Applied Physics

Applied Physics Major

The Applied Physics degree provides the basics of the discipline of physics while leaving great flexibility in the schedule for particular student interests in applied areas. It includes a student-selected, advisor-approved set of elective courses, 12 credit hours, that may be taken inside or outside the Department of Physics and Astronomy, tailored to individual student interests in applied physics. It is an excellent degree for those who may continue study in law, business or medicine, computer/information technology or in an engineering or another science area after the BS. It is also appropriate for those who wish to work in a science or technical area at the BS level in industry or government. It is also an attractive degree for those undergraduates who have a clear vision of individual educational goals in physics and wish to take advantage of the flexibility in this program. These 12 hours must consist of a coherent set of courses with an identified educational goal. Up to three of the 12 hours can be from 200-level classes, the remaining hours must be upper division (300-level or above).

Example Emphases (see suggested courses below):

  • Acoustics
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Biophysics
  • Business
  • Computer Science/Computer Engineering
  • Data Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Materials Science
  • Medicine
  • Microelectronics/Semiconductor Devices
  • Neuroscience
  • Nuclear Physics
  • Optical Communication Engineering
  • Optical/Laser Engineering
  • Statistics

What is Applied Physics?

Applied Physics provides students with the foundations of physics but it also provides the flexibility to study applied areas of interest. It includes a student-selected, advisor-approved set of 12 credits of elective courses that may be taken inside or outside the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

What careers can Applied Physics graduates enter?

It's an excellent degree for those who may go on to study not just physics but also law, business, medicine, computer or information technology, engineering, or another area of science after their Bachelor's degree. It is also appropriate for those who wish to work in a science or technical area in industry or government after their Bachelor's degree.

What skills will I develop as an Applied Physics major?

Students will learn the core physical principles related to the laws of motion, electricity and magnetism, and quantum mechanics to name a few. But additionally the student selects custom courses that may include materials science, computer science, acoustics, biophysics, business, law, or an engineering field.

What makes this major different from other similar majors?

Physics covers a wide variety of topics and this major allows students to develop a cross-disciplinary area of emphasis. It's an attractive degree for those who have a clear vision of their career plans and wish to take advantage of the flexibility in this program.

Why should I select this major?

Physics is about learning how things work and why things happen. Applied physics provides graduates with advanced problem solving skills, a broad physics background, and the opportunity to customize their education. Additionally you will work on a capstone research project in a mentored learning environment to explore a research topic that interests you.

To give you a sense of what is possible, below are some suggested courses for several tracks that have been approved for Applied Physics majors in recent years.

Acoustics

  • EC EN 240 - 4 cr
  • EC EN 380 - 4 cr
  • ME EN 312 - 3 cr
  • ME EN 321 - 3 cr
  • MUSIC 252 - 3 cr
  • PHSCS 461 - 3 cr
  • PHSCS 560 - 3 cr
  • PHSCS 561 - 3 cr

Aerospace Engineering

  • ME EN 312 - 3 cr
  • ME EN 321 - 3 cr
  • ME EN 415 - 3 cr
  • ME EN 426 - 3 cr

Biochemistry

  • CHEM 351 - 3 cr
  • CHEM 352 - 3 cr
  • MMBIO 240 - 3 cr
  • PHSCS 360 - 3 cr

Business Management/Finance

  • BUS M 371R - 1 cr
  • BUS M 491R - 2 cr
  • BUS M 596R - 3 cr
  • FIN 201 - 3 cr
  • FIN 418 - 3 cr

Chemical Engineering

  • CH EN 273 - 3 cr
  • CH EN 374 - 3 cr
  • CHEM 351 - 3 cr
  • CHEM 352 - 3 cr

Computer Science

  • C S 236 - 3 cr
  • C S 240 - 3 cr
  • C S 312 - 3 cr
  • C S 355 - 3 cr
  • C S 360 - 3 cr
  • C S 450 - 3 cr
  • C S 460 - 3 cr

High Tech Entrepreneurship

  • BUS M 490R - 3 cr
  • C S 235 - 3 cr
  • EC EN 550 - 3 cr
  • PHSCS 360 - 3 cr

Linguistics

  • COMD 421 - 3 cr
  • LING 310 - 3 cr
  • LING 440 - 3 cr
  • PHSCS 461 - 3 cr

Materials Science

  • ME EN 250 - 3 cr
  • ME EN 321 - 3 cr
  • ME EN 373 - 3 cr
  • ME EN 475 - 3 cr

Mathematics

  • MATH 341 - 3 cr
  • MATH 342 - 3 cr
  • MATH 371 - 3 cr
  • MATH 534 - 3 cr

Mechanical Engineering

  • ME EN 340 - 3 cr
  • ME EN 422 - 3 cr
  • PHSCS 360 - 3 cr
  • PHSCS 451 - 3 cr

Microbiology/Molecular Biology

  • MMBIO 240 - 3 cr
  • MMBIO 494R - 4 cr
  • MMBIO 551R - 1 cr
  • MMBIO 551R - 3 cr
  • MMBIO 691R - 1 cr

Neuroscience

  • NEURO 205 - 3 cr
  • NEURO 360 - 2 cr
  • NEURO 380 - 3 ccr
  • NEURO 480 - 3 cr
  • NEURO 481 - 1 cr\

Nuclear engineering

  • CH EN 412 - 3 cr
  • ME EN 422 - 3 cr
  • PHSCS 451 - 3 cr
  • PHSCS 452 - 3 cr

Physics Teaching

  • PHSCS 310 - 3 cr
  • PHSCS 311 - 3 cr
  • PHY S 276 - 4 cr
  • PHY S 377 - 3 cr

Pre-Law

  • FLANG 330R - 3 cr
  • POLI 315 - 3 cr
  • SFL 260 - 3 cr
  • STDEV 496R - 3 cr

Pre-Med

  • CHEM 351 - 3 cr
  • CHEM 352 - 3 cr
  • CHEM 353 - 2 cr
  • CHEM 481 - 3 cr
  • PD BIO 305 - 4 cr
  • PD BIO 362 - 3 cr

Quantum Computing

  • C S 236 - 3 cr
  • C S 312 - 3 cr
  • PHSCS 451 - 3 cr
  • PHSCS 452 - 3 cr