Physics Electives

The courses listed below are possible electives students can take for the different concentrations in the physics major.

General Physics Concentration 

Suggested Electives

PHYS 335, PHYS 337, PHYS 361, PHYS 411, PHYS 457, PHYS 458, PHYS 459, ASTR 452

Full list of courses accepted for upper level elective credit*

  • ASTR 303 ASTROPHYSICAL TECHNIQUES
  • ASTR 331 STELLAR ASTROPHYSICS
  • ASTR 371 PLANETARY ASTRONOMY
  • ASTR 432 GALAXIES AND COSMOLOGY
  • ASTR 452 HIGH ENERGY ASTROPHYSICS
  • ASTR 491 DIRECTED READINGS IN ASTROPHYSICS
  • ASTR 495 CAPSTONE RESEARCH IN ASTROPHYSICS
  • ASTR 499 HONORS THESIS IN ASTRONOMY
  • PHYS 335 ELECTRONICS 
  • PHYS 337 DIGITAL ELECTRONICS
  • PHYS 361 OPTICS
  • PHYS 395 RESEARCH PROBLEMS IN PHYSICS
  • PHYS 411 GENERAL RELATIVITY AND COSMOLOGY
  • PHYS 457 SOLID STATE PHYSICS
  • PHYS 458 MAGNETISM AND MAGNETIC MATERIALS
  • PHYS 459 NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE PHYSICS
  • PHYS 470 SPECIAL TOPICS
  • PHYS 490 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN PHYSICS
  • PHYS 491 DIRECTED READINGS
  • PHYS 495 CAPSTONE PROJECT IN PHYSICS
  • PHYS 497 RESEARCH PROBLEMS IN PHYSICS
  • PHYS 499 HONORS THESIS IN PHYSICS

Also accepted, if done under the supervision of a physics faculty member:

  • HNRS 495 DIRECTED READINGS
  • HNRS 497 INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS
  • HNRS 499 HONORS THESIS

Applied Physics Concentration

Suggested Electives

PHYS 335 or PHYS 337, PHYS 352, PHYS 455, PHYS 457, PHYS 458

 Full list of courses accepted for upper level elective credit*

  • ASTR 303 ASTROPHYSICAL TECHNIQUES
  • ASTR 331 STELLAR ASTROPHYSICS
  • ASTR 371 PLANETARY ASTRONOMY
  • ASTR 432 GALAXIES AND COSMOLOGY
  • ASTR 452 HIGH ENERGY ASTROPHYSICS
  • ASTR 491 DIRECTED READINGS IN ASTROPHYSICS
  • ASTR 495 CAPSTONE RESEARCH IN ASTROPHYSICS
  • ASTR 499 HONORS THESIS IN ASTRONOMY
  • PHYS 335 ELECTRONICS
  • PHYS 337 DIGITAL ELECTRONICS

Students in the Applied Physics Concentration are required to take either PHYS 335 or PHYS 337, so the other one could be taken as an elective

  • PHYS 352 THERMODYNAMICS/KINETIC THEORY
  • PHYS 395 RESEARCH PROBLEMS IN PHYSICS
  • PHYS 411 GENERAL RELATIVITY AND COSMOLOGY
  • PHYS 455 INTRO QUANTUM MECHANICS
  • PHYS 457 SOLID STATE PHYSICS
  • PHYS 458 MAGNETISM AND MAGNETIC MATERIALS
  • PHYS 459 NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE PHYSICS
  • PHYS 470 SPECIAL TOPICS
  • PHYS 490 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN PHYSICS
  • PHYS 491 DIRECTED READINGS
  • PHYS 495 CAPSTONE PROJECT IN PHYSICS
  • PHYS 497 RESEARCH PROBLEMS IN PHYSICS
  • PHYS 499 HONORS THESIS IN PHYSICS

Also accepted, if done under the supervision of a physics faculty member:

  • HNRS 495 DIRECTED READINGS
  • HNRS 497 INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS
  • HNRS 499 HONORS THESIS

Astrophysics Concentration

Suggested Electives

ASTR 371, ASTR 452, PHYS 335, PHYS 337, PHYS 352, PHYS 361, PHYS 411, PHYS 455, PHYS 459

Full list of courses accepted for upper level elective credit*

  • ASTR 371 PLANETARY ASTRONOMY
  • ASTR 452 HIGH ENERGY ASTROPHYSICS
  • ASTR 491 DIRECTED READINGS IN ASTROPHYSICS
  • ASTR 495 CAPSTONE RESEARCH IN ASTROPHYSICS
  • ASTR 499 HONORS THESIS IN ASTRONOMY
  • PHYS 335 ELECTRONICS 
  • PHYS 337 DIGITAL ELECTRONICS
  • PHYS 352 THERMODYNAMICS/KINETIC THEORY
  • PHYS 361 OPTICS
  • PHYS 395 RESEARCH PROBLEMS IN PHYSICS
  • PHYS 411 GENERAL RELATIVITY AND COSMOLOGY
  • PHYS 455 INTRO QUANTUM MECHANICS
  • PHYS 457 SOLID STATE PHYSICS
  • PHYS 458 MAGNETISM AND MAGNETIC MATERIALS
  • PHYS 459 NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE PHYSICS
  • PHYS 470 SPECIAL TOPICS
  • PHYS 490 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN PHYSICS
  • PHYS 491 DIRECTED READINGS
  • PHYS 495 CAPSTONE PROJECT IN PHYSICS
  • PHYS 497 RESEARCH PROBLEMS IN PHYSICS
  • PHYS 499 HONORS THESIS IN PHYSICS

Also accepted, if done under the supervision of a physics faculty member:

  • HNRS 495 DIRECTED READINGS
  • HNRS 497 INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS
  • HNRS 499 HONORS THESIS

* A maximum of 3 units may be fulfilled with independent-format courses such as Independent Study, Directed Readings, Research Problems, or Capstone Research.