Physics Major (BS)
College: College of Natural & Health Sciences
- Student should be scientifically literate in the foundations of physics, both theoretical and practical
- Students should be able to take data in a lab environment or computer simulation, analyze it, present it coherently in a written format and draw from the analysis a convincing conclusion based upon the principles of the scientific method.
- Students will master the tools of modern physics; mathematical, computational, and experimental.
- Students will be able to orally present in a professional, lucid manner, the results and analysis of an experiment or research and effectively answer questions on the topic of their work in a scientific seminar format.
- Student will have mastered the methods of modern scientific exploration at an appropriate level, and engage in a continual self-examination for any deficiencies, and take advantage of opportunities to rectify them. T
Requirements for the Physics Major
To be eligible for entrance into the physics major students must have successfully completed MATH 221 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I, MATH 222 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II and PHYS 201 General Physics I, PHYS 202 General Physics II with a grade of C or better in each, or at the discretion of the Department.
At least 15 credits of upper level courses must be completed at UW-Parkside.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| College of Natural and Health Sciences requirement | ||
| New entering students, and transfer students with less than 30 college credits, choosing a major in the College of Natural and Health Sciences are required to take this course. | ||
| UWP 101 | First Year Seminar: Natural and Health Sciences | 1 |
| Required Core Courses | ||
| PHYS 201 | General Physics I | 5 |
| PHYS 202 | General Physics II | 5 |
| PHYS 205 | Modern Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 241 | Scientific Programming | 3 |
| PHYS 301 | Classical Mechanics | 4 |
| PHYS 302 | Electricity and Magnetism | 4 |
| PHYS 303 | Computational Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 306 | Advanced Experiments in Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 403 | Thermodynamics | 4 |
| PHYS 441 | Quantum Physics | 4 |
| PHYS 495 | Senior Seminar | 2 |
| PHYS 401 | Mathematical Methods of Physics | 3 |
| or MATH 401 | Applied Mathematics | |
| Required Core Courses Subtotal | 44 | |
| Required Support Courses | ||
| MATH 221 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | 5 |
| MATH 222 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry II | 5 |
| MATH 223 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry III | 5 |
| MATH 301 | Linear Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 317 | Differential Equations and their Applications | 4 |
| Required Support Courses Subtotal | 23 | |
| Total Credits | 67 | |
Students planning graduate work in physics will generally take more than the minimum number of credit hours in physics and additional mathematics courses. Reading proficiency (equivalent to about two years of study at the college level) in one foreign language is also recommended for such students.
General University Degree Requirements (Bachelor's Degree)
In addition to individual program requirements, students must also fulfill the following requirements:
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Skills | 7-8 |
| General Education | 36 |
| Foreign Language** | 6-8 |
| Ethnic Diversity | 3 |
| Total | 52-55 |
** Transfer students in sustainable management, and health information management and technology collaborative, online degree-completion programs, the business management online degree-completion program, and the flexible option degree-completion program will be exempt from the university’s foreign language requirement. See appropriate academic section for further information.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | ||
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Reading | 3 |
| Computational Skills | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| Survey of Mathematics | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| College Algebra I | ||
| Total Credits | 7-8 | |
Degree Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Minimum Total Credits | 120 |
| Upper Level Credits (300 level or above) | 36 |
| Residency | 30 |
Cumulative Degree GPA: 2.0 minimum