The online catalog includes the most recent changes to courses and degree requirements that have been approved by the Faculty Senate, including changes that are not yet effective.
Standard Option (120 Credits)
The program of courses below is appropriate for students who have had a good experience with calculus in high school and wish to start physics in the first semester at WSU (even though the student may be placed in MATH 171, if their high school grades for the year course were B or better they can follow this schedule of study). Students who have placed in MATH 172 can accelerate the math sequence. Students who have not had calculus in high school should defer PHYSICS 201/211 until they have completed MATH 171. Upon consultation with the departmental advisor, modifications can be made in the list of required courses to fit the needs of individual students. The schedule of studies below includes the additional lab credit required for graduation by the College of Arts and Sciences.
Students may be admitted to the physics major upon making their intentions known to the department.
Graduation Requirements
A research experience is required of all students as a PHYSICS 489 project; however, to gain valuable work experience outside the university, students are strongly encouraged to participate in an internship or research experience in industry or a government lab outside of WSU. The summer after the junior year is the most appropriate time for this experience. All students are required to submit an undergraduate thesis to a committee of two physics faculty members in the senior year. PHYSICS 490 will give credit for this effort. The student must earn a C (2.0) or better grade in each of the required physics courses.
| First Year | |
| First Term | Credits |
| CHEM 105 [PSCI] | 4 |
| ENGLISH 101 [WRTG] | 3 |
| MATH 171 [QUAN] | 4 |
| PHYSICS 188 | 1 |
| Social Sciences [SSCI] | 3 |
| Second Term | Credits |
| CHEM 106 or 116 | 4 |
| HISTORY 105 [ROOT] | 3 |
| MATH 172 | 4 |
| PHYSICS 189 | 1 |
| PHYSICS 201 | 3 |
| PHYSICS 211 | 1 |
| Second Year | |
| First Term | Credits |
| Biological Sciences [BSCI] | 3 |
| MATH 220 | 2 |
| MATH 273 | 2 |
| PHYSICS 202 | 3 |
| PHYSICS 212 | 1 |
| PHYSICS 303 | 3 |
| Foreign Language, if needed1 | 0-4 |
| Second Term | Credits |
| Arts [ARTS] | 3 |
| MATH 315 | 3 |
| PHYSICS 304 | 3 |
| PHYSICS 330 | 3 |
| Foreign Language, if needed1 | 0-4 |
| Complete Writing Portfolio | |
| Third Year | |
| First Term | Credits |
| CPT S 111, 121, 131, E E 221, or MATH 300 | 2-4 |
| Diversity [DIVR] | 3 |
| Humanities [HUM] | 3 |
| MATH Elective2 | 3 |
| PHYSICS 320 | 3 |
| PHYSICS 341 | 3 |
| Second Term | Credits |
| COM 400 [COMM], ENGLISH 301 [WRTG], or ENGLISH 402 [WRTG] | 3 |
| MATH Elective2 | 3 |
| PHYSICS 342 | 3 |
| PHYSICS 410 | 4 |
| PHYSICS 489 | 1 |
| Standard Option Elective 3 | 3 |
| Fourth Year | |
| First Term | Credits |
| Equity and Justice [EQJS] | 3 |
| PHYSICS 450 | 3 |
| PHYSICS 490 [M] | 1 |
| Standard Option Electives3 | 6 |
| Technical Elective4 | 3 |
| Second Term | Credits |
| Integrative Capstone [CAPS] | 3 |
| PHYSICS 415 [M] | 3 |
| Standard Option Electives3 | 4 - 6 |
| Technical Elective4 | 3 |
Footnotes
| 1 | Two years of high school foreign language or at least two semesters of college-level foreign language are required by the College of Arts and Sciences for graduation. |
| 2 | MATH Electives (6 credits): Choose from 300-400-level MATH courses not used to fulfill other requirements. |
| 3 | Standard Option Electives (13 credits minimum): Choose from 300-400-level ASTRONOM and PHYSICS courses not used to fulfill other requirements. |
| 4 | Technical Electives (6 credits, at least 3 must be 300-400 level): Choose from ASTRONOM, CHEM, MATH, or PHYSICS courses not used to fulfill other requirements. |