Course Sequence
Students undertaking the Physics Major must complete all lower and upper division core courses, with a grade of C or better, and take five additional courses from upper division elective offerings, which must include one lab based course (normally PHYS 481).
The Physics department offers all lower division courses every semester. Upper division core courses are offered in either Fall or Spring, while elective courses are offered every alternate Fall or Spring. The table below shows the normal course sequence for upper division and graduate courses, in odd and even years. Students should consult this sequence in preparing their study plans. Laboratory based courses are underlined.
| Education | Odd Years | Even Years | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | Spring | Fall | Spring | Fall | ||||
| Undergrad | Core | Elective | Core | Elective | Core | Elective | Core | Elective |
| PHYS 300 | PHYS 301* | PHYS 330A | PHYS 301* | PHYS 300 | PHYS 301* | PHYS 330A | PHYS 301* | |
| PHYS 310 | PHYS 476* | PHYS 355 | PHYS 315* | PHYS 310 | ASTR 444* | PHYS 355 | PHYS 411* | |
| PHYS 320 | PHYS 481 | PHYS 380 | PHYS 454* | PHYS 320 | PHYS 481 | PHYS 380 | PHYS 416* | |
| PHYS 330B | PHYS 330B | |||||||
| PHYS 455 | PHYS 455 | |||||||
| Grad | PHYS 530A | PHYS 581 | PHYS 510 | PHYS 554* | PHYS 530A | PHYS 581 | PHYS 510 | PHYS 516* |
| PHYS 555A | PHYS 520 | PHYS 555A | PHYS 520 | |||||
*Course offering contingent on enrollment, instructor availability and budgetary constraints
Note that course offerings in individual semesters may occasionally vary from this sequence.