2008-09 Undergraduate Catalog
Majors
The laws of physics are the starting point for most scientific research and engineering applications. Students majoring in physics obtain broad-based knowledge and experience in applying these laws, as well as hands-on experience in building electronic equipment and in performing experiments.
This provides a wide range of career options. Many of our students go on to graduate study in physics, but an equal number pursue advanced degrees in other science disciplines, all branches of engineering, and medical school.
Physics majors are employed in industry doing applied work such as the development of the next generation of transistors and in academia seeking the answers to such fundamental questions as what the ultimate constituents of matter are.
The Physics Department offers both Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees in physics.
For either the B.S. or the B.A. degree, two different options are listed below for some of the courses, e.g. PHY 2048 or 2060. In this case, the second course contains selected advanced topics not covered in the first course. Both courses prepare students for taking upper-level physics classes. Students are encouraged to see a physics department adviser to determine which course is appropriate for them.
Residency Requirement: Transfer students must take a minimum of 15 credits of the required Physics courses at the University of Florida.
Research: All undergraduate majors are encouraged to participate in research activities. Advanced students may also be eligible to enroll in certain graduate courses, thereby accelerating their education. Physics majors are urged to confer with a department adviser as early as possible and especially as their educational goals evolve.
General Education: Several courses meet the criteria in physical sciences (P). Some mathematical training (indicated in parentheses) is desirable or required for many of these courses.
Students with Advanced Placement credit should consult the academic advising section for course equivalencies. Sequences for the advanced student are available from any physics adviser or the department Web site.
The following is a sample schedule for students working toward the B.S. degree and taking Calculus 1 during the first semester. Students may have different schedules due to their background, when they enter UF, etc. In particular, students are encouraged to take Physics 1 with Calculus as soon as they have had Calculus 1, even if this means delaying chemistry. For all the physics courses, adequate mathematical preparation is essential and is built into the suggested plans. Physics majors should meet with a department adviser before planning their schedule.
Additional sample schedules are available on the department's Academic Programs link. Advisers can be emailed at advising@phys.ufl.edu
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements.
Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Arts
The B.S. degree program is intended for those students going to graduate school in physics and related science and engineering disciplines.
The B.A. degree program is for students who want to major in physics but are not presently contemplating physics graduate studies. It provides a good foundation in the fundamentals while offering increased flexibility in the major, through fewer required courses and more electives, and opportunity for parallel studies in another discipline and/or preprofessional preparation.
| Physics |
| College: Liberal Arts and Sciences |
| Degree: Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science |
| Hours for the Degree: 120 |
| Minor: Yes |
| Combined-Degree Program: Yes |
| Website: www.phys.ufl.edu/undergrad_program/ |
The laws of physics are the starting point for most scientific research and engineering applications. Students majoring in physics obtain broad-based knowledge and experience in applying these laws, as well as hands-on experience in building electronic equipment and in performing experiments.
This provides a wide range of career options. Many of our students go on to graduate study in physics, but an equal number pursue advanced degrees in other science disciplines, all branches of engineering, and medical school.
Physics majors are employed in industry doing applied work such as the development of the next generation of transistors and in academia seeking the answers to such fundamental questions as what the ultimate constituents of matter are.
The Physics Department offers both Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees in physics.
For either the B.S. or the B.A. degree, two different options are listed below for some of the courses, e.g. PHY 2048 or 2060. In this case, the second course contains selected advanced topics not covered in the first course. Both courses prepare students for taking upper-level physics classes. Students are encouraged to see a physics department adviser to determine which course is appropriate for them.
Residency Requirement: Transfer students must take a minimum of 15 credits of the required Physics courses at the University of Florida.
Research: All undergraduate majors are encouraged to participate in research activities. Advanced students may also be eligible to enroll in certain graduate courses, thereby accelerating their education. Physics majors are urged to confer with a department adviser as early as possible and especially as their educational goals evolve.
General Education: Several courses meet the criteria in physical sciences (P). Some mathematical training (indicated in parentheses) is desirable or required for many of these courses.
