PSU Physics major/option requirements
Split out by General Education/Math/Physics requirements for all options in the major
and requirements/electives specific to each option
2013 program year (effective Summer 2013)
• General option
• Medical option
o Medical school track [1]
o Medical physics track [2]
• Electronics option
• Computational option
• Materials Science/Nanotechnology option
o Materials track [3]
o Nanotechnology track [4]
Last updated, 6/17/2013
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Requirements for the Physics major (core) across all options
GenEd
ENGL 015 (3) (GWS)
ENGL 202C (3) (GWS)
CAS 100 (3) (GWS)
GA (3)
GA (3)
GH (3)
GH (3)
GS (3)
GS (3)
GHA (3)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
GN
CHEM 110 (3)
CHEM 111 (1)
CHEM 112 (3)
CHEM 113 (1)
Intro (1 and 2 year)
PHYS 211 (4)
PHYS 212 (4)
PHYS 213/4 (2/2)
PHYS 237 (3)
Math
MATH 140 (4)
MATH 141 (4)
MATH 220 (2)
MATH 230 (4)
MATH 251 (4)
MATH 4xx (3)†
Programming (3)
4xx PHYS
PHYS 400 (4)
PHYS 410 (4)
PHYS 419 (3)
PHYS 420 (3)
PHYS 444 (2)
PHYS 457W (3)
Bold means a C or better grade is required for graduation.
Bold (with an underline as well) denotes a course required for entry to major (which are all C or better as well).
The † means MATH 4xx can be taken from the following list: MATH 405, 406, 411, 412, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 421, 422, 450, 451, 455, 456 or 484.
For the programming requirement, choose from CMPSC 101, 121, 200, 201, or 202: CMPSC 121 is required for the Computational Option.
GWS stands for General Writing and Speaking, GA, GH, and GS stand for General Arts, General Humanities, and General Social Sciences respectively, GN
for General Natural Science (which must be taken from outside Physics), and GHA for General Health and Activity.
Students can petition for a ‘3-6-9’ distribution of GA/GH/GS (any order) courses instead of the ‘6-6-6’ default.
CHEM 110, 111, 112, and 113 help complete the GN requirement – Each option requires one more 3 credit GN course
Requirements and electives for all options within the Physics major
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General Option
PHYS 402/458 (4)
PHYS 4xx (3)
PHYS 4xx (3)
MATH 4xx (3)†
Medical Option
CHEM 210 (3) [1]
CHEM 212 (3) [1]
CHEM 213 (2) [1]
BIOL 110 (4) [1] (GN)
Electronics Option
EE 210 (4)
EE 3xx/4xx (3)
EE 3xx/4xx (3)
BIOL 240W (4) [1]
Take 2 of 3 below
Computational Option
CMPSC 122 (3)*
MATH 455 (3)
MATH 456 (3)
MATH 4xx (3)† or
STAT 4xx (3) or
CMPSC 3xx/4xx (3)
MATH 4xx (3)† or
STAT 4xx (3) or
CMPSC 3xx/4xx (3)
OR
EE 310 (4)
BIOL 141 (3)** [2] (GN) EE 350 (4)
BIOE 201 (3)* [2]
CMPEN 270 (4)
BIOE 3xx/4xx (3) [2]
BIOE 3xx/4xx (3) [2]
BIOE 3xx/4xx (3) [2]
Elec (3)
Elec (3)
Elec (3)
GN (3)
•
•
•
•
Elec (3)
Elec (3)
Elec (3)
Materials/Nanotechnology Option
MATSE 201 (3) [3]
MATSE 430 (3) [3]
MATSE 436 (3) or MATSE 402 (3) [3]
MATSE 460 (1) [3]
MATSE 4xx (3) [3]
OR
E SC 312 (3) [4]
E SC 313 (3) [4]
E SC 4xx (3) [4]
E SC 4xx (3) [4]
PHYS 412 (3)% [3,4]
Elec (3)
Elec (3)
Elec (3)
Elec (3)
Elec (3)
Elec (3)
GN (3)
GN(3)
GN(3)**
Program list electives (labeled Elec (3)) can be chosen from any PSU course which is NOT on the list in Appendix A (last page).
o The Physics FYS (First Year Seminar, 1 cr) or other FYS course can be used here.
In the General Option –
o One additional 4xx level Math course is required for a Mathematics minor (which can be used as an Elective).
In the Medical Option –
o The two tracks for medical school preparation and bio-engineering (or medical physics), are labeled by [1] and [2] respectively: the
bioengineering track, as shown, also results in a BIOE minor. Students may need to declare the BIOE minor in order to schedule some BIOE
courses.
o The BIOL 110 [1] or BIOL 141 [2] courses satisfy the last GN requirement in the two tracks.
In the Electronics Option –
o 3xx or 4xx level EE is any EE course for which pre-requisites are met.
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•
•
In the Computational Option o The † means MATH 4xx can be taken from the following list: MATH 405, 406, 411, 412, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 421, 422, 450, 451, 455, 456 or
484.
o CMPSC 3xx/4xx includes any course for which the student as the prerequisites.
o STAT 4xx includes any 4xx level STAT for which the student as the prerequisites and includes AERSP 424
o This option includes enough coursework for a Mathematics minor
In the Materials Science/Nanotechnology Option –
o The two tracks labeled Materials Science and Nanotechnology are labeled by [3] and [4] respectively. The nanotechnology track also results in a
Nanotechnology minor.
o The % and [3,4] mean that PHYS 412 is required in BOTH tracks
o The ** means that MATSE 081 is a good choice for the last GN requirement.
Appendix A: Physics Department ‘Program List’: Students in the General and Medical Physics (Electronics, Computational, and Nanotechnology/Materials)
options may select 9 (6) elective credits from the Departmental Program list. Students may select such supporting courses from nearly the entire range of PSU
course offerings with the exception of the following courses which may NOT be used under ‘program list electives’.
• ASTRO 001-199
• BI SC
• BBH 001-299
• CAS 004
• CSD 100, 101
• CHEM 001, 002, 006, 011
• ENGL 004, 005
• KINES 001-140
• LL ED
• MATH 001-200
• PHYS 001, 150, 151, 250, 251
All engineering courses labeled ‘Technology’, including AE T, BE T, CE T, CMPET, EE T, EMET, EG T, ET, IE T, MFET, MAT T, ME T, MCH T, and SE&T courses, are
NOT allowed.
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