Bachelor of Science in Physics
The Bachelor of Science in Physics provides focused training for students interested in graduate study, professional school, or bringing problem-solving and technical skills directly to industry, and includes possibilities for a formalized thesis or internship. Students develop a sound foundation in 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 provide rigorous understanding of advanced analytical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, radiation science, and quantum mechanics. At all levels, physics also includes laboratory courses, and physics majors gain hands-on experience using advanced instruments and computing systems.
Requirements
- Physics I. One (1) course:
- PHYS-H 221 Honors Physics I
- PHYS-P 221 Physics I
- Physics II. One (1) course:
- PHYS-H 222 Honors Physics II
- PHYS-P 222 Physics II
- Physics III. One (1) course:
- PHYS-P 301 Physics III
- Theory of Electricity and Magnetism I. One (1) course:
- PHYS-P 331 Theory of Electricity and Magnetism I
- Analytical Mechanics I. One (1) course:
- PHYS-P 441 Analytical Mechanics I
- Introduction to Quantum Mechanics. One (1) course:
- PHYS-P 453 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
- Modern Physics Laboratory. One (1) course:
- PHYS-P 309 Modern Physics Laboratory
- Experiments in Modern Physics I. One (1) course:
- PHYS-P 451 Experiments in Modern Physics I
- PHYS-P 460 (with permission of department)
- Physics Electives or Concentration. One (1) of the following:
- Concentration. Complete the Computational Physics Concentration (see requirements below).
- Electives. Additional courses, as needed, to fulfill remaining requirements:
- PHYS-P 310 Environmental Physics
- PHYS-P 314 Introduction to Medical Physics
- PHYS-P 317 Signals and Information Processing in Living Systems
- PHYS-P 318 Scattering Methods in Materials Science
- PHYS-P 321 Techniques in Theoretical Physics
- PHYS-P 325 Computing Skills for Physical Scientists
- PHYS-P 332 Theory of Electricity and Magnetism II
- PHYS-P 340 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
- PHYS-P 350 Applied Physics Instrumentation Laboratory
- PHYS-P 371 Radiation Science Fundamentals
- PHYS-P 400 Analog and Digital Electronics
- PHYS-P 408 Current Research in Physics
- PHYS-P 410 Computing Applications in Physics
- PHYS-P 411 Computing Applications in Physics II
- PHYS-P 425 Introductory Biophysics
- PHYS-P 442 Analytical Mechanics II
- PHYS-P 451 Experiments in Modern Physics I
- PHYS-P 454 Modern Physics
- PHYS-P 455 Quantum Computing I
- PHYS-P 456 Quantum Computing II
- PHYS-P 460
- PHYS-P 470 Introduction to Accelerator Physics
- PHYS-P 472 Radiation Oncology Physics
- PHYS-P 478 Radiation Biophysics
- PHYS-X 473 Applied Physics Internship
- PHYS-X 490 Readings in Physics
- PHYS-X 498 Research Project
- Addenda Requirements*.
- Mathematics and Computer Science. 20 credit hours:
- 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
- Calculus III. One (1) course:
- MATH-M 311 Calculus III
- MATH-S 311 Honors Course in Calculus III
- Introduction to Differential Equations with Applications I. One (1) course:
- MATH-M 343
- MATH-S 343 Honors Course in Differential Equations
- Electives. Additional Mathematics or Computer Science courses, as needed, to fulfill the requirement.
- Calculus I. One (1) course:
- Biological and Physical Sciences. Nine (9) credit hours in the biological and physical sciences, other than physics, with at least six (6) credit hours in the same department:
- Animal Behavior
- Astronomy
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Biotechnology
- Chemistry
- Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
- Human Biology
- Neuroscience
- Mathematics and Computer Science. 20 credit hours:
- Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
- Major GPA. 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.
- Major Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
- Major Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
- Major Residency. 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.
Major Area Courses
-
Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:
- Any course at the 100–499 level with the
PHYS
subject area prefix—as well as any other subject areas that are deemed functionally equivalent - Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
- Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception
- Any course at the 100–499 level with the
Exclusions
The following courses cannot be applied toward major requirements:
- PHYS-E 250
- Any PHYS-P 100–199
This program of study cannot be combined with the following:
- Bachelor of Arts in Physics (PHYSBA)
- Minor in Physics (PHYSMIN)
The Bachelor of Science 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 36 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 College grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.000 is required.
- CASE Requirements. The following College of Arts and Sciences Education (CASE) requirements must be completed:
- CASE Foundations
- CASE Breadth of Inquiry
- CASE Culture Studies
- Diversity in the United States: 1 course
- Global Civilizations and Cultures: Not required
- CASE Critical Approaches: 1 course
- CASE Foreign Language: Proficiency in a single foreign language through the first semester of the second year of college-level coursework
- CASE Intensive Writing: 1 course
- CASE Public Oral Communication: 1 course
- CASE Sustainability Literacy: 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.