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WVU Morgantown

Physics B.S.

  • Overview
  • Areas of Emphasis
  • Learning Outcomes

General Education Foundations

Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.

NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.

Course List
Code Title Hours
General Education Foundations
F1 - Composition & Rhetoric3-6
ENGL 101
& ENGL 102
Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric
and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research
or ENGL 103
Accelerated Academic Writing
F2A/F2B - Science & Technology4-6
F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning3-4
F4 - Society & Connections3
F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past3
F6 - The Arts & Creativity3
F7 - Global Studies & Diversity3
F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree)9
Total Hours31-37

Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.

Degree Requirements

Students must complete WVU General Education Foundations requirements, College B.S. requirements, major requirements, and electives to total a minimum of 120 hours. For complete details on these requirements, visit the B.S. Degrees tab on the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences pages.

Departmental Requirements for the B.S. in Physics

Students may not earn both a B.A. and a B.S. in Physics.  All students wishing to obtain a degree in Physics must comply with the following:

  • Capstone Requirement: The university requires the successful completion of a Capstone course.  Students majoring in Physics must complete PHYS 496 (other options maybe available depending on AoE selected).
  • Writing and Communication Skills Requirement: Physics Bachelor of Science students fulfill the Writing and Communication Skills requirement by completing ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 (or ENGL 103), and two of the following SpeakWrite Certified Courses TM: PHYS 191, PHYS 341L, PHYS 376L PHYS 496, ASTR 496.
  • Calculation of the GPA in the Major: A minimum grade point average of a 2.0 is required in all courses applied to major requirements, including the STEM Foundations and the AoE selected. If a course is repeated, all attempts will be included in the calculation of the GPA, unless the course is eligible for a D/F repeat.
  • Area of Emphasis: Students completing a Bachelor of Science in Physics must complete an Area of Emphasis selected from Computational Physics, Medical Physics, Physics Teaching, Professional Preparation, or Space Physics. The Professional Preparation Area of Emphasis is the typical plan of study for a B.S. degree in physics.
  • Course Requirement: Physics students completing the Professional Preparation or  Space Physics Areas of Emphasis are required to complete two semesters of advanced lab (PHYS 341L and PHYS 342L). Students completing the Computational Physics Areas of Emphasis only need to complete one semester of PHYS 341L. Students completing the Physics Teaching Area of Emphasis are required to complete PHYS 376L in place of PHYS 341L.

Curriculum Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
University Requirements55
ECAS B.S. Requirements4
Physics Major Requirements61
Total Hours120

University Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits)
Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 4, 5, 6, and 718
PHYS 191First-Year Seminar1
General Electives36
Total Hours55

ECAS Bachelor of Science Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS4
Global Studies and Diversity Requirement
MATHEMATICS REQUIREMENT
MATH 153
& MATH 154
Calculus 1a with Precalculus
and Calculus 1b with Precalculus
or MATH 155
Calculus 1
SCIENCE REQUIREMENT fulfilled by major requirements
Total Hours4

Physics Major Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
STEM FOUNDATION COURSES *18
Foundational Science
Select one pair
BIOL 115
& 115
& BIOL 117
& BIOL 117L
Principles of Biology
and Principles of Biology
and Introductory Physiology
and Introductory Physiology Laboratory
CHEM 111
& 111L
& CHEM 112
& CHEM 112L
Survey of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry 1
and Survey of Chemistry 1 Laboratory
and Survey of General Organic Biological Chemistry 2
and Survey of Chemistry 2 Laboratory
CHEM 115
& 115L
& CHEM 116
& CHEM 116L
Fundamentals of Chemistry 1
and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory
and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2
and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory
CS 110
& CS 111
Introduction to Computer Science
and Introduction to Data Structures
SUST 101
& 101L
& SUST 201
& SUST 201L
Sustainable Earth
and Sustainable Earth Laboratory
and Earth System Science
and Earth System Science Laboratory
Foundational Mathematics
MATH 156
Calculus 2
MATH 251
Multivariable Calculus
MATH 261
Elementary Differential Equations
CORE COURSES27
PHYS 111
& 111L
& PHYS 112
& PHYS 112L
General Physics 1
and General Physics 1 Laboratory
and General Physics 2
and General Physics 2 Laboratory
PHYS 312
Oscillations and Thermal Physics
PHYS 314
Introductory Modern Physics
PHYS 331
Theoretical Mechanics 1
PHYS 333
Electricity and Magnetism 1
PHYS 451
Introductory Quantum Mechanics
Any additional ASTR or PHYS course at the 300 level or above
AREA OF EMPHASIS13
Select one area of Emphasis
CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE3
PHYS 496
Senior Thesis
Total Hours61
*

STEM foundation courses are common to most STEM majors and excluded from the calculation of the percentage of upper-division course.

