Physics BS
Total Units Required: 120
The Department of Physics offers the Bachelor of Science in Physics with the choice of two options.
The option in professional physics. This option is designed to prepare students for graduate study or for professional careers in government, industry, and technical fields such as optics, electronics, data science, or materials science.
The option in general physics. Students intending to teach high-school physics should choose this option. It provides a streamlined path through the California teacher accreditation process and gives students a broad science-teaching foundation.
Grading Requirement
All courses taken to fulfill program course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as credit/no credit grading only.
Course Requirements for the Major: 70-75 units
Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree. Courses in this program may complete more than one graduation requirement.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Major Core | ||
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| MATH 120 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 121 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 220 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 260 | Elementary Differential Equations | 4 |
| PHYS 109 | Paths to Success in Physics | 1 |
| PHYS 204A | Physics for Students of Science and Engineering: Mechanics | 4 |
| PHYS 204B | Physics for Students of Science and Engineering: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 |
| PHYS 204C | Physics for Students of Science and Engineering: Heat, Wave Motion, Sound, Light, and Modern Topics | 4 |
| PHYS 300 | Introduction to Modern Physics: Relativity and Quantum Theory | 3 |
| PHYS 327 | Electronics for Scientists | 4 |
| PHYS 427W | Advanced Laboratory (W) | 3 |
| PHYS 492W | Communicating Physics (W) | 3 |
| Major Option | ||
| Select one of the following options: | 24-29 | |
| Total Units | 70-75 | |
Major Option Course Requirements
Students must select one of the following options for completion of the major course requirements.
The Option in General Physics: 29 units
This option fulfills all requirements for the Single Subject Teaching Credential in Science with a Concentration in Physics and a supplementary authorization in a second science. This option is also excellent preparation for students considering physics-related interdisciplinary fields. Students who choose this option should consult with their major advisor.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation | ||
| BIOL 161 | Principles of Ecological, Evolutionary, and Organismal Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 162 | Principles of Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| ERTH 102 | Physical Geology | 3 |
| ERTH 300W | Earth System Science (W) | 3 |
| PHYS 489T | Internship in Physics Teaching | 3 |
| Breadth Requirements | ||
| Select any non-General Education courses in Chemistry (CHEM), Biology (BIOL), or Earth and Environmental Sciences (ERTH). All 12 units must be selected from one department. | 12 | |
| Total Units | 29 | |
The Option in Professional Physics: 24 units
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation | ||
| PHYS 301 | Analytical Mechanics | 3 |
| PHYS 302 | Electricity and Magnetism | 3 |
| PHYS 314 | Methods of Theoretical Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 315 | Thermal Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 435A | Quantum Mechanics I | 3 |
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Boundary Value Problems and Partial Differential Equations | ||
| Computational Physics | ||
| Quantum Mechanics II | ||
| Optics | ||
| Lasers and Their Applications | ||
| Total Units | 24 | |
Electives Requirement
To complete the total units required for the bachelor's degree, select additional elective courses from the total University offerings. You should consult with an advisor regarding the selection of courses which will provide breadth to your University experience and possibly apply to a supportive second major or minor.
See Bachelor's Degree Requirements for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.
General Education Requirements: 48 units
See General Education and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Requirements and course offerings.
This major has approved GE modification(s). See below for information on how to apply these modification(s).
- PHYS 492W is an approved major course substitution for Upper-Division Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning (UD-B).
Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units
You must complete a minimum of two courses that focus primarily on cultural diversity. At least one course must be in US Diversity (USD) and at least one in Global Cultures (GC). See Diversity Requirements for a full list of courses. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education.
Upper-Division Writing Requirement
Writing Across the Curriculum (EM 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning and Writing Requirements for more details on the four courses. The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.
- PHYS 492W Communicating Physics (W)
The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (EO 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE Written Communication (A2) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.