Prerequisites (State Mandated Common Prerequisites)

Students wishing to transfer to USF should complete the A.A. degree at the community college. Some courses required for the major may also meet General Education Requirements thereby transferring maximum hours to the university. If students transfer with fewer than 60 semester hours of acceptable credit, the students must meet the university’s entering freshman requirements including ACT or SAT test scores, GPA, and course requirements.

The transfer student should also be aware of the immunization, foreign language, and continuous enrollment policies of the university.

Students should complete the following prerequisite courses listed below at the lower level prior to entering the university. If these courses are not taken at the community college, they must be completed before the degree is granted. Unless stated otherwise, a grade of “C-” is the minimum acceptable grade.

• CHM 1045/1045L General Chemistry I (with lab) or CHM 1040 & CHM 1041 or CHM 1045C or CHM 1045E
• CHM 1046/1046L General Chemistry II (with lab) or CHM 1046C or CHM 1046E

Students must complete the prerequisite courses listed below prior to enrolling in upper-division courses as a major. Unless stated otherwise, a grade of “C-” is the minimum acceptable grade.

• MAC 2311 Calculus I or MAC X281
• MAC 2312 Calculus II or MAC X282
• MAC 2313 Calculus III or MAC X283
• PHY 2048/2048L General Physics I or PHY 2048C
• PHY 2049/2049L General Physics II or PHY 2049C

Coursework for Majors in Physics

1. Physics Courses

   B.A. PHYSICS (PHY) (34 credit hours)

   • PHY 2048 General Physics I (3)
   • PHY 2048L General Physics I Lab (1)
   • PHY 2049 General Physics II (3)
   • PHY 2049L General Physics II Lab (1)
   • PHY 3101 Modern Physics (3)
   • PHY 3221 Mechanics I (3)
   • PHY 3822L Intermediate Lab (3)
   • PHY 3323C Electricity and Magnetism I (3)
   • PHY 4222 Mechanics II (3)
   • PHY 4930 Undergraduate Seminar (1)
   • PHY 4324C Electricity and Magnetism II (3)
   • PHY 4910 Undergraduate Research (1-4)
   • PHY 4823L Advanced Laboratory (3)
   • PHY 4604 Intro. to Quantum Mechanics (3)

   B.S. PHYSICS (44 credit hours)

   • PHY 2048 General Physics I (3)
   • PHY 2048L General Physics I Lab (1)
   • PHY 2049 General Physics II (3)
   • PHY 2049L General Physics II Lab (1)
   • PHY 3101 Modern Physics (3)
   • PHY 3221 Mechanics I (3)
   • PHY 3822L Intermediate Lab (3)
   • PHY 3323C Electricity and Magnetism I (3)
   • PHY 4222 Mechanics II (3)
   • PHY 4930 Undergraduate Seminar (1)
   • PHY 4324C Electricity and Magnetism II (3)
   • PHY 4604 Intro. Quantum Mechanics (3)
   • PHY 4910 Undergraduate Research (1-4)
   • PHY 4823L Advanced Laboratory (3)
   • Plus 9 credit hours of Physics electives subject to approval of undergraduate advisor.

2. Required Supporting Courses in Natural Sciences
   • CHM 2045 General Chemistry I (3)
   • CHM 2045L General Chemistry I Lab (1)
   • CHM 2046 General Chemistry II (3)
   • CHM 2046L General Chemistry II Lab (1)
   • MAC 2311 or 2281 Calculus I (4)
   • MAC 2312 or 2282 Calculus II (4)
   • MAC 2313 or 2283 Calculus III (4)
   • MAP 2302 Differential Equations (3)

3. Liberal Arts Requirements [General Education Requirements (36 credit hours); Exit Requirements (9 credit hours)]
   The student is required to complete the university's Liberal Arts Requirements.

4. Free Electives
   Courses over and above required courses should be taken to complete a 120-hour program.

5. Residency Requirement
   A minimum of 20 credit hours of physics courses (see 1 above) in residency.

6. D and F grades earned in attempting to satisfy major requirements will be used in calculating the major GPA.

Requirements for the Minor in Physics

A minor in Physics consists of 19 credit hours which includes:

Required Courses

• PHY 2048 or 2053 General Physics I (3)
• PHY 2048L or 2053L General Physics I Lab (1)
• PHY 2049 or 2054 General Physics II (3)
• PHY 2049L or 2054L General Physics II Lab (1)
• PHY 3101 Modern Physics (3)

Elective Courses (Pick from list below) (8 credit hours)

• PHY 3221 Mechanics I (3)
• PHY 3323C Electricity and Magnetism I (4)
• PHY 4604 Intro. Quantum Mechanics (3)
• or Physics electives subject to approval of undergraduate advisor.

Required Supporting Courses

• Correct prerequisites for any course required.

Planned Minor in BioMedical Physics

The physics department has applied to the university for permission to award a Minor in BioMedical Physics. This will include general physics and courses on applications of physics to biology and medicine. Interested students should check the physics web site for more information.

Teacher Education Programs

For information concerning the degree programs for secondary school teachers, see College of Education, Department of Secondary Education; for junior college teachers, see USF Graduate Catalog.