Physics, B.S.: Applied Physics Concentration

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About the Physics: Applied Physics Concentration Bachelor’s Program

The applied physics concentration is a variation of the professional concentration for students who wish to pursue more applied work, such as graduate study or employment in engineering fields. It requires the same coursework as the professional option (excluding PHYS 4308 and one PHYS elective course), with an additional 12 required hours of an applied specialty. Majors in this concentration are strongly encouraged to minor in mathematics and to devote time to undergraduate research.

Communication Literacy Requirement. Communication Literacy courses for the physics major (all concentrations) are three courses from PHYS 2305 , PHYS 3304 , PHYS 3401 , and PHYS 4306 .

Recommended Curriculum

First Year

Fall

MATH 1451 - Calculus I with Applications 4 Semester Credit Hours
ENGL 1301 - Essentials of College Rhetoric 3 Semester Credit Hours
Social and Behavioral Sciences 3 Semester Credit Hours *
Personal Fitness and Wellness 1 Semester Credit Hour
COMS 2300 - Public Speaking 3 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 14

Spring

PHYS 1408 - Principles of Physics I 4 Semester Credit Hours
MATH 1452 - Calculus II with Applications 4 Semester Credit Hours
ENGL 1302 - Advanced College Rhetoric 3 Semester Credit Hours
Creative Arts 3 Semester Credit Hours *

Total: 14

Second Year

Fall

PHYS 2401 - Principles of Physics II 4 Semester Credit Hours
MATH 2450 - Calculus III with Applications 4 Semester Credit Hours
POLS 1301 - American Government 3 Semester Credit Hours
Language, Philosophy, & Culture 3 Semester Credit Hours *
Foreign Language 3 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 17

Spring

PHYS 2302 - Principles of Physics III: Intermediate Classical Mechanics 3 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 2305 - Computation for the Physical Sciences 3 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 3201 - Modern Physics Lab and Data Analysis 2 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 3301 - Principles of Physics IV: Introduction to Quantum Physics 3 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 4325 - Mathematical Methods in Physical Sciences I 3 Semester Credit Hours
(MATH 3350 and MATH 3351 may substitute for PHYS 4325 and PHYS 4326 .)

Total: 14

Third Year

Fall

PHYS 3305 - Electricity and Magnetism 3 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 3401 - Optics 4 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 4326 - Mathematical Methods in Physical Sciences II 3 Semester Credit Hours
(MATH 3350 and MATH 3351 may substitute for PHYS 4325 and PHYS 4326 .)
HIST 2300 - History of the United States to 1877 3 Semester Credit Hours
ENGL 2000 Level 3 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 16

Spring

PHYS 3306 - Electricity and Magnetism 3 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 4304 - Mechanics 3 Semester Credit Hours
Engineering or Applied Physics Elective 3 Semester Credit Hours
HIST 2301 - History of the United States since 1877 3 Semester Credit Hours
Multicultural 3 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 15

Fourth Year

Fall

PHYS 4307 - Quantum Mechanics I 3 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS Elective 3 Semester Credit Hours ^†
Engineering or Applied Physics Elective 3 Semester Credit Hours
POLS 2306 - Texas Politics and Topics 3 Semester Credit Hours
Elective 3 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 15

Spring

PHYS 3304 - Intermediate Physics Laboratory 3 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 4302 - Statistical and Thermal Physics 3 Semester Credit Hours
PHYS 4306 - Capstone Project 3 Semester Credit Hours
Engineering or Applied Physics Elective 3 Semester Credit Hours
Engineering or Applied Physics Elective 3 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 15

Total Hours: 120

Applied physics concentration students are strongly encouraged to minor in mathematics, as assumed in the curriculum above.

* Choose from the university’s core curriculum .
^† Some Physics electives are offered in alternate years. Consult the current Physics Undergraduate Handbook at www.depts.ttu.edu/phas for current scheduling.

Foreign Language

A student must complete 3 hours at the sophomore level or above in a single language. The prerequisite for all sophomore language courses is proficiency at the freshman level. This proficiency can be determined through credit or by examination. The score attained on the exam will determine whether the student is placed in a second-year course, a 5-hour review course, or in some cases the first or second semester of a beginning (first-year) language course. See Arts & Sciences General Degree Requirements for further explanation.

Multicultural

Choose from the university’s Multicultural Requirement list. Students may choose a course that also fulfills the core Social and Behavioral Sciences requirement; the core Creative Arts requirement; or the Language, Philosophy, and Culture requirement.

Engineering or Applied Physics Electives

These courses should be selected in consultation with and approved by the physics academic advisor.