Physics, B.S.

The Department of Physics offers a program leading to the bachelor of science degree in physics.

University Core Curriculum Requirements — 40 credit hours

All University of Portland students progress through a set of shared course options as part of the University’s liberal arts Core Curriculum. This curriculum offers a foundation of multiple lenses to address enduring questions of human concern, integrating the liberal arts, the University mission, and the knowledge, skills, and values needed in a diverse society and in the workplace.

See Core Curriculum Requirements

Two of the three core requirements in the Scientific and Quantitative Literacy and Problem Solving Habit are satisfied by the mathematics and science requirements within the major.

PHY 441 and PHY 472 are the designated Writing in the Discipline courses for the B.S. in Physics.

College of Arts and Sciences B.S. Requirements — 6 credit hours

See College Requirements, B.S.

Required Courses — 47-48 credit hours

MTH 201	Calculus I	4
MTH 202	Calculus II	4
CS 203	Introduction to Computer Science	3
	with
CS 273	Computer Science Laboratory	1
	Or
PHY 303/CHM 303/MTH 303	Computational Methods in Physical Sciences	3
PHY 204	General Physics I	3
	with
PHY 274	General Physics Lab I	1
PHY 205	General Physics II	3
	with
PHY 275	General Physics Lab II	1
CHM 207	General Chemistry I	3
	with
CHM 277	General Chemistry I Lab	1
CHM 208	General Chemistry II	3
	with
CHM 278	General Chemistry II Lab	1
PHY 306	Modern Physics	3
PHY 376	Modern Physics Lab	1
PHY 356/MTH 356	Mathematical Methods for Science and Engineering	3
PHY 371	Analog and Digital Electronics	3
MTH 301	Vector Calculus	4
MTH 321	Ordinary Differential Equations	3
MTH 341	Introduction to Linear Algebra	3

Major Requirements — 75-76 credit hours

Advanced labs - 4 credit hours

Select two courses from the following:

PHY 470	Special Physics Laboratory and Research	Variable
PHY 471	Advanced Laboratory	2
PHY 472	Advanced Optics Laboratory	2

Additional upper-division courses in science, math or engineering – 24 credit hours

15 of these 24 credit hours must be in physics.

Any additional credit hours required to complete a minimum of 120 credit hours

Total Credit Hours: 120-121