Physics Undergraduate Major (BA, BS, HBA, HBS)
This program is available at the following location:
- Corvallis
Options available:
- Applied Physics
- Biological Physics
- Chemical Physics
- Computational Physics
- Geophysics
- Mathematical Physics
- Optical Physics
- Physics Teaching/Physics
The BS degree in Physics prepares students for a wide variety of careers in private industry, teaching, or the government sector, and for continued graduate education in physics or related areas. The BS degree gives students a broad education across all subdisciplines of Physics. Students who wish to focus on a particular interdisciplinary connection may wish to consider one of the physics options.
The BA degree in Physics is appropriate for physics students interested in obtaining a broader academic background through a second-language requirement and additional liberal arts courses. This degree may lead to international opportunities, especially if coupled with the International Degree Program at OSU.
Major Code: 590
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Organize and carry out long, complex physics problems.
- Decide on strategies to be used and assumptions that need to be made.
- Determine what constitutes sufficient evidence for a conclusion.
- Use both algebraic and geometric approaches in problem-solving.
- Computationally model the behavior of physical systems.
- Troubleshoot difficulties encountered in experiments or computations.
- Translate physical descriptions into mathematical equations, and conversely, explain the physical meaning of mathematical results.
- Examine intermediate results or other quantities that could be used to ensure a solution is physically reasonable.
- Identify what they don’t understand, and ask specific questions in order to gain understanding.
- Articulate where they experience difficulty; and take actions to move beyond that difficulty.
- Write effectively using professional norms.
- Present work verbally using professional norms.
- Use graphs and diagrams to convey their results.
- Write down clear step-by-step mathematical reasoning and equations.
- Collaborate with other students.
- Design an experiment to measure a given physical quantity.
- Make measurements on physical systems.
- Estimate sources of error in a measurement.
- Interpret their measurements, taking into account the limitations of the measurements and the limitations of models.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| CH 231 & CH 261 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | 5 |
| CH 232 & CH 262 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 | 5 |
| CH 233 & CH 263 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233 | 5 |
| MTH 251 | *DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| MTH 252 | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| MTH 253 | INFINITE SERIES AND SEQUENCES | 4 |
| or MTH 306 | MATRIX AND POWER SERIES METHODS | |
| MTH 254 | VECTOR CALCULUS I | 4 |
| MTH 255 | VECTOR CALCULUS II | 4 |
| MTH 256 | APPLIED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS | 4 |
| MTH 341 | LINEAR ALGEBRA I | 3 |
| PH 211 & PH 221 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS and RECITATION FOR PHYSICS 211 | 5 |
| PH 212 & PH 222 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS and RECITATION FOR PHYSICS 212 | 5 |
| PH 213 & PH 223 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS and RECITATION FOR PHYSICS 213 | 5 |
| PH 315 | PHYSICS OF CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES | 3 |
| PH 335 | TECHNIQUES OF THEORETICAL MECHANICS | 3 |
| PH 411 | ELECTRONICS | 3 |
| PH 365 & PH 366 & PH 367 | COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS LAB and COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS LAB and COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS LAB | 3 |
| PH 422 | PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: STATIC FIELDS | 3 |
| PH 423 | PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: ENERGY AND ENTROPY | 3 |
| PH 424 | PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: OSCILLATIONS AND WAVES | 3 |
| PH 425 | PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: QUANTUM FUNDAMENTALS | 3 |
| PH 426 | PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: CENTRAL FORCES | 3 |
| PH 427 | PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: PERIODIC SYSTEMS | 3 |
| PH 401 | RESEARCH | 3 |
| PH 403 | ^THESIS | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 15-22 | |
Bachelor of Science in Physics | ||
Bachelor of Arts in Physics | ||
| Additional Requirements | ||
| Remaining Bacc Core, Option (not required) and Electives | 65-72 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)
- ^
Writing Intensive Course (WIC)
Bachelor of Science in Physics
For graduation with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics under the basic physics option, additional course requirements consist of:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PH 415 | COMPUTER INTERFACING AND INSTRUMENTATION | 3 |
| or PH 464 | SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING II | |
| PH 431 | CAPSTONES IN PHYSICS: ELECTROMAGNETISM | 3 |
| PH 441 | CAPSTONES IN PHYSICS: THERMAL AND STATISTICAL PHYSICS | 3 |
| PH 451 | CAPSTONES IN PHYSICS: QUANTUM MECHANICS | 3 |
| PH 481 | PHYSICAL OPTICS | 4 |
| Select 6 additional credits 1 | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 22 | |
- 1
At least 6 additional credits chosen from among the non-blanket Physics courses at the 400-level or beyond, or related courses in another department with the approval of the head undergraduate advisor
Bachelor of Arts in Physics
To graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics, additional course requirements consist of:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| CAPSTONES IN PHYSICS: ELECTROMAGNETISM | ||
| CAPSTONES IN PHYSICS: THERMAL AND STATISTICAL PHYSICS | ||
| CAPSTONES IN PHYSICS: QUANTUM MECHANICS | ||
| Select 9 credits of approved electives 1 | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
- 1
The student must complete 9 credits of approved electives in the College of Liberal Arts and must complete or demonstrate proficiency in the second year of a foreign language
Major Code: 590
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.
