Objectives

The Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics is an interdisciplinary program that integrates the core physics curriculum with those of other majors. Students will choose the appropriate sequence of courses that matches their career aspirations in consultation with their advisor. By combining different perspectives, tools, and ideas, Applied Physics majors will be prepared to address some of today’s and tomorrow’s most challenging problems. In addition to regular coursework, all Applied Physics majors must complete a senior thesis project as a graduation requirement. This hands-on research experience with faculty from Physics and other disciplines exposes students to the type of work encountered in graduate school and industry, and enhances their undergraduate portfolio. Upon graduation, students are prepared to be successful in traditional physics career as well as in new and emerging fields.

Major Requirements

Learning Outcomes

Applied Physics majors will know:

1. The concepts of classical physics
2. The theories of modern and contemporary physics
3. The applicability of physics to other disciplines

Applied Physics majors will be able to:

1. Understand, apply, and adapt known physical models to real-world situations
2. Solve problems, which includes formulating a strategy, estimating a solution, applying appropriate techniques, and evaluating the result
3. Design systems, conduct experiments, and analyze data to address the needs of contemporary society
4. Employ computational methods to perform calculations and generate data that model physical systems
5. Communicate effectively their understanding of core applied physics principles, the results of experiments, and their analysis of physical problems

Applied Physics majors will value:

1. Ethical and unbiased actions as cornerstones to the scientific method
2. The impact of applied physics on society
3. The interplay between theory and applications

Applied Physics Curriculum

(128 S.H.)