Jul 31, 2025  
2025-2026 Undergraduate Academic Catalog 
    
2025-2026 Undergraduate Academic Catalog

Physics, BS


The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in physics is designed for students who wish to pursue careers or graduate study in scientific and technically intensive fields.

Learning Outcomes

  • APPLY fundamental laws of physics – in the areas of classical mechanics, classical electricity and magnetism, and thermodynamics; and in modern physics, including statistical mechanics, special relativity, and quantum mechanics – to analyze and predict the behavior of physical systems. 
  • DESIGN and CONDUCT experimental studies to apply and test physical ideas, and subsequently analyze and interpret the results.
  • USE computational methods for problem-solving and analytical thinking; as a means to acquire, analyze, interpret, and visualize large datasets; and as a tool to bridge theory and application.
  • COMMUNICATE scientific ideas - such as descriptions of physical principles, the theoretical analysis of physical systems, the methods and results of experiments, and the design and results of computational investigations - through presentations, written reports, and solved problems.
  • APPLY multiple methods of analysis in solving problems and interpreting experiments, be able to explain why a particular method or methods are best suited to address particular types of  problems, and be adept at applying knowledge and skills from courses and disciplines outside of physics.