Areas of Emphasis Offered:

  • Computational Physics
  • Medical Physics
  • Physics Teaching
  • Professional Preparation
  • Space Physics

Computational Physics

Course List
Code Title Hours
CORE COURSES:10
PHYS 301
Computational Physics
PHYS 341L
Advanced Physics 1 Laboratory
PHYS 342L
Advanced Physics Laboratory 2 (2 credits) *
PHYS 461
Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
ELECTIVES:3
Select one of the following courses:
CPE 271
Introduction to Digital Logic Design
CS 210
File and Data Structures
CS 220
Discrete Mathematics
CS 330
Introduction to Software Engineering
MATH 322
Introduction to Programming and Computational Mathematics
Total Hours13
*

Students may substitute any ASTR or PHYS courses at the 300 level or above.  Only 3 credits of PHYS 490, 491, 495 may be applied to major requirements.

Suggested Plan of Study

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
PHYS 1911ENGL 101 (F1)3
F43CS 111 (B.S. First Area 2)3
CS 110 (B.S. First Area 1)3MATH 156 (B.S. Second Area 1; F8)4
MATH 155 (F3)4PHYS 111
& 111L (B.S. Third Area 1; F2)
4
General Elective3 
 14 14
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
ENGL 102 (F1)3F63
F53MATH 2614
MATH 251 (B.S. Second Area 2)4PHYS 3144
PHYS 112
& 112L (B.S. Third Area 2; F8)
4General Elective3
General Elective1General Elective3
 15 17
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
CPE 2713CS 2104
PHYS 3123PHYS 332 (or Elective)3
PHYS 3313PHYS 3333
PHYS 341L2F83
ECAS Glo. Stu. & Div. Req. (F7)3General Elective3
 14 16
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
CS 2203PHYS 4613
PHYS 3013PHYS 496 or CS 4813
PHYS 334 (or Elective)3General Elective3
PHYS 4513General Elective3
General Elective3General Elective3
 15 15
Total credit hours: 120

NOTE: Students in this AoE will need to have completed either (a) CHEM 231 (or CHEM  233 and CHEM 233L) as a prerequisite for AGBI 410 or (b) CHEM 233 and CHEM 233L as prerequisites for BIOC 339

Medical Physics

Course List
Code Title Hours
BMM 339Introduction to Human Biochemistry4
or AGBI 410 Introductory Biochemistry
BIOL 115
& 115L
Principles of Biology
and Principles of Biology Laboratory
4
PHYS 326Medical Imaging Physics3
PHYS 341LAdvanced Physics 1 Laboratory2
Total Hours13

Suggested Plan of Study

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
PHYS 1911ENGL 101 (F1)3
F43CHEM 116
& 116L (B.S. First Area 2; F8)
4
CHEM 115
& 115L (B.S. First Area 1; F2)
4MATH 156 (B.S. Second Area 1; F8)4
MATH 155 (F3)4PHYS 111
& 111L (B.S. Third Area; F8)
4
General Elective3 
 15 15
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
ENGL 102 (F1)3F63
F53F7 
MATH 251 (B.S. Second Area 2)4MATH 2614
PHYS 112
& 112L (B.S. Third Area 2; F8)
4PHYS 3144
General Elective 1General Elective4
 15 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
BIOL 115
& 115L
4BIOL 117
& 117L
4
PHYS 3123PHYS 332 (or Elective)3
PHYS 3313PHYS 3333
PHYS 341L2General Elective4
General Elective4 
 16 14
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
CHEM 233
& 233L
4PHYS 3263
PHYS 334 (or Elective)3PHYS 4613
PHYS 4513PHYS 4963
General Elective3General Elective3
General Elective2General Elective3
 15 15
Total credit hours: 120

Physics Teaching Area of Emphasis

Course List
Code Title Hours
CORE COURSE:3
PHYS 376L
Research Methods Laboratory
Select one option:10
CHEMISTRY OPTION:
CHEM 215
& 215L
Introductory Analytical Chemistry
and Introductory Analytical Chemistry Laboratory
CHEM 346
Physical Chemistry 1
PHYS 490
Teaching Practicum (2 credits required)
MATHEMATICS OPTION:
ARSC 220
Inquiry-Based Lesson Design
C&I 434
Teaching Mathematics: Secondary School
MATH 376
Foundations, Functions and Regression Models
PHYS 490
Teaching Practicum (3 credits required)
Total Hours13

Suggested Plan of Study for the B.S. in Physics with an Area of Emphasis in Teaching

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
F63ENGL 101 (F1)3
CHEM 115
& 115L (ECAS B.S. First Area 1; F2B)
4CHEM 116
& 116L (ECAS B.S. First Area 2; F8)
4
MATH 155 (F3)4MATH 156 (GEF 8; B.S. Second Area 1; F8)4
General Elective1PHYS 111 (ECAS B.S. Third Area 1; F8)4
PHYS 191 (First Year Experience)1 
General Elective2 
 15 15
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
F43ECAS Glob. & Div. Studies Req; F73
ENGL 102 (F1)3MATH 2614
MATH 251 (B.S. Second Area 2)4PHYS 3144
PHYS 112 (ECAS B.S. Third Area 2)4General Elective3
General Elective1General Elective1
 15 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
PHYS Teaching AoE Course 14PHYS Teaching AoE Course 24
PHYS 3123PHYS 376L3
PHYS 3313PHYS 332 (or Elective)*3
General Elective3PHYS 3333
General Elective2General Elective2
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
F53PHYS 4963
PHYS 334 (or Elective)3PHYS 4613
PHYS 4513General Elective3
PHYS 4903General Elective3
General Elective3General Elective3
 15 15
Total credit hours: 120
*

May also be satisfied by 300 or 400 level PHYS elective or MATH 318.

