Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025

PHYS 401 Supervised Science Teaching

Supervised introduction to college-level physics and astronomy instruction. Students will gain experience in lesson planning, assignment creation, grading, and instruction.
1-2

Special Notes

Consent of the Instructor required

Repeatable Status

Course is repeatable with no limitations

Course Fee

Differential Tuition Required

PHYS 420 Mathematical Methods II

Boundary value problems, partial differential equations, Laplace and Fourier transforms, special functions, and matrix algebra. Emphasis on applications to advanced physical sciences and engineering.
3

Prerequisites

PHYS 320 with a minimum grade of D-

Course Fee

Differential Tuition Required

PHYS 422 Directed Studies

Individualized investigation under the direct supervision of a faculty member. (Minimum of 37.5 clock hours required per credit hour.)
1- 3

Special Notes

Maximum concurrent enrollment is two times.

Course Attribute

Variable Title Course

Repeatable Status

Course is repeatable with no limitations

Course Fee

Differential Tuition Required

PHYS 440 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

Kinetic theory, equations of state, laws of thermodynamics, and applications of statistical mechanics.
4

Prerequisites

(PHYS 240 and MATH 132 with a minimum grade of D-)

Course Fee

Differential Tuition Required

PHYS 445 Quantum Mechanics II

Perturbation theory, approximation methods, scattering, many-particle systems, and advanced topics.
3

Prerequisites

PHYS 345 with a minimum grade of D-

Course Fee

Differential Tuition Required

PHYS 447 Electro-optics

Lasers and atomic theory, holography, fiber optics, and electro-optic devices.
2

Prerequisites

PHYS 347 with a minimum grade of D-

Course Fee

Differential Tuition Required

PHYS 448 Nuclear and Particle Physics

Nuclear properties and models, radioactive decay, fusion and fission, radiation detection, and elementary particles.
3

Prerequisites

PHYS 321 with a minimum grade of D-

Course Fee

Differential Tuition Required

PHYS 457 Solid State Physics

Introduction to solid state physics, the largest subfield of condensed matter physics. Methods from classical, quantum, and statistical mechanics will be applied to different solid materials to understand their mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and thermal properties. Materials of engineering importance such as semiconductors, superconductors, and magnetic materials will be covered.

3

Prerequisites

PHYS 345 with a minimum grade of D-

Offered

Generally offered Spring Even Years

Course Fee

Differential Tuition Required

PHYS 460 Laboratory Physics II

(1 lecture, 3 laboratory) Advanced laboratory projects.
2

Prerequisites

PHYS 360 with a minimum grade of D-

Course Fee

Differential Tuition Required

PHYS 470 Research II

Independent experimental, computational or theoretical research in physics. Conferences with research advisor and a paper and oral presentation are required.
1- 3

Prerequisites

PHYS 370 with a minimum grade of D-

Repeatable Status

Course is repeatable with a maximum of 6 credit hours

Course Fee

Differential Tuition Required

PHYS 495 Special Topics in Physics

Topics of special interest in areas of physics not covered by other courses.
3

Prerequisites

(PHYS 221 or PHYS 241 with a minimum grade of D-)

Course Attribute

Variable Title Course

Repeatable Status

ST - Repeatable under different subtitles with no limits on the number of times it can be repeated

Course Fee

Differential Tuition Required