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Undergraduate Catalog
2005-2007
College of Natural Sciences
and Mathematics
Department of Physics
- Who's Who in the Department of Physics
- Overview
- Physics Major - B.S. Degree
- Physics Major - B.A. Degree
- Physics Minor
- Suggested Program - Bachelor of Science in Physics
- Suggested Program - Bachelor of Arts in Physics
- Suggested Program - B.S. in Physics (Geophysical Specialization)
See also: General Degree Information
Department-specific courses:
Physics (PHYS)
Who's Who in the Department of Physics
Chair: Lawrence Pinsky
Professors:
James R. Benbrook, Edgar A. Bering III, Ching-Wu Chu, Wei-Kan Chu, Michael Gorman, Gemunu Gunaratne, Bambi Hu, Ed V. Hungerford, Alex Ignatiev, Donald J. Kouri, Kwong Hon Lau, Bill W. Mayes II, Joseph L. McCauley, Jr., Simon C. Moss, Shuheng Pan, B. Montgomery Pettitt, Lawrence Pinsky, George Reiter, Wu-Pei Su, Chin-Sen Ting, Arthur B. Weglein, Roy Weinstein, Lowell Wood
Associate Professors:
Pei-Herng Hor, John Miller
Assistant Professors:
Kevin Bassler, Wolfgang Donner, Carlos Ordonez, Donna Washington Stokes
Overview
Physicists formulate mathematical descriptions of nature that constitute a set of theories to provide the best and most detailed predictive capability in all situations. Physicists also devise and carry out experiments designed to probe the unknown and test these theories. When confronted with experimental evidence that contradicts these theories or are beyond their reach, physicists either revise them to accommodate the new data or else abandon them in favor of better models. Students majoring in physics must have a strong foundation in mathematics and an overwhelming curiosity about how nature works. Generally, physicists tend either to be more primarily focused on doing experiments or to concentrate on making the mathematical models.
The Department of Physics offers the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in physics, the B.S. in physics with geophysics specialization, and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in physics.
The Department of Physics also has a joint program with the University of Texas Department of Allied Health Education (UTAHE) program in the Texas Medical Center in Houston that leads to a B.S. degree in medical dosimetry from UT. The first three years of courses are taken at the University of Houston and the final year is completed at UTAHE.
The demand for trained physicists is strong. Graduates with the B.S. in physics are prepared to enter physics graduate programs leading to the master's or doctoral degrees in physics. They also find entry level positions in the aerospace industry, the high-tech materials and electronics industries, and in fields as diverse as commodities or stock brokerage, health care, and the energy industry. Graduates with a B.A. in physics are generally prepared to teach physics at the high school level once they have obtained appropriate teacher certification.
The department's teaching and research fields of specialization include atmospheric and space physics, biological and medical physics, statistical physics, physics of finance, radiation science, superconductivity, surface physics, signal and image processing, high energy, medium energy, and heavy ion physics, high-performance distributed computing, and seismic physics. Research opportunities are available for highly motivated undergraduate students in faculty laboratories and such participation is strongly encouraged.
Physics Major - Bachelor of Science Degree
Students who choose to major in physics must complete the following
requirements in addition to the special requirements for the Bachelor
of Science degree:
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Requirements | Hours |
|
|
|
| Mathematics | |
| 25 semester hours: MATH 1431, 1432, 2431, 2433, 3331, 3335, and 3363 | 25 |
|
|
|
| Chemistry | |
| CHEM 1111, 1112, 1331, and 1332 | 8 |
|
|
|
| Physics | |
| 39 semester hours (31 advanced) which must include PHYS 1321, 1121, 1322, 1122, 3110, 3111 (two semesters), 3309, 3312 and 3112 or 4421, 3315, 3316, 3327, 4321, 4322, and six hours advanced electives | 39 |
|
|
|
Physics Major - Bachelor of Arts Degree
Students who choose to major in physics must meet the following requirements in addition to the special requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree:
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Requirements | Hours |
|
|
|
| Mathematics | |
| 26 semester hours (nine advanced) which must include MATH 1431, 1432, 2431, 2433, and 3331 | 26 |
|
|
|
| Chemistry | |
| CHEM 1111, 1112, 1331, and 1332 | 8 |
|
|
|
| Physics | |
| Twenty-nine semester hours (18 advanced) which must include PHYS 1321, 1121, 1322, 1122, 3110, and 3315. Advanced courses must include 3111, and either 3312 and 3112 or 4421 | 29 |
|
|
|
Physics Minor
Students who choose to minor in physics must complete the general requirements for a minor as well as the following:
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Requirements | Hours |
|
|
|
| Physics | |
| 21 semester hours (13 advanced) which must include PHYS 1321, 1121, 1322, 1122, and 3315 | 21 |
| No Special Problems courses may be used to meet the 13 advanced hours requirement. | |
|
|
|
Students should consult the Academic Regulations and Degree Requirements section of this catalog for general information on the requirements for minors. Students must earn a 2.00 minimum cumulative grade point average on all courses attempted in the minor discipline at the University of Houston. Courses which by catalog statement cannot be applied toward a degree in Natural Sciences and Mathematics, or which have other relevant catalog restrictions will not be included in the minor grade point average.
