Major

Total Semester Hours required for the Degree: 120 semester hours

Minimum Semester Hours required for the Physics Major: 74 semester hours

The Physics major comprises the following courses:

Students who have completed college-level, algebra-based physics courses (e.g., PHY 1151G, 1152G, 1161, 1162) should consult the department chair.

• CHM 1310G - General Chemistry I. Credits: 3
• CHM 1315G - General Chemistry Laboratory I. Credits: 1
• CHM 1410 - General Chemistry II. Credits: 3
• CHM 1415 - General Chemistry Laboratory II. Credits: 1
• MAT 1441G - Calculus and Analytic Geometry I. Credits: 5
• MAT 2442 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry II. Credits: 5
• MAT 2443 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry III. Credits: 4
• MAT 3501 - Differential Equations I. Credits: 3
• MAT 3502 - Differential Equations II. Credits: 3
• PHY 1351G - General Physics I. Credits: 3

• (See footnote 1)

• PHY 1352G - General Physics I Laboratory. Credits: 1

• (See footnote 1)

• PHY 1361 - General Physics II. Credits: 3
• PHY 1362 - General Physics II Laboratory. Credits: 1
• PHY 1371 - General Physics III. Credits: 3
• PHY 1372 - General Physics III Laboratory. Credits: 1
• PHY 2390 - Statics. Credits: 3
• PHY 2400 - Dynamics. Credits: 3
• PHY 3080 - Modern Physics I. Credits: 3
• PHY 3150 - Electronics. Credits: 4
• PHY 3410 - Electricity and Magnetism I. Credits: 3
• PHY 3420 - Electricity and Magnetism II. Credits: 3
• PHY 4000 - Seminar in Physics. Credits: 1
• PHY 4010 - Seminar in Physics. Credits: 1
• PHY 4711 - Experimental Physics I. Credits: 1
• PHY 4712 - Experimental Physics II. Credits: 1
• PHY 4713 - Experimental Physics III. Credits: 1
• PHY 4850 - Quantum Mechanics and Atomic Physics I. Credits: 4

Electives

And 6 semester hours of PHY electives, selected from the list below:

• PHY 3010* - Special Topics in Physics. Credits: 1 to 3

• *Course Numbers: PHY 3010A, B, D-F, H-M, O-R, T-Z

• PHY 3090 - Modern Physics II. Credits: 3
• PHY 3270 - Introduction to Circuit Analysis. Credits: 4
• PHY 3300 - Advanced Classical Mechanics. Credits: 3
• PHY 3320 - Computational Methods in Physics and Engineering. Credits: 4
• PHY 3350 - Introduction to Solid State Physics. Credits: 3
• PHY 4100 - Astrophysics. Credits: 3
• PHY 4444A - Honors Independent Study A. Credits: 3

• or PHY 4444B or PHY 4444D

• (See footnote 2)

• PHY 4470 - Optics. Credits: 4
• PHY 4555 - Honors Research. Credits: 3

• (See footnote 2)

• PHY 4601A - Research in Physics 1A. Credits: 1

• or PHY 4601B or PHY 4601D or PHY 4601E

• (See footnote 2)

• PHY 4602A - Research in Physics 2A. Credits: 2

• or PHY 4602B or PHY 4602D or PHY 4602E

• (See footnote 2)

• PHY 4603A - Research in Physics 3A. Credits: 3

• or PHY 4603B or PHY 4603D or PHY 4603E

• (See footnote 2)

• PHY 4750 - Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics. Credits: 4
• PHY 4800* - Advanced Independent Study. Credits: 1 to 6

• *Course Numbers: PHY 4800A, B, D-F, H-M, O-R, T-Z

• (See footnote 2)

• PHY 4860 - Quantum Mechanics and Atomic Physics II. Credits: 2
• PHY 4870 - Mathematical Methods of Physics. Credits: 3

Footnotes:

(Major GPA based on all physics courses taken at EIU.)

¹ PHY 1391, General Physics I, Honors, and PHY 1392, General Physics I Laboratory, Honors, may be taken in place of PHY 1351 and PHY 1352.

² No more than 3 semester hours of PHY 4444*, PHY 4555, PHY 4600, 4601*, 4602*, 4603* and PHY 4800* in aggregate will count towards the Physics concentration electives.