Radiation Health Physics Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)
This program is available at the following location:
- Corvallis
The Bachelor of Science and Honors Bachelor of Science degree in Radiation Health Physics is accredited by the Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission (ANSAC) of ABET, http://www.ABET.org.
The goals of the radiation health physics curriculum are to prepare students for careers related to the many beneficial uses of nuclear technology and energy. Radiation health physicists study methods used to protect people and their environment from radiation hazards while enabling the beneficial uses of radiation and radioactive materials.
Program Educational Objectives – Radiation Health Physics
The OSU Radiation Health Physics Program effectively prepares students for careers and professional accomplishments in the radiation health physics industry through its established Program Educational Objectives.
The Program Educational Objectives for the Radiation Health Physics Program may be found on the school's website.
Student Outcomes – Radiation Health Physics
The OSU Radiation Health Physics Program prepares its graduates to achieve the Program Educational Objectives. This is achieved by ensuring students are able to perform Student Learning Outcomes upon their graduation.
The Student Learning Outcomes for the Radiation Health Physics Program may be found on the school's website.
Major Code: 326
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Identify, formulate, and solve broadly defined technical or scientific problems by applying knowledge of mathematics and science and/or technical topics to areas relevant to the discipline.
- Formulate or design a system, process, procedure or program to meet desired needs.
- Develop and conduct experiments or test hypotheses, analyze and interpret data and use scientific judgment to draw conclusions.
- Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- Understand ethical and professional responsibilities and the impact of technical and/or scientific solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
- Function effectively on teams that establish goals, plan tasks, meet deadlines, and analyze risk and uncertainty.
- Apply knowledge of atomic and nuclear physics to nuclear and radiological systems and processes.
- Apply knowledge of transport and interaction of radiation with matter to nuclear and radiation processes.
- Measure nuclear and radiation processes.
- Apply knowledge of ionizing radiation risk in terms of decision-making and policy.
| First Year | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following chemistry series: | 15 | |
| Series A | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY | ||
| *GENERAL CHEMISTRY | ||
| *GENERAL CHEMISTRY | ||
| Series B | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233 | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| COMM 111Z or COMM 114 | +*PUBLIC SPEAKING or *ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE | 3-4 |
| CS 101 or CS 161 | COMPUTERS: APPLICATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS or INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE I | 4 |
| ENGR 100 | THE OREGON STATE ENGINEERING STUDENT | 3 |
| ENGR 102 | DESIGN ENGINEERING AND PROBLEM SOLVING | 3 |
| ENGR 103 | ENGINEERING COMPUTATION AND ALGORITHMIC THINKING | 3 |
| MTH 251 | *DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| MTH 252 | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| MTH 254 | VECTOR CALCULUS I | 4 |
| WR 121Z | *COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| Credits | 47-48 | |
| Second Year | ||
| BI 221 & BI 222 & BI 223 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS | 12 |
| HHS 231 | *LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH | 2 |
| HHS 241 | *LIFETIME FITNESS (or any PAC course) | 1 |
| NSE 234 | NUCLEAR AND RADIATION PHYSICS I | 3 |
| NSE 235 | NUCLEAR AND RADIATION PHYSICS II | 3 |
| NSE 236 | NUCLEAR RADIATION DETECTION AND INSTRUMENTATION | 4 |
| *Perspectives Course | 3 | |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| Select one of the following physics series: | 12-15 | |
| Series A | ||
| *GENERAL PHYSICS | ||
| *GENERAL PHYSICS | ||
| *GENERAL PHYSICS | ||
| Series B | ||
| *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | ||
| *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | ||
| *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | ||
| Credits | 43-46 | |
| Third Year | ||
| BI 231 | INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY | 3 |
| NSE 319 | *SOCIETAL ASPECTS OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY | 3 |
| NSE 481 | RADIATION PROTECTION | 4 |
| Select one of the following statistics series: | 6-8 | |
