BS in Physics
Because a physics major can take you in many different directions, and students come to the subject with a wide range of backgrounds, interests and goals, we have designed our requirements for maximum flexibility. The material below describes the requirements and outlines some possible courses of study, but you will work closely with your advisor to design a curriculum aligned with your interests and goals. For more detailed information please speak with your advisor.
Program Requirements and Policies
- PHY 11 and 12 (or equivalent) are prerequisites for all Physics majors.
- A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required for the courses applied to the major and no more than one course applied to the major may have a grade of less than C-.
- No major courses may be taken Pass/Fail.
- If you have more than one major, please see Bulletin for rules on double-counting courses.
- If you have a minor, no more than two course credits used toward the minor may be used toward foundation, distribution, major, or other minor requirements.
Course Requirements
10 courses:
I. Two required courses:
- PHY 13: Introduction to Modern Physics and
- PHY 64: Advanced Experimental Physics
II. One additional course in advanced laboratory training (may be PHY 31: Optics and Wave Motion or PHY 41: Electronics)
III. Five electives in Physics numbered above PHY 12 (Seminar courses of 2.0 units or less — such as PHY 103, PHY 107, and PHY 108 — cannot be counted toward the Minor and Major course requirements).
IV. Two courses in Mathematics above MATH 42/44.
Up to two courses in II and III combined may be approved courses in related fields.
One course in IV may be an approved course in a related field.