Physics, BS

Physics (BS) Offered by the Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences. Admission to the Program Formal admission to the major requires a grade point average of 2.00 (on a 4.00 scale) and departmental approval. 120 credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better Completion of college writing requirement Completion of university mathematics requirement General Education Requirements A total of ten courses, consisting of two courses from each of the five foundational areas At least one course from Area Five: The Natural and Mathematical Sciences must include a laboratory science component No more than two courses may be taken in the same discipline Major Requirements 63 credit hours with grades of C or better Tracks: Chemical Physics, Computational Physics, or Traditional Physics Course Requirements Core (51 credit hours) CSC-280 Introduction to Computer Science I (4) MATH-221 Calculus I (4) MATH-222 Calculus II (4) MATH-310 Linear Algebra (3) MATH-313 Calculus III (4) MATH-321 Differential Equations (3) PHYS-110 Principles of Physics I FA5 (4) PHYS-210 Principles of Physics II FA5 (4) PHYS-331 Modern Physics (3) PHYS-351 Waves and Optics (3) PHYS-430 Classical Mechanics (3) PHYS-440 Experimental Physics (3) PHYS-450 Electricity and Magnetism (3) PHYS-470 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (3) PHYS-480 Physics Capstone Seminar (3) Tracks Complete one of the following: Chemical Physics Prerequisite: CHEM-210 General Chemistry II FA5 (4) 12 credit hours from the following: CHEM-310 Organic Chemistry I (3) CHEM-312 Organic Chemistry I Laboratory (1) CHEM-320 Organic Chemistry II (3) CHEM-322 Organic Chemistry II Laboratory (1) CHEM-410 Biophysical Chemistry (3) CHEM-460 Instrumental Analysis (3) PHYS-460 Statistical Mechanics (3) Computational Physics 12 credit hours from the following: CSC-281 Introduction to Computer Science II (3) CSC-330 Organization of Computer Systems (4) CSC-432 Introduction to Simulation and Modeling (3) CSC-520 Algorithms and Data Structures (3) CSC-543 Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (3) PHYS-380 Mathematical and Computational Physics (3) Traditional Physics 12 credit hours from the following: MATH-450 Complex Analysis (3) MATH-451 Partial Differential Equations (3) PHYS-300 Acoustics (3) PHYS-310 Electronics (4) PHYS-360 Astrophysics (3) PHYS-380 Mathematical and Computational Physics (3) PHYS-460 Statistical Mechanics (3) Combined Bachelor's and Master's Degrees American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its combined bachelor's/master's programs. See Combined Bachelor's and Master's Degrees for more information.