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Undergraduate Catalog 2021-2022

Physics B.S.

College of Natural and Health Sciences

Contact: Cynthia S. Galovich, Ph.D., Department Chair

Location: Ross Hall 0232

Telephone: 970.351.2961

Website: unco.edu/nhs/physics-astronomy

Advising Information:

Students must consult with their assigned major advisor each semester prior to registering.

To find your advisor, log into ursa.unco.edu; go to 'Student' tab and click 'View Student Information' link. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.

The program consists of three parts:

  1. Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) Credits
  2. Required Major Credits
  3. University-Wide Credits

Program Description:

This major focuses on the main laws and principles of physics through a basic core of physics and support courses. Students can select from a variety of elective courses at the junior/senior level to tailor the program toward their future goals.

Graduates have a solid foundation in physics for pursuing their individual career goals, including employment in industry and research laboratories and graduate studies in physics, engineering, health or the environment.

Program Admission Requirements:

Academic Good Standing

Program Requirements:

  • A research project, completed in PHYS 470, is required. HON 451 may be substituted for PHYS 470.
  • A 2.0 GPA or better is required in PHYS prefix courses for graduation.
  • In accordance with University Policies, coursework earned more than 10 years prior to the date of matriculation to UNC may not be used to satisfy any major or minor requirements.  Any exception to this policy is at the discretion of the academic program.

Degree Requirements — 120 Credits

1. Liberal Arts Curriculum — 31 credits

To complete the degree in 120 credits as outlined, the program recommends the below LAC courses that also count toward the 80 required major credits.

Any additional coursework completed outside of the recommended list below may extend the length of the program of study.

Written Communication — 6 credits

SCI 291 (3) is recommended to fulfill the Intermediate Writing Course requirement.

See Written Communication courses

Mathematics — 3 credits

MATH 131 (4) and MATH 132 (4) are recommended to fulfill the Mathematics requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

See Mathematics courses

Arts & Humanities, History, Social & Behavioral Sciences, U.S. Multicultural Studies, and International Studies — 15 credits

To complete the LAC in the minimum number of credits, be sure to choose at least one course with an IS designation and one course with an MS designation.

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Arts & Humanities, History, and Social & Behavioral Sciences courses

Natural & Physical Sciences — 7 credits

CHEM 111 (4), CHEM 111L (1), and PHYS 240 (5) are recommended to fulfill the Natural & Physical Sciences requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

See Natural & Physical Sciences courses

See Liberal Arts Curriculum

2. Required Major — 80-84 credits

Take all of the following courses:

CHEM 111Principles of Chemistry ILAS1

4

CHEM 111LPrinciples of Chemistry I LaboratoryLAS1LASL

1

CS 120Introduction to Programming

3

MATH 131Calculus ILAX1

4

MATH 132Calculus IILAX1

4

MATH 233Calculus III

4

PHYS 240General Physics ILAS1LASL

5

PHYS 241General Physics II

5

PHYS 301Seminar in Physics

1

PHYS 320Mathematical Methods I

3

PHYS 321Elementary Modern Physics

3

PHYS 323Elementary Modern Physics Laboratory

1

PHYS 340Mechanics

4

PHYS 341Electricity and Magnetism I

3

PHYS 342Electricity and Magnetism II

3

PHYS 345Quantum Mechanics I

3

PHYS 355Computer Applications in Physics

3

PHYS 360Laboratory Physics

2

PHYS 370Research I

1- 3

PHYS 420Mathematical Methods II

3

PHYS 440Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

4

PHYS 445Quantum Mechanics II

3

PHYS 448Nuclear and Particle Physics

3

PHYS 470Research II

1- 3

Math Elective — 3 credits

Elective credits in Mathematics (consent of advisor).

Physics electives — 6 credits

Additional AST or PHYS prefix courses that are numbered 300 or higher.

3. University-Wide Credits — 5-9 credits*

Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for this degree at UNC; for this degree, that will typically be 5-9 credits.

*Note: Students who apply the recommended courses to both the liberal arts curriculum and the major requirements will have an increased number of university wide electives to apply to this degree. See your advisor for details.