Suggested Program -
Bachelor of Science in Physics
First Year
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours |
| ENGL 1303. Freshman Composition I 1 | 3 |
| CHEM 1331 and 1111. Fundamentals of Chemistry and Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory | 4 |
| PHYS 1110. Introductory Physics Seminar | 1 |
| MATH 1431. Calculus I | 4 |
| Social Sciences Core Course | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Spring Semester | Hours |
| ENGL 1304. Freshman Composition II 1 | 3 |
| CHEM 1332 and 1112. Fundamentals of Chemistry and Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory | 4 |
| MATH 1432. Calculus II | 4 |
| PHYS 1321. University Physics I | 3 |
| PHYS 1121. Physics Laboratory I | 1 |
| Total | 15 |
Second Year
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours |
| MATH 2431. Linear Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 2433. Calculus III | 4 |
| PHYS 1322 and 1122. University Physics II and Physics Laboratory II | 4 |
| HIST 1376 or 1377. The United States to 1877 or equivalent | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Spring Semester | Hours |
| MATH 3331. Differential Equations | 3 |
| PHYS 3315. Modern Physics I | 3 |
| Natural Science Approved Course | 3 |
| HIST 1378 or 1379. The United States Since 1877 or equivalent | 3 |
| Social Sciences Writing Intensive Core Course | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
Third Year
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours |
| MATH 3335. Vector Analysis | 3 |
| PHYS 3110. Advanced Laboratory Analysis | 1 |
| PHYS 3111. Advanced Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 3316. Modern Physics II | 3 |
| PHYS 3309. Intermediate Mechanics | 3 |
| POLS 1336. U.S. and Texas Constitutions and Politics or equivalent | 3 |
| Visual/Performing Arts Core Course | 3 |
| Total | 17 |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Spring Semester | Hours |
| MATH 3363. Introduction to Partial Differential Equations | 3 |
| PHYS 3111. Advanced Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 3327. Thermal Physics | 3 |
| POLS 1337. U.S. Government: Congress, President and Courts or equivalent | 3 |
| Free Elective, Minor Course | 3 |
| Humanities Core Course | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
Fourth Year
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours |
| PHYS 4321. Intermediate Electromagnetic Theory | 3 |
| PHYS 3312 and PHYS 3112 or PHYS 4421. Modern Optics and Modern Optics Laboratory or Electronics Devices and Their Applications | 4 |
| NSM Capstone Course or Minor or Free Electives | 6 |
| Natural Science Approved Course | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Spring Semester | Hours |
| PHYS 4322. Intermediate Electromagnetic Theory | 3 |
| Physics Elective (3000- or 4000-level) | 3 |
| NSM Capstone Course or Minor or Free Elective | 7 |
| Total | 13 |
All students are responsible for the completion of 36 advanced semester hours required for a University of Houston degree.
Suggested Program -
Bachelor of Arts in Physics
First and Second Years
See the Bachelor of Science in Physics Suggested Program.
Third Year
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours |
| Mathematics Elective (3000- or 4000-level) | 3 |
| PHYS 3110. Advanced Laboratory Analysis | 1 |
| PHYS 3111. Advanced Laboratory | 1 |
| POLS 1336. U.S. and Texas Constitutions and Politics or equivalent | 3 |
| Humanities Core Course | 3 |
| Free Electives 17 | 3 |
| Total | 14 |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Spring Semester | Hours |
| Mathematics Elective (3000- or 4000-level) | 3 |
| Physics Electives (3000- or 4000-level) | 7 |
| POLS 1337. U.S. Government: Congress, President and Courts or equivalent | 3 |
| Visual/Performing Arts Core Course | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
Fourth Year
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours |
| Physics Elective (3000- or 4000-level) | 7 |
| NSM Capstone or Minor | 3 |
| Free Electives 17 | 6 |
| Total | 16 |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Spring Semester | Hours |
| Physics Elective (3000- or 4000-level) | 7 |
| NSM Capstone or Minor | 3 |
| Free Elective 17 | 6 |
| Total | 16 |
All students are responsible for the completion of 36 advanced semester hours required for a University of Houston degree.
Suggested Program -
Bachelor of Science in Physics
(Geophysics Specialization)
First and Second Years
See the Bachelor of Science in Physics Suggested Program.
Third Year
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours |
| MATH 3335. Vector Analysis | 3 |
| PHYS 3110. Advanced Laboratory Analysis | 1 |
| PHYS 3111. Advanced Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 3316. Modern Physics II | 3 |
| PHYS 3309. Intermediate Mechanics | 3 |
| POLS 1336. U.S. and Texas Constitutions and Politics or equivalent | 3 |
| GEOL 4330. Introduction to Geophysics | 3 |
| Total | 17 |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Spring Semester | Hours |
| MATH 3363. Introduction to Partial Differential Equations | 3 |
| PHYS 3111. Advanced Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 3327. Thermal Physics | 3 |
| POLS 1337. U.S. Government: Congress, President and Courts or equivalent | 3 |
| Geology Approved Elective | 3 |
| Humanities Core Course | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
Fourth Year
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours |
| Geology Approved Electives | 6 |
| PHYS 4321. Intermediate Electromagnetic Theory | 3 |
| PHYS 3312 and PHYS 3112 or PHYS 4421. Modern Optics and Modern Optics Laboratory or Electronic Devices and Their Applications | 4 |
| NSM Capstone, Minor, Elective | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Spring Semester | Hours |
| PHYS 4322. Intermediate Electromagnetic Theory | 3 |
| Geology Approved Elective | 3 |
| Visual/Performing Arts Core Course | 3 |
| NSM Capstone, Minor, Elective | 4 |
| Total | 13 |
All students are responsible for the completion of 36 advanced semester hours required for a University of Houston degree.
Last updated:
Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 01:37 PM