Professional Preparation Area of Emphasis

Course List
Code Title Hours
CORE COURSES:10
PHYS 332
Theoretical Mechanics 2
or PHYS 334
Electricity and Magnetism
PHYS 341L
Advanced Physics 1 Laboratory
PHYS 342L
Advanced Physics Laboratory 2 (2 credits)
PHYS 461
Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
ELECTIVES:3
Select one course from the list: *
PHYS 301
Computational Physics
PHYS 321
Optics
PHYS 326
Medical Imaging Physics
PHYS 332
Theoretical Mechanics 2
or PHYS 334
Electricity and Magnetism
PHYS 452
Quantum Mechanics 2
PHYS 471
Solid State Physics
PHYS 481
Plasma Physics
PHYS 490
Teaching Practicum
ASTR 367
Astrophysics 1
ASTR 368
Astrophysics 2
ASTR 469
Observational Astronomy
ASTR 470
General Relativity
Total Hours13
*

No more than 6 hours combined of ASTR/PHYS 490, 491, 494, 495, or 497 may be used to fulfill major requirements (AoE and core requirements).

Suggested Plan of Study

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
PHYS 1911ENGL 101 (F1)3
F43B.S. First Area 24
B.S. First Area 1; F24MATH 156 (B.S. Second Area 1; F8)4
MATH 155 (F3)4PHYS 111 (Third Area 1; F8)4
General Elective3 
 15 15
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
ENGL 102 (F1)3F63
F53MATH 2614
MATH 251 (B.S. Second Area 2)4PHYS 3144
PHYS 112 (B.S. Third Area 2; F8)4General Elective1
General Elective3General Elective 3
 17 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
PHYS 3313PHYS 332 (or Elective)3
PHYS 341L2PHYS 3333
ECAS Glob. Stu. and Div. Req. (F7)3PHYS 341L2
General Elective4Physics or Astronomy Elective 13
PHYS 3123General Elective1
 General Elective3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
PHYS 334 (or Elective)3PHYS 4613
PHYS 4513PHYS 4963
Math Elective3Physics or Astronomy Elective 33
Physics or Astronomy Elective 23General Elective 3
General Elective3General Elective1
 15 13
Total credit hours: 120

 

Space Physics

Course List
Code Title Hours
CORE COURSES:9
ASTR 367
Astrophysics 1
or PHYS 481
Plasma Physics
PHYS 341L
Advanced Physics 1 Laboratory
PHYS 342L
Advanced Physics Laboratory 2 (1 credit)
PHYS 461
Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
ELECTIVES: *4
PHYS 342L
Advanced Physics Laboratory 2 (1 credit)
PHYS 301
Computational Physics
PHYS 321
Optics
PHYS 332
Theoretical Mechanics 2
PHYS 334
Electricity and Magnetism
PHYS 452
Quantum Mechanics 2
ASTR 368
Astrophysics 2
ASTR 469
Observational Astronomy
ASTR 470
General Relativity
EE 221
& 221L
Introduction to Electrical Engineering
and Introduction to Electrical Engineering Laboratory
Total Hours13
*

Only a total of 3 credits of PHYS 490, 491, 495 may count toward  major requirements.

Suggested Plan of Study

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
PHYS 1911ENGL 101 (F1)3
F43CS 111
& 111L (B.S. First Area 2)
4
CS 110
& 110L (B.S. First Area 1)
4MATH 156 (F8)4
MATH 155 (F3)4PHYS 111 (B.S. Third Area 1; F2)4
General Elective3 
 15 15
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
ENGL 102 (F1)3F63
F53F73
MATH 251 (B.S Second Area 1)4MATH 2614
PHYS 112 (B.S. Third Area 2; F8)4PHYS 3144
General Elective1General Elective1
 15 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
EE 221
& 221L
4PHYS 3213
PHYS 3123PHYS 332 (or General Elective)3
PHYS 3313PHYS 3333
PHYS 341L2PHYS 341L2
F83General Elective4
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
ASTR 3673PHYS 4613
PHYS 334 (or General Elective)3PHYS 481 or ASTR 3683
PHYS 4513PHYS 4963
General Elective3General Elective3
General Elective3General Elective3
 15 15
Total credit hours: 120

Major Learning Outcomes

Physics B.S.

Upon successful completion of the B.S. degree, Physics majors will demonstrate:

  1. An understanding of and ability to solve basic conceptual and quantitative problems in theoretical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics.
  2. A range of effective strategies, both written and oral, to communicate physics theories, processes, and results.
  3. An ability to develop experiments to test basic or applied research questions, to perform accurate experimental measurements, and to critically evaluate others’ answers to research questions.
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