Physics At Fordham University

Sample Physics Curriculum

Important:

This is only one possibility of what a physics student's coursework could look like.
Due to the introduction of the new core curriculum in the Fall of 2009, this sample only applies to the class of 2012 and older.

The "typical" Physics Major completes the program shown below in 4 years. This curriculum is designed to give you a strong physics background including advanced courses which will prepare you for graduate school.

A substantial number of our majors enter the program from other schools or other majors at a later point in their career. We will work with you to accelerate the program through summer courses and individual reading courses. With the Fordham core and some math or chemistry completed in advance, students have successfully completed the Physics major in as little as two years plus summers.

SAMPLE CURRICULUM FOR PHYSICS MAJORS

Fall	Spring
YEAR 1
EN 1100 English Comp HS 1000 West: Enlightenment to Present PH 1000 Phil of Human Nature PY 1601 Introductory Physics I PY 1511 Physics I Lab MT 1206 Calculus 1	EN 1000 Close Reading and Critical Writing HS 1xxx History II RS 1000 Faith and Critical Reasoning PY 1602 Introductory Physics II PY 1512 Physics II Lab MT 1207 Calculus 2
YEAR 2
EN 1200 Chaucer PH 1100 Philosophical Ethics PY 2305 Intro to Modern Physics CH 1321 General Chemistry I CH 1331 General Chemistry Lab I MT 2004 Multivariable Calculus I	RS 2xxx Course On Religious Texts Social Science I PY 2001 Theoretical Mechanics CH 1322 General Chemistry II CH 1332 General Chemistry Lab II PY 3100 Math Methods in Physics 0
YEAR 3
Social Science II PYRU 2002 Electricity and Magnetism PYRU 2011 Intermediate Laboratory PYRU 3101 Math Methods in Physics I PYRU 3211 Computational Physics and Programming I	Fine Arts PYRU 3011 Advanced Lab I PYRU 3102 Math Methods in Physics II PYRU 3401 Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics PYRU 4005 Quantum Physics (4)
YEAR 4
Students will need to complete 2 semesters of a foreign language and a Senior Values Seminar during their senior year. If they have not combined their Globalism and Pluralism requirements into other core courses they will also need to complete those requirements during their senior year. Physics students in their fourth year are required to take a minimum of two physics electives from the following list: PYRU 3201 - Atomic Physics, PYRU 3301 - Solid State Physics, PYRU 3311 - Electronic Instrumentation, PYRU 3501 - Nuclear Physics, PYRU 3601 - Optics, PYRU 4001, 4002 - Undergraduate Research, PYRU 4003 - Theoretical Physics I, PYRU 4004 - Theoretical Physics II, PYRU 4006 - Quantum Mechanics II, PYRU 4007 - Laser Physics, PYRU 4008 - Medical Physics I. Students planning to continue in Physics are encouraged to take more than the minimum number to better prepare for their initial year of graduate school.
Those students enrolled in the 3-2 cooperative engineering program will transfer to Columbia University or Case Western Reserve University at the end of the third year. At the end of five years they earn two degrees, a B.S. Degree from Fordham in physics and a B.S. Degree from Columbia or Case Western Reserve in one of the engineering disciplines.

Fall

Spring

YEAR 1

YEAR 2

YEAR 3

YEAR 4