Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements
- DU General Education Curriculum:
• First-Year Seminar
• 8 credits of Academic Writing
• 12 credits of a foreign language (or demonstrated proficiency)
• 16 credits of Ways of Knowing (8 in humanities, 8 in social sciences). [These courses are currently called "AHUM" and "SOCS", but will have different names beginning in fall 2010.]
• Advanced Seminar [offered beginning in fall 2010] - University Physics I, II, and III and lab (PHYS 1211, 1212, 1213)
- General Chemistry I and lab (CHEM 1010 and 1240)
- Calculus I, II, and III (MATH 1951, 1952, 1953); Introduction to Differential Equations (MATH 2070); and Calculus of Several Variables (MATH 2080). Completing these courses fulfills the requirements for a minor in mathematics.
- At least 40 quarter hours of physics coursework at 2000 level or above. This program must include the following:
• Modern Physics I and II (PHYS 2251, 2252)
• Modern Lab (PHYS 2260)
• Uncertainty and Error Analysis (PHYS 2259)
• Intermediate Lab I and II (PHYS 2311, 2312)
• Mechanics (PHYS 2555)
• Electricity & Magnetism I and II (PHYS 3611, 3612)
These required courses total 23 credits. Thus the student must complete 17 additional elective credits in physics at the 2000+ level. - At least 9 hours of physics coursework at 3000 level or above. These courses also count toward requirement #5. The required courses Electricity & Magnetism I and II (PHYS 3611, 3612) total 8 credits, so the student must complete at least 1 additional elective credit in physics at the 3000+ level. Independent Study (PHYS 3991) and Independent Research (PHYS 3995) do not count toward this requirement. Physical Chemistry I (CHEM 3610) does count toward this requirement.
- Two minors, at least one of which is in a BS degree-granting department. Completing the courses listed in requirement #4 fulfills this second condition.
- A senior thesis. BS students will normally enroll in Independent Study (PHYS 3991) or Independent Research (PHYS 3995) as part of their work toward the senior thesis. Double majors must complete a physics-related thesis for the physics BS, but joint thesis projects between physics and other fields will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
A Physics/Astronomy senior thesis report should approximate a journal-submission quality document. Suggested outline: Background, Goals, Method, Results, Conclusions & Next Steps, Bibliography. Suggested format is a PDF document of ~25 pages. This document should be posted on a Portfolio page by April 15 for June graduation. These guidelines can be modified for individual students with approval of faculty mentor and Undergraduate Committee.
Freshman year
| Autumn | Winter |
| PHYS 1200 Physics Prep (1) | PHYS 1211 Univ. Physics I (5) |
| MATH 1951 Calculus I (4) | MATH 1952 Calculus II (4) |
| FSEM 1111 First-Year Seminar (4) | WRIT 1122 Academic Writing (4) |
| CHEM 1010 General Chemistry (3) | Foreign Language (4) |
| CHEM 1240 Gen. Chemistry Lab (1) | |
| Foreign Language (4) | |
| Spring | |
| PHYS 1212 Univ. Physics II (5) | |
| MATH 1953 Calculus III (4) | |
| WRIT 1133 Academic Writing (4) | |
| Foreign Language (4) |
Sophomore year
| Autumn | Winter |
| PHYS 1213 Univ. Physics III (5) | PHYS 2251 Modern Physics I (4) |
| *Humanities (4) | PHYS 2259 Uncert. & Err. Analysis (1) |
| *Social Sciences (4) | MATH 2070 Intr. Diff. Eqns. (4) |
| Minor Requirement/Elective (4) | *Humanities (4) |
| *Social Sciences (4) | |
| Spring | |
| PHYS 2252 Modern Physics II (3) | |
| PHYS 2260 Modern Physics Lab (1) | |
| MATH 2080 Calc. Several Var. (4) | |
| Minor Requirement/Elective (4) |
* Humanities and Social Sciences courses may be taken in any order.
Junior year
| Autumn | Winter |
| PHYS 2311 Intermediate Lab I (1) | PHYS 2312 Intermediate Lab II (1) |
| PHYS 2555 Mechanics I (4) | PHYS 3611 Electromagnetism I (4) |
| ASEM Advanced Seminar (4) | Minor Requirements as needed |
| Minor Requirement/Elective (4) | |
| Spring | |
| PHYS 3612 Electromagnetism II (4) | |
| PHYS Elective (4) | |
| Minor Requirements as needed |
Senior year
| Autumn | Winter |
| †PHYS Elective (4) | †PHYS Elective (4) |
| †PHYS Elective (4) | ‡PHYS 3995 Independent Research |
| ‡PHYS 3995 Independent Research | Minor Requirements as needed |
| Minor Requirements as needed | |
| Spring | |
| †PHYS Elective (4) | |
| ‡PHYS 3995 Independent Research | |
| Minor Requirements as needed |
† PHYS 3111 Quantum Physics I, PHYS 3112 Quantum Physics II, and PHYS 3841 Thermal Physics are strongly recommended as senior electives.
‡ BS students will normally enroll in PHYS 3991 Independent Study or PHYS 3995 Independent Research as part of their work toward the senior thesis. Credits for these courses are variable.
October 16, 2009