Undergraduate Degree Roadmaps

Notes

• B.S. Physics requires 11 units of upper-division electives in physics, astronomy, or related fields. (PHYS 695 is no longer offered, so 1 unit has been added to electives.)
• PHYS 457 can be taken earlier, in any spring semester after PHYS 230/232.  Acceptable substitution for PHYS 457 is ENGR 205 & 206 (offered in fall and spring).
• Students who want a more rigorous math background may choose MATH 225 & 376 instead of MATH 245. MATH 225 is offered in both fall and spring semesters; MATH 376 is only offered in fall and may be taken concurrently with PHYS 330, 385. The units for MATH 376 replace the units for MATH 245 in the degree, and the units for MATH 225 can go toward electives in physics & astronomy. Students who take MATH 225 & 376 will only need one more math class to complete the Minor in Mathematics. If you take MATH 209 instead of CSC 309, that completes the Minor in Mathematics with no additional classes!

Notes

• B.S. Physics/Astrophysics requires 6 units of upper-division electives in physics, astronomy, or related fields.
• Students who want a more rigorous math background may choose MATH 225 & 376 instead of MATH 245. MATH 225 is offered in both fall and spring semesters; MATH 376 is only offered in fall and may be taken concurrently with PHYS 330, 385. The units for MATH 376 replace the units for MATH 245 in the degree, and the units for MATH 225 can go toward electives in physics & astronomy. Students who take MATH 225 & 376 will only need ONE more math class to complete the Minor in Mathematics.  If you take MATH 309 instead of CSC 309, that completes the Minor in Mathematics with no additional classes.
• While ASTR 115 is not required for the B.S. Physics/Astrophysics degree, students are strongly encouraged to take it in their first year to give them a broad overview of all of astronomy. However, units do not count towards the B.S. degree.
• While PHYS 321 (Modern Physics Lab) is not required for the B.S. Physics/Astrophysics degree, students are strongly encouraged to take it in the fall of the third year (along with PHYS 320); units can count toward physics/astronomy electives.
• ASTR 470 is offered every other year, usually in the spring of odd years.
• Senior Project (ASTR 697) often takes more than one semester; students are strongly encouraged to speak with potential project advisors in the spring of the third year, and to start as soon as possible in the fall of the final year; units can be taken in fall or spring.

Notes

• B.S. Physics for Teaching requires 12 units of lower or upper-division electives in physics, astronomy, or related fields. Students are strongly encouraged to use these units toward a minor in mathematics or another science.
• CSC/MATH 309 is not (yet) required but is strongly recommended as an elective in the major.
• Students who want a more rigorous math background may choose MATH 225 & 376 instead of MATH 245. MATH 225 is offered in both fall and spring semesters; MATH 376 is only offered in fall and may be taken concurrently with PHYS 330, 385. The units for MATH 376 replace the units for MATH 245 in the degree, and the units for MATH 225 can go toward electives in physics & astronomy. Students who take MATH 225 & 376 can complete the Minor in Mathematics by taking PHYS 430 or 460 and only 1 more math class (such as MATH 309).

Notes

• B.A. Physics requires 5 units of upper-division electives in physics, astronomy, or related fields. (PHYS 695 is no longer offered, so 1 unit has been added to electives.)
• CSC/MATH 309 is not (yet) required but is strongly recommended as an elective in the major. If students take this, then 5 units of electives is reduced to 2 units.
• Students who want a more rigorous math background may choose MATH 225 & 376 instead of MATH 245. MATH 225 is offered in both fall and spring semesters; MATH 376 is only offered in fall and may be taken concurrently with PHYS 330, 385. The units for MATH 376 replace the units for MATH 245 in the degree, and the units for MATH 225 can go toward electives in physics & astronomy. Students who take MATH 225 & 376 can complete the Minor in Mathematics by taking PHYS 430 or 460 and only 1 more math class (such as MATH 309).

Notes

• B.A. Physics/Astronomy requires 6 units of upper-division electives in physics, astronomy, or related fields. (The bulletin states 8 units of electives, but MATH 245 is now required and PHYS 695 is no longer offered, so the elective units are reduced from 8 to 6. )
• CSC/MATH 309 is not required but is strongly recommended as an elective in the major.  If students take this, the number of elective units is reduced to 3.
• ASTR 470 is offered every other year, usually in the spring of odd years.
• We will allow B.A. students to substitute other classes for PHYS 321 or ASTR 470 with approval from a faculty advisor.

Minor in Mathematics

The Minor in Mathematics requires 24 units. With careful planning, all of these units can overlap with physics and/or astronomy degrees. Students who want to complete the Minor in Mathematics should not take MATH 245 but instead take both MATH 225 and 376. MATH 225 is offered in both fall and spring semesters; MATH 376 is only offered in fall and may be taken concurrently with PHYS 330 and 385. The units for MATH 376 replace the units for MATH 245 in the degree, and the units for MATH 225 can go toward electives in physics & astronomy. Furthermore, the Department of Mathematics allows either PHYS 430 or 460 to count toward the Minor in Mathematics.  If students take MATH 309 instead of CSC 309, he Minor in Mathematics is completed with no additional classes.

• MATH 226
• MATH 227
• MATH 228
• MATH 225
• MATH 376
• PHYS 430 or 460 or MATH elective
• MATH 309 or MATH elective

Recommended math courses relevant to physics include MATH 380, 400, 440, 450, 460, or 477.