Physics B.S. Degree Requirements

Every Physics B.S. degree option requires completion of a selection of courses plus fulfilment of a capstone requirement involving activities outside a typical classroom. Continuation in the major requires maintaining satisfactory progress. For further information on the range of activies which may be used to satisfy the capstone requirement for each degree track, and on satisfactory progress criteria, refer to:

• Capstone Options
• Continuation Policy

The course requirements for a Physics B.S. degree begin with a common set of course options, applicable to all degree tracks, followed by a selection of additional option-specific courses. Note that any single course may satisfy at most one physics-specific degree requirement.

• Common requirements, all tracks
• Comprehensive track
• Applied physics track
• Biological physics track (No longer accepting new students as of Spring 2024)
• Teaching physics track
• Comprehensive & Applied Physics Track Electives

BS Degree Requirements Before Autumn 2021

Common Requirements, All Tracks (52 credits)

Comprehensive Track (addl. 38-46 credits)

* At most two of Astr 321, 322 and 323 may be used to satisfy this Physics requirement. 
‖ PHYS 417 can be used to meet the advanced laboratory requirement OR the elective requirement.
‡ Students taking other advanced labs may petition the UFA to have them substitute for Astr 480. 
§ Students receiving credit for physics-related research or independent project work in another department may petition the UFA to have it meet the capstone requirement by writing a paper describing how they applied physics to their independent project.

Applied Physics Track (addl. 34-43 credits)

* Astronomy students may substitute Astr 300 or 427 for AMath 301; contact the undergraduate faculty advisor (UFA) to have this entered into your DARS. Students may petition the UFA for other upper-division data science, computing or statistics classes to substitute for AMath 301, note however that STAT 311, CS 142, and CS 143 do not meet this requirement. 
‖ PHYS 417 can be used to meet the advanced laboratory requirement OR the elective requirement.
‡ Students taking other advanced labs may petition the UFA to have them substitute for Astr 480. 
§ Students receiving credit for physics-related research or independent project work in another department may petition the UFA to have it meet the capstone requirement by writing a paper describing how they applied physics to their independent project.

Biological Physics Track (addl. 48-56 credits)

No longer accepting new students as of Spring 2024

* Chem 457 plus an additional upper-division physics course may substitute for the Phys 328 requirement with permission from the undergraduate faculty advisor (UFA). Most students should not take both Phys 328 and Chem 457. 
‡ Chem 143 + 153, Accelerated General Chemistry, may substitute for Chem 142+152+162; see the UFA to allow this.

Teaching Physics Track (addl. 41-43 credits)

‖ PHYS 417 can be used to meet the advanced laboratory requirement OR the elective requirement.
‡ Students taking other advanced labs may petition the UFA to have them substitute for Astr 480.