Program: Physics, B.A. - Whittier College

Apr 05, 2025

College Catalog 2018-2019

Requirements

Required Physics Courses

25 credits

PHYS 150 - Calculus-Based Physics I (Mechanics) 4 credits
PHYS 180 - Calculus-Based Physics II (Electricity, Magnetism and Thermodynamics) 5 credits
PHYS 250 - Computational Oscillations & Waves 3 credits
PHYS 275 - Optics & Modern Physics 4 credits
PHYS 310 - Mechanics 3 credits
PHYS 380 - Experimental Physics 3 credits
PHYS 499A - Senior Seminar I in Physics 1 credits
PHYS 499B - Senior Seminar II 2 credits

Required Mathematics Courses

15 credits

MATH 141 - Calculus & Analytical Geometry I 4 credits
MATH 142 - Calculus & Analytical Geometry II 4 credits
MATH 241 - Calculus & Analytical Geometry III 4 credits
MATH 242 - Introduction to Applied Elementary Linear Algebra 3 credits
or
MATH 345A - Differential Equations I 3 credits
(note: may not also be used for Option I)

Select Option I or II

Option I

Complete 15 credits from the following list (at least 12 must be in Physics). At least one course must be from the “theory” group of PHYS 315, 330, or 350; and at least one course must be from the “topics” group of PHYS 320, 360, or 375.

PHYS 305 - Robotics with Arduino 3 credits
PHYS 306 - Computer Logic and Circuit Design credits
PHYS 315 - Statistical Physics 3 credits
PHYS 320 - Optics 3 credits
PHYS 330 - Electromagnetic Theory 3 credits
PHYS 350 - Quantum Mechanics 3 credits
PHYS 360 - Astrophysics 3 credits
PHYS 375 - Solid State Physics 3 credits
PHYS 390 - Selected Topics 1 to 4 credits
PHYS 490 - Selected Topics 1 to 4 credits
PHYS 396 - Physics Research 1 to 3 credits
MATH 315 - Probability and Statistics 3 credits
MATH 344 - Complex Variables 3 credits
MATH 345A - Differential Equations I 3 credits
MATH 350 - Numerical Analysis 3 credits
MATH 354 - Mathematical Modeling 3 credits
MATH 380 - Linear Algebra 3 credits
COSC 120 - Computer Science I 3 credits

Option II

Complete 12 credits from the list above (at least 9 in physics). At least one course must be from the “theory” group of PHYS 315, 330, or 350; and at least one course must be from the “topics” group of PHYS 320, 360, or 375. In addition, complete two semesters in another science approved by the department:

CHEM 110A - General Chemistry I 4 credits and
CHEM 110B - General Chemistry II 4 credits
or
BIOL 151 - Cell & Molecular Biology 4 credits and
BIOL 152 - Biology of Organisms 4 credits
or
ENVS 100 - Introduction to Environmental Science 4 credits and
ENVS 251 - Ecology & Evolution of Organisms 4 credits
or
PHYS 100 - Astronomy of the Solar System 3 credits and
PHYS 101 - Astronomy of Stars, Galaxies and the Universe 3 credits

Graduate School Track

Recommended Graduate School Track:

Students planning on enrolling in graduate school in Physics should take all three courses from the “theory” group of PHYS 315 , PHYS 330 , and PHYS 350 .