Department of Physics
Bachelor of Arts in Physics
Students on Summer 2019, Fall 2019, or Spring 2020 requirements PHYSBA
The Bachelor of Arts in Physics curriculum introduces students to the study of matter and energy, including their nature and properties. Students learn theoretical and experimental approaches including Newtonian mechanics, oscillations, and waves, bulk properties of matter and thermodynamics. Upper-level courses focus modern, environmental and theoretical physics, materials science, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, radiation science, analog and digital electronics. At all levels, physics courses combine lectures and labs, and majors gain hands-on experience using advanced instruments and computing systems, gaining the skills necessary for successful research and industry careers.
Requirements
The major requires at least 30 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
- Physics I. One (1) course:
- PHYS-P 201 General Physics I
- PHYS-P 221 Physics I
- PHYS-H 221 Honors Physics I
- Physics II. One (1) course:
- PHYS-P 202 General Physics II
- PHYS-P 222 Physics II
- PHYS-H 222 Honors Physics II
- Physics III. One (1) course:
- PHYS-P 301 Physics III
- Electives. Additional courses, as needed to fulfill remaining requirements, from the Physics Electives list.
- Any PHYS-P 300–399 except PHYS-P 301
- Any PHYS-P 400–499
- Addenda Requirements*.
- Calculus I. One (1) course:
- MATH-M 211 Calculus I
- MATH-S 211
- Calculus II. One (1) course:
- MATH-M 212 Calculus II
- MATH-S 212 Honors Calculus II
- Introduction to Differential Equations with Applications I. One (1) course:
- MATH-M 343
- MATH-S 343 Honors Course in Differential Equations
- Calculus I. One (1) course:
- Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
- At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
- At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
- Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
- A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
- Exceptions to major requirements may be made with the approval of the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.
Notes
The Bachelor of Arts degree requires at least 120 credit hours, to include the following:
- College of Arts and Sciences Credit Hours. At least 100 credit hours must come from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines.
- Upper Division Courses. At least 42 credit hours (of the 120) must be at the 300–499 level.
- College Residency. Following completion of the 60th credit hour toward degree, at least 36 credit hours of College of Arts and Sciences coursework must be completed through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
- College GPA. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.000 is required for all courses taken at Indiana University.
- CASE Requirements. The following College of Arts and Sciences Education (CASE) requirements must be completed:
- CASE Foundations
- CASE Breadth of Inquiry
- CASE Culture Studies
- CASE Critical Approaches: 1 course
- CASE Foreign Language: Proficiency in a single foreign language through the second semester of the second year of college-level coursework
- CASE Intensive Writing: 1 course
- CASE Public Oral Communication: 1 course
- Major. Completion of the major as outlined in the Major Requirements section above.
Most students must also successfully complete the Indiana University Bloomington General Education program.