Bachelor of Science BS Mathematical Physics Concentration BS Biophysics Concentration BS Mathematics and Physics Engineering Physics Major Bachelor of Arts BA Teaching Physics Minor Undergraduate Studies

The Mathematical Physics Concentration

in the Bachelor of Science in Physics Degree Program

(updated on November 13, 2009)

 

Students who are interested in theoretical physics and who have a strong background in mathematics may pursue a variation of the B.S. in Physics, officially a “B.S. in Physics with a Mathematical Physics Concentration.”  This program is based on the B.S. in Physics but with certain substitutions in the course requirements.  Several of the laboratory courses are replaced by advanced mathematics courses and some of the undergraduate physics courses are replaced by graduate courses.  This program is not the same as the separate degree program, the B.S. in Mathematics and Physics, which is a coherent and parallel education in both mathematics and physics.

The following table shows the requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Physics with Mathematical Physics Concentration. Those courses in the standard B.S. program that are replaced are shown in brackets and are followed by their replacements.

Course

 

Yr*

Cred

Course

 

Yr*

Cred it

PHYS 121 or 123

Intro Mech

1

4

CHEM 105 or 111

Chem 1

1

3 (4)

PHYS 122 or 124

Intro E&M

1

4

CHEM 106 or

ENGR 145

Chem 2

1

3 (4)

PHYS 221

Modern

2F

3

       

[PHYS 203]

M-group 1**

[Elec Lab]

Adv. Math

[2F]

2

3

ENGR 131 ****

CompP

1

3

PHYS 204

Instr Lab

2S

4

MATH 121 or 123

Calc 1

1

4

PHYS 250

CompMeth

2S

3

MATH 122 or 124

Calc 2

1

4

PHYS 310

Clas. Mech

2S

3

MATH 223 or 227

Calc 3

2F

3

[PHYS 301]

PHYS 349

[Adv Lab 1]

Math Meth I

[3F]

3F

3

MATH 224

Diff E

2S

3

PHYS 303***
AdvLabSem
3F
1

PHED 2 semesters

   

0

M-group 2**

Adv math

3

3

PHYS 313

Thermo

3F

3

Subtotal

   

25 (27)

[PHYS 331]

PHYS 481

[QM 1]

QM I grad

[3F]

3F

3

PHYS 302

Adv Lab 2

3S

4

[PHYS 324]

PHYS 423

[E&M 1]

E&M grad

[3S]

4F

3

SAGES first/univ sem  
1&2
10

[PHYS 332]

PHYS 482

[QM 2]

QM 2 grad

[3S]

3S

3

Breadth Requirement*****

    

12

[PHYS 325]

PHYS 350

[E&M 2]

Math Meth II

[4F]

3S

3

[Open electives]

Open electives******

   

[13]

17

M-group 3**

Adv math

4

3

PHYS 351***

SrPrj

4

4
PHYS 352***
SrPrjSem
4
2
Choose 1 of the following 3

PHYS 315

Solid State

4F

3

PHYS 326

Phys. Optics

S

3

PHYS 327

Quant. Elec.

4S

3

Choose 1 of the following 4

PHYS 316

Nuc Par

4S

3

PHYS 328

Cosmo. Univ.

4

3

PHYS 336

Mod. Cosmo.

4

3

PHYS 365

General Rel.

4S

3

Subtotal

   

65

Total

   

127

* course usually taken in this year, offered only in F = fall, S = spring

** M-group 1, 2 and 3 are to be chosen from among approved advanced mathematics or statistics courses.

*** PHYS 303 + PHYS 352 satisfy the SAGES departmental seminar requirement. PHYS 351 is an approved SAGES capstone course.

**** or other approved computational course

***** The breadth requirements include 6 hours of Social Sciences and 6 hours of Arts and Humanities. This may increase by 3 credits if the required Global and Cultural Diversity course is not also one of the breadth requirement courses. Courses required for the BS in Physics satisfy the 6 credit GER for Natural Sciences and Mathematics as well as the Quantitative Reasoning course requirement.

****** The number of open electives may vary as determined by the degree requirement that the total number of credits add to 127 or more.

Typical Schedule

 

Fall
(Class Hours-Lab Hours-Credit Hours)

Spring
(Class Hours-Lab Hours-Credit Hours)

First
Year

PHYS 121 or PHYS 123  Mechanics (4-3-4)
MATH 121 Calculus for Science and Engineering I (4-0-4)
CHEM 105 or CHEM 111 (3-0-3) or (4-0-4)
ENGR 131 Elementary Computer Programming (2-2-3)
FS** SAGES First Seminar (4-0-4)
PHED *** Physical Education Activities (0-3-0)

PHYS 122 or PHYS 124 Electricity & Magnetism (4-3-4)
MATH 122 Calculus for Science and Engineering II (4-0-4)
CHEM 106 or ENGR 145 (3-0-3) or (4-0-4)
US** University Seminar (3-0-3)
Humanities/Social Science Elective (3-0-3)
PHED *** Physical Education Activities (0-3-0)

Second Year

PHYS 221 General Physics III – Modern Physics (3-0-3)
MATH 223 Calculus for Science & Engineering III (3-0-3)
US** University Seminar (3-0-3)
Humanities/Social Science Elective (3-0-3)
Open Elective (3-0-3)

PHYS 204 Advanced Instrumentation Lab (2-4-4)
PHYS 250 Mathematics, Physics and Computing (3-0-3)
PHYS 310 Classical Mechanics (3-0-3)
MATH 224 Differential Equations (3-0-3)
Humanities/Social Science Elective (3-0-3)

Third Year

PHYS 303 Advanced Laboratory Physics Seminar (1-0-1)
PHYS 313 Thermodynamics & Statistical Mech. (3-0-3)
PHYS 349 Mathematical Methods of Physics I (3-0-3)
PHYS 481 Graduate Quantum Mechanics I (3-0-3)
PHYS 423 Graduate Classical Electricity and Magnetism I (3-0-3)
Humanities/Social Science Elective (3-0-3)

PHYS 302 Advanced Laboratory Physics II (0-8-4)
PHYS 350 Mathematical Methods of Physics II (3-0-3)
PHYS 482 Graduate Quantum Mechanics II (3-0-3)
MATH *** Advanced Mathematics Elective (3-0-3)
Global and Cultural Diversity Elective  (3-0-3)

Fourth Year

PHYS 351+352 Senior Physics Project + Seminar (0-6-2)+(1-0-1)
PHYS 3** Condensed Matter Physics Elective (3-0-3)
MATH *** Advanced Mathematics Elective (3-0-3)
Open Elective (3-0-3)
Open Elective (3-0-3)

PHYS 351+352 Senior Physics Project + Seminar (0-6-2)+(1-0-1)
PHYS 3** Particle/Astrophysics Elective (3-0-3)
MATH *** Advanced Mathematics Elective (3-0-3)
Open Elective (3-0-3)
Open Elective (3-0-3)

Physics + Advanced Mathematics Elective Credits - 65
Total Credits required for graduation 127

For more information, contact Prof. Gary Chottiner, gary.chottiner@cwru.edu or Prof. Harsh Mathur, hxm7@po.cwru.edu .

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