33 courses with the subject PHYS, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
PHYS 202STEM Outreach & Communication I: Foundations3
(3) Introduces principles of STEM outreach and science communication through mentored observation and assisted participation. Students observe outreach activities led by faculty, staff, or advanced student mentors and analyze communication strategies, audience engagement, and accessibility. Students participate in support roles and begin designing a pilot outreach activity under close mentorship.
PHYS 221 . Topics are studied utilizing calculus. REAL Area R
PHYS 230The Physics of Sound4
(4) Introduction to the basic physical principles underlying sound, music, and audio systems. The fundamental principles of physics needed to understand waves, sound, and sound reproduction will be covered. Three hours of lecture and two hours of lab per week. REAL Area R
PHYS 111 or PHYS 221 or ASTR 220 . Cross-Listed: PHSC 301 Basic principles of meteorology, including earth’s atmosphere, insulation, humidity, adiabatic processes, large-scale circulation of the atmosphere, mid-altitude weather, violent weather phenomena, and climatology. REAL Area R
PHYS 302STEM Outreach & Communication II: Practice3
PHYS 202 Builds on foundational principles of STEM outreach and science communication through guided design and active facilitation. Students develop, refine, and lead outreach demonstrations and activities through iterative practice, peer review, and mentored performance. Emphasis is placed on communication techniques, accessibility, material management, and small-scale public or K–12 pilot events.
PHYS 221 / PHYS 222 ; MATH 172 . Expanding on the skills already learned in previous mathematics courses, students will learn specific physics-related math skills through direct application to relevant physical situations. The course will provide a preview to those specific applications and provide students the specific mathematical skills necessary to succeed in the upper-level required physics courses.
PHYS 112 or PHYS 222 , and MATH 171 . Introduction to modern physics, including special relativity, the initial development of quantum theory, and the dual particle/wave nature of light and matter. REAL Area R
PHYS 112 or PHYS 222 , and MATH 172 . Study of theoretical and applied Newtonian mechanics including position and velocity dependent forces, oscillations, stability, non-inertial frames and gravitation from extended bodies.
PHYS 112 or PHYS 222 . Building dc and ac circuits; microcontroller circuits applied to scientific/engineering tasks; theory and use of transistors and operational amplifiers; and the use of oscilloscopes, function generators and other professional electronic test equipment. REAL Area L
PHYS 112 or PHYS 222 . An intermediate course in geometrical and physical optics. Topics included are mirrors, lenses, interference, diffraction, scattering, polarization and introductory quantum optics.
PHYS 305 Further discussion of modern physics, including applications of quantum mechanics, atomic and molecular structure, solid state physics, nuclear physics, and basic particle physics. Three hours, lecture.
PHYS 324Geophysical Field Research Introductory Seminar1
Instructor Approval. Will include readings, activities, and experimental and equipment design components to prepare students for the PHYS 325 – Geophysical Field Research class (to be offered the subsequent semester). Students and faculty will create a plan of study for the fieldwork of the PHYS 325 class. Students will learn about professional equipment and software that may be used in the field, and be required to design and make their own sensors to be deployed in PHYS 325 . May be repeated for credit. REAL Area L
Permission of instructor. Study and use of geophysical and remote sensing methods in field settings. One week of remote field work is required, along with professional-level presentation of research results. May be repeated for credit. REAL Area L
PHYS 326Geophysical Field Research Capstone Seminar1
Instructor Approval. Will be taken the semester after PHYS 325 - Geophysical Field Research and will serve as a capstone experience for that course. Students will analyze the data acquired during their PHYS 325 field research, refine the custom sensors they designed for their research, and create a presentation appropriate for a national scientific meeting. May be repeated for credit. REAL Area L
PHYS 112 or PHYS 222 , and MATH 172 . Students will study classical thermodynamics and its applications, including how it addresses a contemporary scientific/engineering issue. Students will study quantum statistical mechanics and how those techniques are applied to ensembles of particles. REAL Area L
PHYS 111 / PHYS 112 or PHYS 221 / PHYS 222 ; MATH 168 / MATH 169 or MATH 171 This course introduces the principles of energy, heat transfer, and real-system behavior with applications to power, refrigeration, and renewable energy technologies. A project-based lab emphasizes experimental design, data analysis, and practical problem-solving relevant to applied physics and mechanical engineering. Three hours lecture and two hours of lab per week.
PHYS 303 and PHYS 305 or permission of instructor. Pre- or
Corequisite
PHYS 306 . The goal of this class is to familiarize students with multiple methods of tackling problems in physics. Students will learn to use a variety of tools from spreadsheets (Excel or similar) to commercial math programs (Matlab or similar) to writing their own programs (Fortran/C and Visual Python or similar). REAL Area L
Senior standing. This course will develop skills that will help students make the transition to their post-baccalaureate careers in industry or graduate study.
PHYS 402STEM Outreach and Communication III: Leadership3
PHYS 302 Provides advanced training in STEM outreach and science communication through leadership, mentorship, and coordinated facilitation. Students mentor peers in earlier courses, coordinate departmental outreach events, and create durable training materials such as facilitator guides or workshop modules under guided supervision. The course culminates in a substantive outreach project and an assessment of outreach impact.
PHYS 112 or PHYS 222 , GEOL 105 , and MATH 172 , or permission of instructor. Cross-Listed: GEOL 406 Examination of the basic principles and techniques of modern geophysical methods, and the applications of these methods to site investigations for engineering and environmental geologic projects. Some Saturday laboratories may be required. REAL Area L
PHYS 306 . Advanced treatment of the classical mechanics of particles, systems of particles, and rigid bodies. Advanced mathematical models, including the use of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian methods, will be used to look at complex systems.
MATH 172 , PHYS 303 . The fundamentals of electromagnetic theory are presented at an intermediate level. Topics covered are electrostatics, electric current, magnetic fields, the Maxwell equations, and electromagnetic radiation. The laboratory component of the course includes electrical measurements, electric currents, and basic electronics.
MATH 172 and PHYS 305 . An introduction to nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. Topics included are the Schroedinger equation, bound states, angular momentum, spin, scattering theory, and the matrix formulation.
PHYS 303 , PHYS 305 , PHYS 309 . Students will learn data analysis, evaluation, and interpretation, as well as error calculation and propagation. The course will also focus on experiment design and scientific information dissemination through report writing and presentations in poster and oral formats. A limited number of advanced physics laboratory experiments will be performed which illustrate important concepts and methods. REAL Area L Cornerstone WI
Permission of instructor. Selected topics in advanced undergraduate physics. A specific course syllabus will be available when the course is offered. A student may take this course for credit more than once provided the topic is different each time.
PHYS 481Undergraduate Research1-3
Subject
PHYS
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Repeatable
May be repeated up to a total of six semester hours.
PHYS 112 or PHYS 222 and 6 hours of PHYS courses at the 300 level or above. A laboratory course designed for students wishing to pursue an independent research project.
PHYS 111 : PHYS 112 or PHYS 221 : PHYS 222 and six hours of PHYS courses at the 300 level or above, and departmental approval. Application of skills and techniques learned in the classroom to real life situations. Participating students submit a program proposal to the sponsoring agency and supervising instructor. Agency may pay student for work performed.