Physics BS
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| MTH 251 | *DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| CH 231 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CH 261 | *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231 | 1 |
| PH 198 | FIRST-YEAR ORIENTATION | 1 |
| Bacc Core | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| MTH 252 | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| CH 232 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CH 262 | *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 | 1 |
| Bacc Core | 4 | |
| Bacc Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| MTH 254 | VECTOR CALCULUS I | 4 |
| CH 233 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CH 263 | *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 233 | 1 |
| PH 211 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| PH 221 | RECITATION FOR PHYSICS 211 | 1 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| MTH 255 | VECTOR CALCULUS II | 4 |
| PH 212 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| PH 222 | RECITATION FOR PHYSICS 212 | 1 |
| Bacc Core Science | 4 | |
| Bacc Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| MTH 256 | APPLIED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS | 4 |
| PH 213 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| PH 223 | RECITATION FOR PHYSICS 213 | 1 |
| Bacc Core Science | 4 | |
| Bacc Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| MTH 253 |
INFINITE SERIES AND SEQUENCES 1 or INTRODUCTION TO MATRIX ALGEBRA and INTRODUCTION TO SERIES |
4 |
| MTH 341 | LINEAR ALGEBRA I | 3 |
| PH 315 | PHYSICS OF CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES | 3 |
| Bacc Core | 3 | |
| Bacc Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| PH 335 | TECHNIQUES OF THEORETICAL MECHANICS | 3 |
| PH 411 | ELECTRONICS | 3 |
| Bacc Core | 3 | |
| Bacc Core | 3 | |
| Option Course or Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| PH 422 | PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: STATIC FIELDS | 3 |
| PH 425 | PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: QUANTUM FUNDAMENTALS | 3 |
| PH 365 | COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS LAB | 1 |
| PH 415 | COMPUTER INTERFACING AND INSTRUMENTATION | 3 |
| PH 401 | RESEARCH 2 | 1 |
| Bacc Core | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| PH 424 | PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: OSCILLATIONS AND WAVES | 3 |
| PH 426 | PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: CENTRAL FORCES | 3 |
| PH 427 | PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: PERIODIC SYSTEMS | 3 |
| PH 366 | COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS LAB | 1 |
| PH 401 | RESEARCH 2 | 1 |
| Option Course or Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| PH 403 | ^THESIS | 1 |
| PH 401 | RESEARCH 2 | 1 |
| PH 423 | PARADIGMS IN PHYSICS: ENERGY AND ENTROPY | 3 |
| PH 367 | COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS LAB | 1 |
| PH 431 | CAPSTONES IN PHYSICS: ELECTROMAGNETISM | 3 |
| PH 400-level Elective (non-blanket 40X course) | 3 | |
| Option Course or Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| PH 403 | ^THESIS | 1 |
| PH 451 | CAPSTONES IN PHYSICS: QUANTUM MECHANICS | 3 |
| PH 481 | PHYSICAL OPTICS | 4 |
| PH 464 or PH 415 |
SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING II or COMPUTER INTERFACING AND INSTRUMENTATION |
3 |
| Option Course or Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| PH 403 | ^THESIS | 1 |
| PH 441 | CAPSTONES IN PHYSICS: THERMAL AND STATISTICAL PHYSICS | 3 |
| PH 400-level Elective (non-blanket 40X course) | 3 | |
| Option Course or Elective | 4 | |
| Option Course or Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- 1
Students interested in a MTH minor or double major should take MTH 253. Other students should take MTH 264/MTH 265
- 2
Three credits of PH 401 are required. Although they can be taken in terms other than shown here, it is strongly recommended to start research by the winter term of the junior year. Students doing external internships as a basis for their research should discuss this with the head advisor