Honors Major in Physics

This track is recommended for students choosing physics as their main professional field, or students planning to pursue graduate studies in physics or related fields. The major program requires completion of a total of sixty-six (66) units, of which fifty-four (54) units correspond to Physics, and 12 to Mathematics support courses, as follows:

Lower-division required courses (12 units):

• PHYS - 110 General Physics I
• PHYS - 210 General Physics II
• PHYS - 240 Modern Physics

Upper-division required courses (32 units):

• PHYS - 301 Computational Physics
• PHYS - 310 Analytical Mechanics
• PHYS - 312 Statistical and Thermal Physics
• PHYS - 320 Electricity and Magnetism
• PHYS - 330 Quantum Mechanics
• PHYS - 340 Optics
• PHYS - 341 Upper-Division Laboratory I
• PHYS - 342 Upper-Division Laboratory II
• PHYS - 371 Methods of Mathematical Physics or
• PHYS - 299 Directed Research for Advanced Undergraduates or
• PHYS - 399 Directed Research for Advanced Undergraduates Two (2) units are required, more are recommended.
• PHYS - 350 Physics Colloquium Four (4) units are required.

Upper-division elective (4 units). At least four (4) elective units must be taken from the following offerings:

• PHYS - 332 Nuclear Physics
• PHYS - 333 Solid State Physics
• PHYS - 343 Astrophysics
• PHYS - 380 Foundations of Computational Neuroscience
• PHYS - 410 Advanced Classical Dynamics
• PHYS - 420 Advanced Electrodynamics
• PHYS - 430 Advanced Quantum Mechanics
• PHYS - 450 Advanced Materials

Required Math supporting courses (12 units):

• Three (3) courses in Calculus and Analytical Geometry