Department of Physics
Physics Major and Minor Requirements
The physics major program has enough flexibility to allow you to minor in education or in any of the other sciences: biology, chemistry, computer science, or mathematics.
If you did not take physics in your freshman year, you can still complete the physics major in four years, even with a minor – although some minors may require you to go beyond the 40 courses that Saint Joseph’s requires for graduation.
Most of the required upper division courses (that is, beyond PHY 1081) are currently given every other year. To see when any of those courses will next be given, look here.
We usually offer one or two of the upper division elective courses each semester. Which one(s) depends on what people want to take. To put in your request, contact the Department Chair, Dr. Douglas Kurtze.
Faculty in the department are happy to supervise independent study courses, under the catalogue numbers PHY 2893-2903. We also strongly encourage all physics majors to take part in research projects, either with SJU faculty or in summer research programs elsewhere. According to the American Institute of Physics, in 2000 (the latest year for which they have data) almost 3/4 of graduating physics majors nationwide had participated in an undergraduate research project.
Requirements for the B.S. degree in physics: Requirements for a physics minor: B.S. in physics with minor in education:
The education minor, in combination with a physics major, leads to Pennsylvania Level I high school physics teaching certification. The catalog lists these requirements: Return to physics major requirements
B.S. in physics with minor in biology:
The catalog lists these requirements for a minor in biology: Click on these links to see typical four-year course sequences for completing the physics major with a biology minor, starting by taking PHY 1051 and 1061 (University Physics) in either freshman or sophomore year.
Return to physics major requirements
B.S. in physics with minor in chemistry:
The catalog lists these requirements for a minor in chemistry: Return to physics major requirements
B.S. in physics with minor in computer science:
According to the catalog, a student minoring in computer science must take six computer science courses numbered CSC 1341 or higher. Return to physics major requirements
B.S. in physics with minor in mathematics:
According to the catalog, a student minoring in mathematics must take six mathematics courses numbered MTH 1371 or higher, including MTH 1371, 1391, or 1461. (MTH 1371 is required for the physics major.) Return to physics major requirements
GER Common Courses (six courses: ENG 1011-1021, PHL 1011-1031, HIS 1011-1021)
GER University Distribution (fourteen courses; MAT 1351-1361 and PHY 1051-1061 satisfy the Mathematics and Natural Science requirements)
GER Free Electives (seven courses)
MAT 1351-1361-1371
PHY 1051-1061
MAT 1381
PHY 1071-1081
PHY 1151
PHY 2011
PHY 2031
or PHY 2161 Statistical Mechanics
PHY 2051
PHY 2061
PHY 2072-2082
PHY 2181
Three 3-credit PHY electives, at least two of which are at the 2000 level.
PHY 2291, Physics Seminar, is required in each semester.
Click on these links to see typical four-year course sequences for completing the physics major, starting by taking PHY 1051 and 1061 (University Physics) in either freshman or sophomore year.
MAT 1351-1361
PHY 1051-1061
PHY 1071
Three 3-credit PHY electives, at least one of which is at the 2000 level.
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EDU 1011-1012
PSY 2121
SPE 2111
EDU 2311
EDU 2361-2362
EDU 2921
Educational Psychology counts as a Social Science GER course; PSY 1001 (Introductory Psychology) is a prerequisite for it. Student Teaching counts as four courses toward the total of 40 required for graduation.
CHM 1011-1021
CHM 1112-1122
BIO 1011
BIO 1021
BIO 1031
Three 2000-level biology courses representing at least two of the three course groups listed in the catalog under the biology major.
PHY 2241 (Biophysics) would be a useful physics elective for this program.
CHM 1011-1021
CHM 1112-1122
CHM 2311-2321
CHM 2312-2322
CHM 2411-2421
CHM 2412-2422
Click on these links to see typical four-year course sequences for completing the physics major with a chemistry minor, starting by taking PHY 1051 and 1061 (University Physics) in either freshman or sophomore year.
Click on these links to see typical four-year course sequences for completing the physics major with a minor in computer science, starting by taking PHY 1051 and 1061 (University Physics) in either freshman or sophomore year.
Click on these links to see typical four-year course sequences for completing the physics major with a minor in mathematics, starting by taking PHY 1051 and 1061 (University Physics) in either freshman or sophomore year.