Introductory Quantum Mechanics (3) PR: PHYS 230; PR or CO: MATH 323 or instructor permission |
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Thermal Physics (3) PR: PHYS 230 |
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Introduction to Nuclear Physics (3) PR: PHYS 230 or instructor permission |
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Introduction to Solid State Physics (3) PR: PHYS 230 or instructor permission |
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Electricity and Magnetism (3) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 and MATH 323 or instructor permission |
Electricity and Magnetism (3) PR: PHYS 409 |
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Special Topics (1-3) PR: Instructor permission |
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Fluid Mechanics (3) PR: MATH 323 and PHYS 301 or instructor permission |
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Air Pollution Meteorology (4) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or (PHYS 102, PHYS 102L and MATH 120) or HONS 158; CHEM 112, CHEM 112L or instructor permission |
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Satellite Meteorology (3) PR: PHYS 308 or PHYS 456 or (PHYS 105 and PHYS 112, PHYS 112L) or (PHYS 105 and PHYS 102, PHYS 102L and MATH 120) or (PHYS 105 and HONS 158) |
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Climate Change (4) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 |
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NASA Space Mission Design Leadership Lab (1) PR: Instructor permission; CO: PHYS 260 |
Mathematics Requirement:
Introductory Calculus (4) PR: MATH 111 or equivalent |
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Calculus II (4) PR: MATH 120 or equivalent |
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Calculus III (4) PR: MATH 220 or equivalent |
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Differential Equations (3) PR: MATH 221 and MATH 203 or equivalent or permission of instructor |
Optional: Students may also select a concentration in Energy Production or Meteorology.
Energy Production Concentration (Credit Hours: 18+)
Required Courses
Principles of Chemistry (3) PR or CO: MATH 111 or equivalent; CO: CHEM 111L |
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Principles of Chemistry Lab (1) CO: CHEM 111 |
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Energy Production (4) PR: CHEM 111, CHEM 111L; (PHYS 112, 112L or HONS 158) or (PHYS 102, 102L; MATH 120) |
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Energy Production Lab (0) Energy Production (4) PR: CHEM 111, CHEM 111L; (PHYS112, 112L or HONS 158) or (PHYS 102, 102L and MATH 120); CO: PHYS 350 |
Complete 10 credit hours from the following PHYS electives groups including at least two courses totaling a minimum of 6 credit hours from Group I.
Group I
Intro to Electronics (4) PR: PHYS 102, PHYS 102L or PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 |
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Photonics (4) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 |
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Thermal Physics (3) PR: PHYS 230 |
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Introduction to Nuclear Physics (3) PR: PHYS 230 or instructor permission |
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Introduction to Solid State Physics (3) PR: PHYS 230 or instructor permission |
Group II
Physical Chemistry I (3) PR: CHEM 221 and MATH 220; CO: CHEM 341L (MATH 221 is strongly recommended.) |
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Physical Chemistry I Laboratory (1) CO: CHEM 341 |
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Nuclear and Radiochemistry (3) PR: CHEM 221 or CHEM 231 |
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Earth Resources (3) PR: GEOL 101, GEOL 101L or GEOL 103, GEOL 103L and GEOL 105, GEOL 105L or HONS 155 and 156 or instructor permission |
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Atmospheric Physics (3) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 or instructor permission |
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Internship (1-4) PR: Declared PHYS major, PHYS 370, or coordinator permission |
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Research (1-3; repeatable up to 6) PR: Department chair and instructor permission |
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Electricity and Magnetism (3) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 and MATH 323 or instructor permission |
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Special Topics (Energy Related) (1-3) PR: Instructor permission |
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Fluid Mechanics (3) PR: MATH 323 and PHYS 301 or instructor permission |
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Air Pollution Meteorology (4) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or (PHYS 102, PHYS 102L and MATH 120) or HONS 158; CHEM 112, CHEM 112L or instructor permission |
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Satellite Meteorology (3) PR: PHYS 308 or PHYS 456 or (PHYS 105 and PHYS 112, PHYS 112L) or (PHYS 105 and PHYS 102, PHYS 102L and MATH 120) or (PHYS 105 and HONS 158) |
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Climate Change (4) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 |
Meteorology Concentration (Credit Hours: 18+)
Complete 6 credit hours from the following:
Introduction to Meteorology (3) PR: A working knowledge of high school algebra is assumed. |
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Atmospheric Physics (3) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 |
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Air Pollution Meteorology (4) PR: PHYS 102, PHYS 102L and MATH 120 or CHEM 112, CHEM 112L and PHYS 112, PHYS112L or HONS 158 |
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Satellite Meteorology (3) PR: PHYS 308 or PHYS 456 or (PHYS 105 and PHYS 112, PHYS 112L) or (PHYS 105 and PHYS 102, PHYS 102L and MATH 120) or (PHYS 105 and HONS 158) |
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Climate Change (4) PR: PHYS 112, 112L or HONS 158 |
Notes: *A student will not receive credit for both PHYS 105 and PHYS 456
Complete an additional 12 credit hours from the following. Courses do not count if already chosen for major core course requirements.