| Series A | ||
| ELEMENTARY STATISTICS I | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF STATISTICS | ||
| Series B | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS FOR ENGINEERS | ||
*Synthesis Course | ||
| WR 227Z | *TECHNICAL WRITING | 4 |
| Electives (restricted in Health) | 6 | |
| Restricted Electives 1 | 12 | |
| *Perspectives Courses | 6 | |
| *Synthesis Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 47-49 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| H 425 | FOUNDATIONS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY | 3 |
| H 445 | *OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH | 3 |
| NSE 407 | SEMINAR (Radiation Health Physics - 3 terms) | 3 |
| NSE 415 | NUCLEAR RULES AND REGULATIONS | 2 |
| NSE 435 | RADIATION SHIELDING AND EXTERNAL DOSIMETRY | 4 |
| NSE 474 | ^NUCLEAR SYSTEMS DESIGN I | 4 |
| NSE 475 | ^NUCLEAR SYSTEMS DESIGN II | 4 |
| NSE 483 | RADIATION BIOLOGY | 3 |
| NSE 488 | RADIOECOLOGY | 3 |
| Free Electives 2 | 5-6 | |
| *Difference, Power & Discrimination | 3 | |
| *Synthesis Course | 3 | |
| *Perspectives Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 44 | |
| Total Credits | 181-187 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)
- ^
Writing Intensive Course (WIC)
- +
Core Education course. Applies only to students admitted to an OSU undergraduate degree from Summer 2025 onwards
- 1
Approved technical electives from departmental list
- 2
Students who select Series A in physics or Series B in statistics will need 6 credits of free electives
Major Code: 326
Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CH 231 & CH 261 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | 5 |
| ENGR 100 | THE OREGON STATE ENGINEERING STUDENT | 3 |
| MTH 251 | *DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| WR 121Z | *COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| CH 232 & CH 262 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 | 5 |
| COMM 111Z or COMM 114 | +*PUBLIC SPEAKING or *ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE | 3-4 |
| ENGR 102 | DESIGN ENGINEERING AND PROBLEM SOLVING | 3 |
| MTH 252 | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| CH 233 & CH 263 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233 | 5 |
| CS 101 or CS 161 | COMPUTERS: APPLICATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS or INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE I | 4 |
| ENGR 103 | ENGINEERING COMPUTATION AND ALGORITHMIC THINKING | 3 |
| MTH 254 | VECTOR CALCULUS I | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BI 221 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS | 4 |
| HHS 231 | *LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH | 2 |
| HHS 241 | *LIFETIME FITNESS (or any PAC course) | 1 |
| NSE 234 | NUCLEAR AND RADIATION PHYSICS I | 3 |
| PH 211 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| BI 222 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS | 4 |
| NSE 235 | NUCLEAR AND RADIATION PHYSICS II | 3 |
| PH 212 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| *Perspectives Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| BI 223 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS | 4 |
| NSE 236 | NUCLEAR RADIATION DETECTION AND INSTRUMENTATION | 4 |
| PH 213 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BI 231 | INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY | 3 |
| NSE 481 | RADIATION PROTECTION | 4 |
| Health Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| *Perspectives Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| ST 243Z | ELEMENTARY STATISTICS I | 4 |
| Health Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| *Perspectives Course | 3 | |
| *Synthesis Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| NSE 319 | *SOCIETAL ASPECTS OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY | 3 |
| ST 202 | PRINCIPLES OF STATISTICS | 4 |
| WR 227Z | *TECHNICAL WRITING | 4 |
| Restricted Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| H 425 | FOUNDATIONS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY | 3 |
| NSE 407 | SEMINAR | 1 |
| NSE 415 | NUCLEAR RULES AND REGULATIONS | 2 |
| NSE 488 | RADIOECOLOGY | 3 |
| *Synthesis Course | 3 | |
| *Perspectives Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| NSE 407 | SEMINAR | 1 |
| NSE 474 | ^NUCLEAR SYSTEMS DESIGN I | 4 |
| NSE 483 | RADIATION BIOLOGY | 3 |
| Free Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| H 445 | *OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH | 3 |
| NSE 407 | SEMINAR | 1 |
| NSE 435 | RADIATION SHIELDING AND EXTERNAL DOSIMETRY | 4 |
| NSE 475 | ^NUCLEAR SYSTEMS DESIGN II | 4 |
| *Difference, Power & Discrimination | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 181-182 | |