Mar 28, 2024  
2016-2017 University Catalog 
    
2016-2017 University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Applied Physics, BS


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About the Program

Purdue physics is an internationally recognized department for excellence in forefront research and undergraduate and graduate education. Our undergraduate classes for physics majors average 30 or fewer students and are taught by professors actively engaged in forefront research. Undergraduate research is strongly encouraged and opportunities exist as early as the second semester to work in a research group. These groups include experimental and theoretical condensed matter physics, high energy physics, nano-physics, nuclear physics, astrophysics, biological physics, geophysics, relativity, and interdisciplinary areas of material science, engineering, or computational science.

The department also helps undergraduates with external internships, particularly for the summers. Upon graduation our students are accepted for graduate programs at many of the top universities and are also sought after for positions in industry, particularly high-tech positions. Our graduates have an exceptional record of career accomplishment in a wide variety of settings, including academia and major industrial and government labs.

The specialties under the applied physics curriculum can range from different areas. Individually tailored specialties may be chosen by the student in consultation with an advisor. Currently available specialties include:

  • Geophysics and Atmospheric Sciences
  • Astrophysics
  • Computational Physics
  • Nuclear Physics
  • Material Science & Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Medical Physics

In addition, many physics majors manage to complete dual or multiple major programs within the College of Science. This is possible because of a considerable overlap of the College of Science requirements. Popular dual majors with physics are: mathematics, computer science and chemistry.

Physics Website

Degree Requirements and Supplemental Information

The full Program Requirements for 2016-17 Applied Physics  include all Supplemental Information and selective lists of those categories which a student must fulfill in order to earn their degree. These are intended to be printer-friendly, but include less descriptive course detail.

Please see below for program requirements and the necessary degree fulfillments.

Physics - BS
APPH
120 Credits for graduation Credits

Curriculum and Degree Requirements


A College of Science degree is conferred when a student successfully completes all requirements in their degree program.  Students will complete coursework or approved experiential learning activities to meet the following three degree components:

  1. Major
  2. Science Core Curriculum
  3. Free Electives

Students may use any of the following options to meet College of Science degree requirements:

  • Purdue Coursework
  • Ap, IB, and CLEP credit.  The use of AP and IB coursework varies between College of Science degree plans.
  • Transfer Credit. Students should consult the Admissions Transfer Credit Resource page for all available transfer options.

College of Science degree programs vary widely in their approval and use of the proceeding options and thus students are strongly encouraged to work closely with their academic advisors and to regularly consult their MyPurduePlan to view the use of each option in their degree plan. 


Most College of Science degree programs contain free elective credits students may use to pursue courses that relate to their interests or which support their major area of study. The elective area of a degree plan may also be used to complete minors, second majors and certificates such as the Entrepreneurial Certificate. With the exception of courses on the No Count List, any Purdue course may be used to meet the free elective area of a student’s degree plan.

College of Science Core Requirements

All Students starting Purdue University Fall semester, 2007 or later are required to pursue the 2007 Science Core curriculum.

The College of Science Core Curriculum requires the completion of approved coursework and/or experiential learning opportunities in the following academic areas:

Earning Core Curricular Requirements through Experience

Students may meet selected core curriculum requirements through approved experiential learning opportunities. Interested students should contact their academic advisor for more information on this option and incorporating experiential learning into their four-year program of study. For more information on earning requirements through experience, please click here.

Applied Physics Major Courses (65 - 66 credits)


Required Major Courses (41-42 credits)


Major Selective* - (24 credits - in chosen applied area(s) approved by the Physics and Astronomy Department)


Other Departmental/Program Course Requirements (37-66 credits)


  • First Year Composition Option (satisfies Written Communication and Information Literacy for core) - Credit Hours: 3.00 - 4.00
  • Technical Writing Option (Select courses COULD satisfy Oral Communication for core) - Credit Hours: 0.00 - 3.00
  • Technical Presenting Option (Select courses COULD satisfy Oral Communication for core) - Credit Hours: 0.00 - 3.00
  • Teambuilding and Collaboration Experience - Credit Hours: 0.00 - 4.00
  • Language I Option - Credit Hours: 0.00 - 4.00
  • Language II Option - Credit Hours: 0.00 - 4.00
  • Language III/Culture/Diversity Option (Select courses COULD satisfy Human Cultures Humanities for core) - Credit Hours: 0.00 - 4.00
  • Great Issues Option (satisfies one of the Science/Engineering requirements for Physics Selective) - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Multidisciplinary Experience (Select courses could satisfy Science, Technology & Society Selective for core) - Credit Hours: 0.00 - 3.00
  • (satisfies Science Selective for core)
  • (satisfies Science Selective for core)
  • Statistics Option - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Computing Option - Credit Hours: 3.00 - 4.00
  • General Education I Option (Select courses could satisfy Human Cultures Humanities for core) - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • General Education II Option (Select courses could satisfy Human Cultures Humanities for core) - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • General Education III Option (Select courses could satisfy Humanities Behavioral/Social Science for core) - Credit Hours: 3.00

Calculus I Option - Select from (4-5 credits)


(satisfies Quantitative Reasoning for core)

Calculus II Option - Select from (4-5 credits)


(satisfies Quantitative Reasoning for core)

Electives (1-18 credits)


University Core Requirements


  • Human Cultures Humanities
  • Human Cultures Behavioral/Social Science
  • Information Literacy
  • Science #1
  • Science #2
  • Science, Technology & Society Selective
  • Written Communication
  • Oral Communication
  • Quantitative Reasoning

Program Requirements


Fall 1st Year


15-17 Credits


Spring 1st Year


15-17 Credits


Fall 2nd Year


15-17 Credits


Spring 2nd Year


16-17 Credits


Fall 3rd Year


15-19 Credits


Spring 3rd Year


15 Credits


Fall 4th Year


  • Major Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Major Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Major Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Great Issues Option - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Free Electives - Credit Hours: 3.00

15 Credits


Spring 4th Year


  • Major Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Major Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Major Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • General Education III Option (Behav./Social Science ) - Credit Hours: 3.00 *
  • Multidisciplinary Experience (STS) - Credit Hours: 1.00 - 3.00 *
  • Free Electives - Credit Hours: 2.00

15-17 Credits


Note


*Satisfies a University Core Requirement

120 semester credits required for Bachelor of Science degree.

2.0 Graduation GPA required for Bachelor of Science degree.

2.0 average in PHYS/ASTR classes required to graduate.

Degree Requirements


The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements.

The myPurduePlan powered by DegreeWorks is the knowledge source for specific requirements and completion.

Foreign Language Courses


Foreign Language proficiency requirements vary by program.  For acceptable languages and proficiency levels, see your advisor:

American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, (ancient) Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish

Critical Course


The ♦ course is considered critical. A Critical Course is one that a student must be able to pass to persist and succeed in a particular major.

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