Applied Physics Courses

2311: Calculus-based introductory course focusing on the principles and laws of mechanics with emphasis given to kinematics. Newton's laws and the conservation laws. Both physical insight and the ability to solve problems are stressed. Prerequisite (or concurrent enrollment in): Mathematics 1404. Three lectures per week.

2111 Laboratory and Quiz: Weekly problem session on mechanics along with laboratory experiments. Experimental studies of topics covered in mechanics that parallel discussions in the lecture. Emphasis on microcomputer-based laboratories (MBLs) and analysis. One three-hour session per week.

2305/2105: Class, Laboratory, and Quiz. Algebra and trigonometry-based introductory course primarily for pre-med biology students. The course includes topics and applications of physics to the health sciences and covers kinematics and dynamics, the conservation laws, fluids, and waves. Three lectures and one three-hour lab per week.

2312 Class: Calculus-based introductory course focusing on the phenomena and principles of electricity, magnetism, and optics. Prerequisite (or concurrent enrollment in): Mathematics 1311. Three lectures per week. 

2112. General Physics II (Calculus) Laboratory and Quiz. Weekly problem session on electricity, magnetism, and optics along with laboratory experiments. Experimental investigations of topics covered in electricity, magnetism, and optics that parallel lecture discussions. One three-hour session per week

2306/2106: Class, Laboratory and Quiz. Algebra and trigonometry-based introductory course primarily for pre-med biology students. The course includes topics and applications to the health sciences and covers electricity, magnetism, optics, and atomic and nuclear physics. Three lectures and one three-hour lab per week.

 An introduction to the use of computers for modeling physical systems that often cannot be represented analytically. Topics covered include motion with resistive forces, orbital mechanics, coupled oscillations and waves, electric and magnetic field plotting, chaotic systems, Monte Carlo simulations, percolation theory, and fractals. The simple mathematical methods that are developed include numerical differentiation and integration, the Euler and Verlet algorithms, and Monte Carlo methods.

Two courses may be selected from the following:

PHY 2310 Astronomy
PHY 3320/3120 Quantum Physics and Lab
PHY 3341/3141 Optics and Lab
PHY 3333/3133 Electronics and Lab
PHY 4327 Electromagnetic Theory
or a 4000-level course in Astrophysics, Condensed Matter Physics, Biophysics or Nuclear Physics.

The sixth course is an elective from a field other than physics that allows the student to tailor the concentration to his or her interests.

Possible choices include the following or an elective approved by the Director.

CHE 3331 Physical Chemistry I
CHE 3320 Inorganic Chemistry II
ECO 3328 Econometrics
MAT 4315 Applied Math I
MAT 3326 Probability
EDU 4346 Principles of Secondary Education
EDU 5352 Educational Evaluation
BIO 3345 Biostatistics
BIO 3335 Biochemistry I
BIO 3331/3131 Physiology
PHI 4333 Philosophy of Science
PHI 4334 Bioethics