Courses

Courses offered every semester:
Course Title Prerequisites
ASTR 115 Introduction to Astronomy  
ASTR 116 Astronomy Laboratory ASTR 115 (may be taken concurrently).
ASTR 685 Projects in the Teaching of Astronomy  
PHYS 101 Conceptual Physics  
PHYS 102 Conceptual Physics Laboratory PHYS 101 (may be taken concurrently).
PHYS 111 General Physics I MATH 198 or 199 or 226 with a grade of C-minus or better, or ALEKS online mini-course.  Alternatively, a score of 3 on any A.P. Calculus or A.P. Physics exam satisfies the prerequisites. Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 112 required.
PHYS 112 General Physics I Laboratory Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 111.
PHYS 121 General Physics II PHYS 111 with grade of C-minus or better, or a score of 4 or 5 on A.P. Physics CM or A.P. Physics 1.  Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 122 required.
PHYS 122 General Physics II Laboratory Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 121.
PHYS 220 General Physics with Calculus I MATH 226 with grade of at least C or score of 4 or 5 on A.P. Calculus AB (or AB subpart of BC exam).  Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 222 required.  Concurrent enrollment in MATH 227 strongly recommended.
PHYS 222 General Physics with Calculus I Laboratory Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 220.
PHYS 230 General Physics with Calculus II PHYS 220 & MATH 227 with grades of at least C.  A score of 4 or 5 on A.P. Physics CM is acceptable for PHYS 220 prerequisite.  A score of 4 or 5 on A.P. Calculus BC is acceptable for MATH 227 prerequisite.  Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 232 required. Concurrent enrollment in MATH 228 strongly recommended.
PHYS 232 General Physics with Calculus II Laboratory Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 230.
PHYS 240 General Physics with Calculus III PHYS 220 & MATH 227 with grades of at least C.  A score of 4 or 5 on A.P. Physics CM is acceptable for PHYS 220 prerequisite.  A score of 4 or 5 on A.P. Calculus BC is acceptable for MATH 227 prerequisite.  Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 242 required. Concurrent enrollment in MATH 228 strongly recommended.
PHYS 242 General Physics with Calculus III Laboratory Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 240.
PHYS 305 Physical & Astronomical Approaches to Climate Change Solutions  
PHYS 685 Instructional Methods in Teaching Physics  
PHYS 686 Experiences in Teaching Physics  
Courses offered in Fall semesters:
Course Title Prerequisites
ASTR 301 Observational Astronomy Laboratory ASTR 115 or 300; PHYS 121 or 230 or 240, all with grades of C or better.
ASTR 400 Stellar Astrophysics ASTR 300, PHYS 320, and either CSC 309 or MATH 209, all with grades of C-minus or better.
ASTR 700 Stellar Astrophysics (paired with ASTR 400) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
ASTR 722 Radiative Processes & Stellar Atmospheres (even years) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
PHYS 200 Planning for Success as a Physics & Astronomy Major  
PHYS 320 Modern Physics I PHYS 230 & 240, and either MATH 245 or 376 , all with grades of C or better (MATH 376 may be taken concurrently).
PHYS 321 Modern Physics Laboratory  PHYS 320 (may be taken concurrently).
PHYS 330 Analytic Mechanics I PHYS 230 & 240, and either MATH 245 or 376 , all with grades of C or better (MATH 376 may be taken concurrently).
PHYS 385 Introduction to Theoretical Physics PHYS 230 & 240, and either MATH 245 or 376 , all with grades of C or better (MATH 376 may be taken concurrently).
PHYS 430 Quantum Mechanics I PHYS 320 & 360 with grades of C-minus or better.
PHYS 460 Electricity & Magnetism II  (sporadically) PHYS 320 & 360 with grades of C-minus or better.
PHYS 480 Introduction to Optics & Photonics  PHYS 320 & 360 with grades of C-minus or better.
PHYS 491 Advanced Laboratory Techniques I - GWAR CSC 309 or MATH 209; PHYS 320 & 321, all with grades of C-minus or better.
PHYS 701 Classical Mechanics Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
PHYS 715 Lasers & Quantum Optics (odd years) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
PHYS 725 Special & General Relativity (odd years) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
PHYS 726 Quantum Field Theory (sporadically) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
PHYS 775 Statistical Physics (not offered in Fall 2025) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
PHYS 785 Theoretical Physics  Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
PHYS 885 Inclusive Pedagogy for the Physical Sciences Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
Courses offered in Spring semesters:
Course Title Prerequisites
ASTR 300 Stars, Planets & the Milky Way PHYS 121 or 230 or 240 with a  grade of C or better.
ASTR 340 The Big Bang - GWAR PHYS 320 with a grade of C-minus or better.
ASTR 405 Exoplanetary Science (even years) PHYS 320 & ASTR 300 with grades of C-minus or better.
ASTR 470 Observational Techniques MATH 209 or CSC 309; ASTR 300 & 301, PHYS 320, all with grades of C-minus or better.
ASTR 498 Astronomy Research Literature (odd years) PHYS 320 & ASTR 300 with grades of C-minus or better.
ASTR 742 Galaxies & Cosmology (odd years) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
ASTR 770 Observational Techniques in Astro. Research (even years) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
ASTR 798 Astro Research Literature (with ASTR 498) (odd years) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
PHYS 325 Modern Physics II (sporadically) PHYS 320 with a grade of C-minus or better.
PHYS 360 Electricity & Magnetism I PHYS 320 & 385 with grades of C-minus or better.
PHYS 370 Thermodynamics & Statistical Mechanics PHYS 320 & 385 with grades of C-minus or better.
PHYS 431 Quantum Mechanics II (sporadically) PHYS 430 with a grade of C-minus or better.
PHYS 440 Computational Physics (even years) MATH 245 or 376; MATH 209 or CSC 309; PHYS 320, all with grades of C-minus or better.
PHYS 450 Introduction to Solid State Physics (sporadically) PHYS 320 & 360, with grades of C-minus or better.
PHYS 457 Introduction to Analog Electronics (substitute ENGR 205 & 206 until further notice) PHYS 230 & 240 with grades of C or better, and MATH 245 or 376 (may be taken concurrently).
PHYS 704 Electricity & Magnetism I  (even years) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
PHYS 706 Quantum Mechanics (not offered in Spring 2026) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
PHYS 710 Advanced Laboratory Techniques II (odd years) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
PHYS 712 Plasma Physics (odd years) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
PHYS 730 Photonics & Nanomaterials (odd years) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
PHYS 740 Computational Physics (paired with PHYS 440) (even years) Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
Courses in other fields that may count as electives for B.A./B.S. degrees:
Course Title
CHEM courses with numbers 300 and above
ENGR courses with numbers 300 and above
ERTH courses with numbers 400 and above
MATH courses with numbers 300 and above
BIOL 609 Physics in Medicine
BIOL 627 Biophysics
BIOL 665 Optical Engineering for the Biological Sciences
EED 655 Hands-on Undergraduate Science Education Experience