- PHY 1033C Discovering Physics
- MET 1010 Introduction to Weather and Climate
- PHY 2020 Introduction to the Principles of Physics (MAC 1147)
- PHY 2464 Physical Basis of Music (MAC 1147)
- PHY 3031 Development of Modern Ideas in Physics: The How and Why of Science
- PHY 3400 Light, Color and Holography
- PHY 3400L Holography Laboratory
- Any of the general physics sequence courses (PHY 2004, 2005, PHY 2048, 2049 and PHY 2053, 2054) meet this requirement.
Students with Advanced Placement credit should consult the academic advising section for course equivalencies. Sequences for the advanced student are available from any physics adviser or the department Web site.
Critical Tracking and Recommended Semester Plan
The following is a sample schedule for students working toward the B.S. degree and taking Calculus 1 during the first semester. Students may have different schedules due to their background, when they enter UF, etc. In particular, students are encouraged to take Physics 1 with Calculus as soon as they have had Calculus 1, even if this means delaying chemistry. For all the physics courses, adequate mathematical preparation is essential and is built into the suggested plans. Physics majors should meet with a department adviser before planning their schedule.
Additional sample schedules are available on the department's Academic Programs link. Advisers can be emailed at advising@phys.ufl.edu
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements.
To remain on track, students must meet the following critical-tracking criteria.
Semester 1:
- 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5
- Complete CHM 1025 or CHM 2045 or PHY 2048, and a MAC course
Semester 2:
- Complete CHM 2045/2045L and MAC 2311
Semester 3:
- Complete PHY 2048 or PHY 2060, CHM 2046 and MAC 2312
Semester 4:
- Complete MAC 2313 and PHY 2049 or PHY 2061 with a 2.5 GPA on all critical-tracking coursework
Semester 5:
- Complete MAP 2302 with a 2.5 GPA on all critical-tracking coursework
Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Arts
The B.S. degree program is intended for those students going to graduate school in physics and related science and engineering disciplines.
Required Courses
- PHY 2048 or 2060
- PHY 2049 or 2061
- PHY 2048L-2049L
- PHY 3101 or 3063
- PHY 3221 or PHZ 3113
- PHY 3323, 3513, 4222, 4324, 4523, 4604, 4802L, 4803L
- One 3-credit approved physics elective.
- One year of college-level chemistry, including one chemistry laboratory course.
- A minimum of six credits in approved mathematics courses beyond MAP 2302 (differential equations).
- Selected computer science courses may be substituted for one of the math electives.
- Students must earn a grade of C or better for coursework to count toward the major.
Recommended semester plan
| Semester 1 | Credits |
| Composition (GE-C, WR) | 3 |
| CHM 2045 and 2045L General Chemistry 1 (3) and Laboratory (1) (GE-P) | 4 |
| MAC 2311 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (GE-M) | 4 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) | 3 |
| Total | 14 |
| Semester 2 | Credits |
| CHM 2046 General Chemistry 2 (GE-P) | 3 |
| PHY 2048 Physics with Calculus 1 or PHY 2060 Enriched Physics with Calculus 1 (GE-P) | 3 |
| PHY 2048L Physics with Calculus 1 Laboratory (GE-P) | 1 |
| MAC 2312 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 2 (GE-M) | 4 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Electives (only if placed out of language by SAT II) | 2-0 |
| Total | 16-14 |
| Semester 3 | Credits |
| PHY 2049 Physics with Calculus 2 or PHY 2061 Enriched Physics with Calculus 2 (GE-P) | 3 |
| PHY 2049L Physics with Calculus 2 Laboratory (GE-P) | 1 |
| Biological Science (GE-B) | 3 |
| MAC 2313 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 3 (GE-M) | 4 |
| Foreign language | 4-5 |
| Total | 15-16 |
| Semester 4 | Credits |
| PHY 3101 Introduction to Modern Physics (GE-P) | 3 |
| MAP 2302 Elementary Differential Equations (GE-M) | 3 |
| Biological Science (GE-B) | 3 |
| Foreign language | 3-5 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Total | 15-17 |
| Semester 5 | Credits |
| PHY 3221 Mechanics 1 (GE-P) | 3 |
| PHY 3513 Thermal Physics 1 (GE-P) | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) | 3 |
| Math elective | 3 |
| Elective (or foreign language if 4-3-3 option) | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 6 | Credits |
| PHY 4222 Mechanics 2 | 3 |
| PHY 3323 Electromagnetism 1 (GE-P) | 3 |
| Math elective | 3 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Composition (ENC 3254 Professional Writing in the Discipline recommended [GE-C, WR]) | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 7 | Credits |
| PHY 4604 Introductory Quantum Mechanics 1 (GE-P) | 3 |
| PHY 4324 Electromagnetism 2 (GE-P) | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) | 3 |
| PHY 4802L Laboratory Physics 1 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 8 | Credits |
| PHY 4523 Statistical Physics | 3 |
| Physics elective | 3 |
| PHY 4803L Laboratory Physics 2 | 3 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Total | 15 |
The B.A. degree program is for students who want to major in physics but are not presently contemplating physics graduate studies. It provides a good foundation in the fundamentals while offering increased flexibility in the major, through fewer required courses and more electives, and opportunity for parallel studies in another discipline and/or preprofessional preparation.
