Physics - B.A. & B.S.
Byran Kent Wallace, Ed.D., Discipline Coordinator
Physics is a science that is fundamental to all sciences and uses mathematics as its language. Because of the role that science plays in our technological society, it is necessary that students be trained in the sciences, with physics playing a core role. The physics discipline seeks to provide the necessary physics experiences via formal coursework, laboratory training, and research to give students the requisite skills of a well-educated liberal arts major. The program articulates the mission of the University through emphasis on physics and related scientific areas.
Specific goals of the discipline are to:
- Provide activities and courses of instruction in physics and related areas to meet the mission and needs of the general University and the School of Natural Science, Mathematics, and Business;
- Provide activities and courses of instruction in physics and related areas to meet the needs of undergraduate and graduate physics majors; and
- Encourage the creation of new knowledge by conducting outstanding research.
Learning Outcomes
- Upon completion of the physics major, the student will:
- Demonstrate knowledge of core elements, laws, principles and theories of physics;
- Relate the importance and apply knowledge of physics to other academic disciplines;
- Demonstrate critical thinking, research skills as well as oral and written communication skills relevant to the field of physics; and
- Demonstrate preparation for graduate study or employment in a physics related profession.
Fisk’s physics discipline conducts an active research program in such areas as laser spectroscopy, crystal growth and glass science, detector physics, computational astrophysics and astronomy and surface physics. For many years, Fisk has conducted specialized research on behalf of federal agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy (DOE), and for private industry. With its Center for Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Fisk is among the very few undergraduate institutions at which the NSF has chosen to establish a Center of Excellence. Graduate and undergraduate students have opportunities to become involved in the research efforts of faculty members, and a number have collaborated with their professors in publishing research results or presenting them at professional meetings.
The undergraduate offerings in physics meet a variety of student needs. Some students seek the B.A. degree with a major in physics; others seek the B.S. degree; still others pursue joint majors combining physics with another discipline. Many students have pursued dual degrees in physics and engineering offered in collaboration with Vanderbilt University. By selecting appropriate electives, students may choose to focus their studies in a particular area of physics such as astronomy and astrophysics, or materials research. The materials research focus in particular takes advantage of the extensive research in that area which is currently being conducted within the discipline. Physics is also a fundamental part of the scientific education of majors in any of the mathematical and natural science disciplines.
Major Requirements
Requirements for the B.S. in physics are similar to those for the B.A. degree, with the following exceptions and variations:
- Eight additional hours in physics are required for the B.S. degree, beyond the 32 required for the B.A. These are to be selected, subject to departmental approval, from among courses in physics numbered 200 and above.
- The University foreign language requirement does not apply to the B.S. degree in physics.
Requirements for the B.A. and B.S. in physics, in addition to the University degree requirements outlined within this Bulletin, are:
Required Courses
Courses in Physics are as follows:
Note: And additional coursework in physics, as approved by the department, such that the student achieves the required total of 32 semester hours of study in the discipline. These additional courses must be at the 200 level or above.
Required Cognates
Note: These mathematics courses, together with any prerequisite courses indicated by placement test results, also meet the University's mathematics requirement, in lieu of CORE 131 and CORE 132 Mathematics.
General Electives
The department strongly recommends that students' elective studies include:
| CHEM 113 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| CHEM 103 | EXPERIMENTS IN GENERAL CHEMISRY I | 1 |
| CHEM 114 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II | 3 |
| CHEM 104 | EXPERIMENTS IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY II | 1 |
| CSCI 120 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE II | 3 |
| CSCI 120L | INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE II LABORATORY | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Suggested Program Plan
First Year, Fall Semester
First Year, Spring Semester
Second Year, Fall Semester
| PHYS 140 | UNIVERSITY PHYSICS II | 3 |
| PHYS 140L | EXPERIMENTS IN GENERAL PHYSICS II | 1 |
| MATH 130 | CALCULUS II | 4 |
| CORE 201 | INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP | 3 |
| CORE | 3 |
| GENERAL ELECTIVE | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 17 |
Second Year, Spring Semester
| PHYS 340 | METHODS IN THEORETICAL PHYSICS | 3 |
| MATH 210 | CALCULUS III | 4 |
| CORE | 3 |
| CORE | 3 |
| GENERAL ELECTIVE | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Third Year, Fall Semester
| PHYS 341 | THEORETICAL MECHANICS | 3 |
| PHYS 351 | INTERMEDIATE ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM | 3 |
| CORE | 3 |
| CORE | 3 |
| FOREIGN LANGUAGE 101 - FRENCH OR SPANISH | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Third year, Spring Semester
PHYS
| Elective(s) | 3 |
| CORE | 3 |
| GENERAL ELECTIVE | 3 |
| FOREIGN LANGUAGE 102 - FRENCH OR SPANISH | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Fourth Year, Fall Semester
| Physics Elective | 3 |
| CORE 360 | THE WORLD AND ITS PEOPLES | 3 |
| CORE | 3 |
| CORE | 3 |
| GENERAL ELECTIVE | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Fourth Year, Spring Semester
| PHYS 490 | SENIOR SEMINAR | 1 |
| Physics Elective | 3 |
| CORE | 3 |
| GENERAL ELECTIVE | 3 |
| GENERAL ELECTIVE | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 13 |
Further information on the suggested program plan for physics majors (B.A. or B.S. degree) can be obtained by contacting the physics Discipline Coordinator.
The suggested program depends on student preparation and on the concentration that the student elects: astrophysics and space science, biophysics, chemical physics, applied physics, mathematical physics, engineering physics, premedical physics, and physics-materials science option.
Total Credit Hours: 120