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SCHOOL OF SCIENCE
Recommended Academic Plan for Physics Major (Computational Physics Option)
see the Penn State Bluebook for course descriptions
|
First Semester |
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| CHEM 110 (GN) (formerly Chem 12) | Chemical Principles I | 3 |
| CHEM 111 (GN) (formerly Chem 14) | Experimental Chemistry I | 1 |
| ENGL 015 or ENGL 030 (GWS) | Rhetoric and Composition | 3 |
| MATH 140 (GQ) | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | 4 |
| PSU 007 | First Year Seminar (Physics/Chemistry) | 1 |
| S/H/A Elective1 | Select from University GS/GH or GA List |
3 |
| KINES (GHA)2 | Select from University Health and Physical Activity List | 1.5 |
16.5 |
||
|
Second Semester |
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| PHYS 211 (GN) | Mechanics | 4 |
| CHEM 112 (GN) (formerly Chem 13) | Chemical Principles II | 3 |
| CHEM 113 (GN) (formerly Chem 14) | Experimental Chemistry II | 1 |
| MATH 141 (GQ) | Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | 4 |
| S/H/A Elective1 | Select from University GS/GH or GA List | 3 |
| KINES (GHA) | Select from University Health and Physical Activity List | 1.5 |
16.5 |
||
Third Semester |
||
| PHYS 212 | Electricity and Magnetism | 4 |
| MATH 220 | Matrices | 2 |
| CSE 121 | Introduction to Programming Techniques | 3 |
| MATH 230 | Calculus and Vector Analysis | 4 |
| S/H/A Elective1 | Select from University GS/GH or GA List | 3 |
16 |
||
Fourth Semester |
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| PHYS 213 | Fluids and Thermal Physics | 2 |
| PHYS 214 | Wave Motion and Quantum Mechanics | 2 |
| PHYS 237 | Introduction to Quantum Physics | 3 |
| MATH 251 | Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations | 4 |
| CSE 122 | Intermediate Programming | 3 |
| CAS 100 (GWS) | Effective Speech | 3 |
17 |
||
Fifth Semester |
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| PHYS 4193 | Theoretical Mechanics | 3 |
| PHYS 4583 | Intermediate Optics | 4 |
| PHYS 4463,4 | The Year In Physics:A Seminar on the Latest Research | 1 |
| PHYS 494 or PHYS 4954,5 | Physics Research Project or Internship |
1 |
| CMPSC 459 (formerly CMPBD 460) 6 | Scientific Visualization |
3 |
| ENGL 202C (GWS) | Technical Writing | 3 |
15 |
||
Sixth Semester |
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| PHYS 4203 | Thermal Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 421W3 | Research Methods in Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 494 or PHYS 4954,5 | Physics Research Project or Internship | 3 |
CMPSC 465 (formerly CMPBD 410) 6 |
Data Structures and Algorithms | 3 |
| S/H/A Elective1 | Select from University GS/GH or GA List | 3 |
15 |
||
Seventh Semester |
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| PHYS 4003 | Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism | 3 |
| PHYS 4023,4 | Electronics for Scientists | 4 |
| MATH 455 | Introduction to Numerical Analysis I | 3 |
S/H/A Elective1 |
Select from University GS/GH or GA List | 3 |
13 |
||
Eighth Semester |
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| EE 352 (formerly EE BD 326)4 | Signals and Systems | 4 |
| PHYS 4143,4 | Solid State Physics | 3 |
| MATH 4566 | Introduction to Numerical Analysis I I | 3 |
S/H/A Elective1 |
Select from University GS/GH or GA List | 3 |
13 |
||
- Bold type indicates courses requiring a quality grade of C or better. A grade of C or higher is required in Physics 211, 212, 213, 214, 237 and all 300 and 400 prescribed, additional and supporting courses.
- Italics indicates courses that satisfy both major and General Education requirements.
- Bold Italics indicates courses requiring a quality grade of C or better and that satisfy both major and General Education requirements.
- GWS, GHA, GQ, GN, GA, GH, and GS are codes used to identify General Education requirements. Choose six credits each of GA, GS and GH are required.
- US, IL, and US;IL are codes used to designate courses that satisfy University United States/International Cultures requirements. These courses are sub-requirements within the Gen-Ed curriculum that may be mutually satisfied by select courses from other Gen-Ed categories.
- W is the code used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirements.
Comments::
- Six credits each must be chosen from the GA, GH and GS categories. Three credits must meet the US Culture sub-requirement and three credits must meet the IL Culture sub-requirement.
- Requirement may also be met with BBH or NUTR courses carrying the GHA designation.
- 400 level Physics courses are taught on a rotating basis; courses are taught only once every other year. Physics 446 is taught once a year
- Counts as an Additional Course choice. Other courses may be substituted from the additional courses list. A total of 12 credits must be selected from the list. See below for list.
- Three credits of Physics 494 and/or Physics 495 are prescribed. Any additional credits (up to a maximum of 3) 494 and/or 495 may be applied to the additional course requirement..
- Supporting Courses: You must take
- CSE 122 (formerly CSE 120) Intermediate Programming 3 credits)
- CMPSC 459 (formerly CMPBD 460) Scientific Visualization 3 credits
- CMPSC 465 (formerly CMPBD 410) Data Structures and Algorithms 3 credits
- CMPSC 474 (formerly CMPBD 411) Operating Systems and Systems Programming 3 credits
and select three credits from
in addition you will need to choose 3 credits from the School Approved List (see below for list).
Additional Courses (select 12 credits from) Complex Analysis 3 credits
- EE 352 Signals and Systems: Continuous and Discrete-Time 4 credits
- EE 450 Signal and Image Processing 3 credits
- EE 453 Fundamentals of Digital Signal Processing 3 credits
- MATH 456 Introduction to Numerical Analysis II 3 credits
- ME 410 Heat Transfer 3 credits
- ME 428 Applied and Computational Fluid Dynamics 3 credits
- PHYS 414 Solid State Physics 3 credits
- PHYS 446 Year in Physics Seminar 1 credit
- PHYS 494 Physics Research Project 1-3 credits
- PHYS 495 Physics Internship 1-3 credits
School Approved Courses
- ASTRO 291 or higher
- BIOL 110 or higher
- CHEM 210 or higher
- CMPBD 200 or higher
- CMPSC 220 or higher
- All 300-level and 400-level MATH or STAT courses
The following *may not* be used for the physics major or minor
- MATH courses below MATH 140
- PHYS courses below PHYS 211
- PHYS 250 or PHYS 251