Physics Major

Major Requirements

The major in physics requires a minimum of 12 courses, distributed as follows:

1. Mathematics (2 courses)

Calculus sequence through MATH032 CM - Calculus III
And one of the following:
MATH060 CM - Linear Algebra
MATH111 CM - Differential Equations

2. Physics (9 courses)

PHYS033L KS - Principles of Physics
and PHYS 034L KS - Principles of Physics

or both semesters of the Accelerated Integrated Science Sequence (AISS)
PHYS035 KS - Modern Physics with Computational Applications
PHYS100 KS - Computational Physics and Engineering
PHYS101 KS - Classical Mechanics with Computational Applications
PHYS102 KS - Electromagnetism
PHYS108 KS - Programming for Science and Engineering
or a computer science course chosen in consultation with a physics faculty advisor
PHYS114 KS - Quantum Mechanics with Computational Applications
PHYS115 KS - Statistical Physics with Computational Applications

3. Senior Thesis (1 or 2 courses)

Physics majors must complete a 1- or 2-semester thesis in physics. For further information, see Senior Thesis in Science, below.

Notes:

An advanced physics laboratory course is highly recommended. Although students need only take MATH 111 CM or MATH 060 CM for the major, taking both courses is useful.
Physics majors normally complete PHYS 033L KS /PHYS 034L KS or AISS in their first year and PHYS 035 KS in fall of the sophomore year.
The calculus sequence (through MATH 032 CM ) is normally completed in fall of the sophomore year or earlier.
Students can then take (in any order) PHYS 100 KS , PHYS 102 KS , PHYS 115 KS , PHYS 108 KS or equivalent, MATH 111 CM and/or MATH 060 CM .
PHYS 101 KS and PHYS 114 KS should only be taken after completing MATH 111 CM or MATH 060 CM .
Majors interested in potentially pursuing experimental work should also take an advanced physics laboratory course.

Senior Thesis in Science

The senior thesis is a general education requirement and the capstone experience of a student’s undergraduate education. Students must complete a senior thesis in at least one of their majors under supervision of a faculty reader who teaches within that major, unless granted a special exception.

Science majors have the following senior thesis options. Refer to the major requirements above for major-specific senior thesis requirements.

2-Semester Thesis with Lab (2 courses, 2 credits)

Students interested in a 2-semester thesis with lab take one of the following pairs of courses in the 1^st and 2^nd semester of the senior year:

2-Semester Thesis with Summer Research (2 courses, 1 credit)

Students interested in completing a 2-semester thesis by conducting a substantial research project during the summer after their junior year should register for one of the following pairs of courses in the 1^st semester of the senior year. There is no credit or lab fee for 189L.

1-Semester Experimental Thesis with Lab (1 course, 1 credit)

Students interested in a 1-semester experimental thesis with lab take one of the following in the 1^st or 2^nd semester of the senior year:

1-Semester Library Thesis without Lab (1 course, 1 credit)

Students interested in a 1-semester library thesis without lab complete an extensive library research thesis in the 1^st or 2^nd semester of the senior year, chosen from:

Note:

The Senior Thesis Research Project course (188L) or the Summer Research Project course (189L) may not be counted as elective courses in the major.

Special Options for Majors in Physics

Dual Major in Physics

The dual major in physics requires a minimum of 10 courses, distributed as follows:

1. Mathematics (2 courses)

Calculus sequence through MATH032 CM - Calculus III
And one of the following:
MATH060 CM - Linear Algebra
MATH111 CM - Differential Equations

2. Physics (7 courses)

3. Senior Thesis (1 or 2 courses)

Students completing a dual major in physics must complete a 1- or 2-semester thesis in physics (which may be on an interdisciplinary topic if approved by a physics faculty advisor).

For further information, see Senior Thesis in Science.

Honors in Science

To be eligible for departmental honors in a science major, students must:

Achieve a minimum GPA of 10.5 in courses in the major;
Complete a 1- or 2-semester thesis project in which the student has demonstrated excellence by making a significant contribution to the progress of the research, by producing a thesis document judged to be of honors quality by the department, by presenting the work in a cogent fashion, and by engaging in the departmental seminar program.

Study Abroad for Science Majors

The Keck Science Department supports study abroad for science majors, however majors need to be aware that spending a semester off-campus requires careful advanced planning and program selection. Science majors interested in study abroad should discuss their interest with their major advisors as soon as possible.

General Education Requirements for Science Majors

General Education Requirement in Science

Every CMC student must complete one (1) laboratory science course offered by the Keck Science Department or elsewhere within the Claremont Consortium. This requirement must by satisfied by the end of the 2^nd year at CMC.

General Education Requirements in the Social Sciences and the Humanities

For students with science majors, general education requirements in the social sciences and humanities must be met by courses outside of a student’s major field(s). Students in most science majors, including this major, must take courses in 3 of the 4 fields of the social sciences and in 2 of the 4 fields of the humanities for a total of 5 courses.

Science majors with a dual or double major in either the humanities or the social sciences will be required to take an additional general education course in those categories.

Learning Goals of the Program in Physics

The objectives for the program in physics are to prepare students for:

When confronted with an unfamiliar system or situation, physics students should be able to:
1. Develop a conceptual framework for understanding the system by identifying the key physical principles and relationships underlying the system;
2. Translate that conceptual framework into a quantitative/mathematical model suitable for analysis;
3. Investigate the model via a variety of analytical and/or numerical methods;
4. Intelligently analyze, interpret, and assess the reasonableness of the model’s predictions;
5. Effectively communicate their findings (either verbally and/or via written expression) to diverse audiences.
In a laboratory setting, physics students should be able to:
1. Design an appropriate experiment to test out a hypothesis of interest;
2. Make basic order-of-magnitude estimates, identify and address the sources of error and uncertainty in an experiment;
3. Demonstrate a working familiarity with standard laboratory equipment (e.g. oscilloscopes, DMMs, signal generators, etc.);
4. Demonstrate proficiency with standard methods of data analysis (e.g. graphing, curve-fitting, statistical analysis, Fourier analysis, etc.);
5. Intelligently analyze, interpret, and assess the reasonableness of their experimental results;
6. Effectively communicate their findings (either verbally and/or via written expression) to diverse audiences.