Required Courses
- PHY 2048 or 2060
- PHY 2049 or 2061
- PHY 2048L and 2049L
- PHY 3101 or 3063
- PHY 3221 or PHZ 3113
- PHY 3323, 3513, 4604,
- PHY 4802L or PHY 4803L
- Any two 4000-level or higher physics courses that are included in the physics major curriculum.
- One year of college-level chemistry, including one chemistry laboratory course.
- A minimum of three credits in approved mathematics courses beyond MAP 2302 (differential equations).
- Selected computer science courses may be substituted for the math elective.
- All grades must be earned with a C or better.
Recommended semester plan
| Semester 1 | Credits |
| Composition (GE-C, WR) | 3 |
| CHM 2045 and 2045L General Chemistry 1 (3) and Laboratory (1) (GE-P) | 4 |
| MAC 2311 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (GE-M) | 4 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) | 3 |
| Total | 14 |
| Semester 2 | Credits |
| CHM 2046 General Chemistry 2 (GE-P) | 3 |
| PHY 2048 Physics with Calculus 1 or PHY 2060 Enriched Physics with Calculus 1 (GE-P) | 3 |
| PHY 2048L Physics with Calculus 1 Laboratory (GE-P) | 1 |
| MAC 2312 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 2 (GE-M) | 4 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Electives (only if placed out of language by SAT II) | 2-0 |
| Total | 16-14 |
| Semester 3 | Credits |
| PHY 2049 Physics with Calculus 2 or PHY 2061 Enriched Physics with Calculus 2 (GE-P) | 3 |
| PHY 2049L Physics with Calculus 2 Laboratory (GE-P) | 1 |
| Biological Science (GE-B) | 3 |
| MAC 2313 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 3 (GE-M) | 4 |
| Foreign language | 4-5 |
| Total | 15-16 |
| Semester 4 | Credits |
| PHY 3101 Introduction to Modern Physics (GE-P) | 3 |
| MAP 2302 Elementary Differential Equations (GE-M) | 3 |
| Biological Science (GE-B) | 3 |
| Foreign language | 3-5 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Total | 15-17 |
| Semester 5 | Credits |
| PHY 3221 Mechanics 1 (GE-P) | 3 |
| PHY 3513 Thermal Physics 1 (GE-P) | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) | 3 |
| Math elective | 3 |
| Elective (or foreign language if 4-3-3 option) | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 6 | Credits |
| PHY 3323 Electromagnetism 1 (GE-P) | 3 |
| Elective 4000-level physics | 3 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Composition (ENC 3254 Writing in the Discipline recommended [GE-C, WR]) | 3 |
| Electives | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 7 | Credits |
| PHY 4604 Introductory Quantum Mechanics 1 (GE-P) | 3 |
| PHY 4802L Laboratory Physics 1 | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) | 3 |
| Elective | 6 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 8 | Credits |
| Physics elective (4000 level or higher) | 3 |
| Electives | 12 |
| Total | 15 |