Planetary Astronomy (3) PR: PHYS 111, PHYS 111L or PHYS 101, PHYS 101L or HONS 157 or instructor permission |
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Man and the Environment (3) PR: None |
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Oceanography (4) PR: BIOL 211, 211D; CO or PR: BIOL 305 |
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Principles of Chemistry (3) PR: MATH 111 or equivalent; CO: CHEM 111L |
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Principles of Chemistry Lab (1) CO: CHEM 111 |
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Introduction to Environmental Studies (3) PR: Sophomore standing |
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Environmental Geology (3) PR: None; CO: GEOL 103L |
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Environmental Geology Lab (1) CO: GEOL 103 |
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Special Topics in Geology (1-4) PR: GEOL 101 and 101L or GEOL 103 and 103L and GEOL 105 and 105L or HONS 155 and 155L and HONS 156 and 156L or instructor permission |
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Introduction to Remote Sensing (4) PR: GEOL 101 and 101L or GEOL 103 and 103L and GEOL 105 and 105L or HONS 155 and 155L and HONS 156 and 156L or instructor permission |
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Hydrogeology (4) PR: GEOL 101 and 101L or GEOL 103 and 103L and GEOL 105 and 105L or HONS 155 and 155L and HONS 156 and 156L and MATH 111 or 120 or instructor permission |
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Geological Application of Remote Sensing (4) PR: GEOL 101 and 101L or GEOL 103 and 103L and GEOL 105 and 105L or HONS 156 and 156L and MATH 111 or 120 or instructor permission |
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Special Topics (3-6) PR: None |
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Special Topics (1-3) PR: Instructor and department chair permission |
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Classical Mechanics (3) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 and MATH 323 |
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Atmospheric Physics (3) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 or instructor permission |
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Photonics (4) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 |
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Research (1-3; repeatable up to 6) PR: Department chair and instructor permission |
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Tutorial (3; repeatable up to 12) PR: Junior standing and department chair and instructor permission |
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Thermal Physics (3) PR: PHYS 230 |
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Introduction to Nuclear Physics (3) PR: PHYS 230 or instructor permission |
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Introduction to Solid State Physics (3) PR: PHYS 230 or instructor permission |
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Special Topics (1-3) PR: Instructor permission and topic must be meteorology related |
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Fluid Mechanics (3) PR: MATH 323 and PHYS 301 or instructor permission |
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Senior Research (3) PR: PHYS 419 and instructor and department chair permission |
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Air Pollution Meteorology (4) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or (PHYS 102, PHYS 102L and MATH 120) or HONS 158; CHEM 112, CHEM 112L or instructor permission |
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Satellite Meteorology (3) PR: PHYS 308 OR PHYS 456 or (PHYS 105 and PHYS 112, PHYS 112L) or (PHYS 105 and PHYS 102, PHYS 102L and MATH 120) or (PHYS 105 and HONS 158) |
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Climate Change (4) PR: PHYS 112, PHYS 112L or HONS 158 |
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Bachelor's Essay (6) PR: Department approval; credit will not be awarded for both PHYS 420 and PHYS 499 |
Note: * These courses must involve meteorology and be approved by the Program Director. *Credit will not be awarded for both PHYS 420 and PHYS 499
Notes:
- With department approval, completion with grades of at least "B" in PHYS 101/101L and PHYS 102/102L, together with MATH 120 and MATH 220 may be substituted for PHYS 111/111L and PHYS 112/112L.
- Suggested programs of study leading to graduate school in physics, astronomy, astrophysics, meteorology and engineering are available from the department.
