Physics At Fordham University

Sample Physics Curriculum

Important: This is only one possibility of what a physics student's coursework could look like.

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 or for entrance into the job market.

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
ENGL 1101 Composition I HIST 1xxx Understanding Historical Change PHIL 1000 Phil of Human Nature PHYS 1601 Introductory Physics I PHYS 1511 Physics I Lab MATH 1206 Calculus 1	ENGL 1102 Composition II ARHI 1100 Intro to Art History (EP I) THEO 1000 Faith and Critical Reasoning PHYS 1602 Introductory Physics II PHYS 1512 Physics II Lab MATH 1207 Calculus 2
YEAR 2
ENGL 2000 Texts and Contexts (EP II) PHIL 3000 Philosophical Ethics PHYS 2305 Intro to Modern Physics CHEM 1321 General Chemistry I CHEM 1331 General Chemistry Lab I MATH 2004 Multivariable Calculus I	THEO 3xxx Sacred Texts and Traditions ANTH 1300 Intro to Archaeology (Social Science) PHYS 2001 Theoretical Mechanics CHEM 1322 General Chemistry II CHEM 1332 General Chemistry Lab II MATH 2005 Multivariable Calculus II
YEAR 3
EP 3 PHYS 2002 Electricity and Magnetism PHYS 2011 Intermediate Laboratory PHYS 3101 Math Methods in Physics I Elective	More Core PHYS 3011 Advanced Lab PHYS 3102 Math Methods in Physics II PHYS 3401 Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics PHYS 4005 Quantum Physics
YEAR 4
Students will need to complete a Senior Values Seminar (EP 4) 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: PHYS 3201 - Atomic Physics, PHYS 3301 - Solid State Physics, PHYS 3311 - Electronic Instrumentation, PHYS 3501 - Nuclear Physics, PHYS 3601 - Optics, PHYS 4001, 4002 - Undergraduate Research, PHYS 4003 - Theoretical Physics I, PHYS 4004 - Theoretical Physics II, PHYS 4006 - Quantum Mechanics II, PHYS 4007 - Laser Physics, PHYS 4008 - Medical Physics I, PHYS 4011 - Particle Physics, or other special topics courses which may be offered. 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