Nov 21, 2024

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Physics (B.S.) with Concentration In Materials Science

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Program: B.S.
Department of Physics
College of Science

Kettler Hall 126B ~ 260-481-6306

The concentration in Materials Science is for students who want to learn about materials and how to perform analysis of materials.

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this degree, students will:

have the skills to enter a career in materials science, materials analysis, or pursue graduate education in physics, engineering, or materials science.

Program Delivery:

This program is available on-campus

Declaring this Major:

Declare this major within the Department of Physics

General Requirements:

PFW General Education Requirements
PFW Civics Literacy Proficiency Requirement
PFW College of Science Information
PFW Academic Regulations

To earn the B.S. in Physics with a concentration in Materials Science, you must fulfill the following requirements in addition to the General Requirements noted above.

Program Requirements:

Physics Materials Science 4-Year Plan:

A grade of C or higher is required in PHYS 15200
A grade of C or higher is required in PHYS 25100
A grade of C- or above in all supporting courses is required
A maximum of one grade below C- is allowed except for in supporting courses
A GPA of 2.00 or higher for all courses taken for the major
New PHYS courses approved and added to the curriculum in future Catalogs may satisfy major requirements
Transfer students with 30+ credits are not required to take the Freshman Success seminar if they haven’t previously taken such a course

General Education Requirements: Credits 33

Some majors may require particular General Education courses as specified in their program description. Up to six credits of approved General Education courses satisfying requirements in Areas A and B, and three credits satisfying requirements in Area C, may originate in the major. A grade of C- or higher in each course, and an overall GPA of 2.0 is required to satisfy the Purdue Fort Wayne General Education Requirements.

English Writing and Speaking: Credits 6

ENGL 23301 (or a college-approved equivalent: ENGL 20201, HIST 21700, ILCS 30000, POL 20700, or WOST 23000). This course is in addition to the General Education writing course (ENGL 13100 or equivalent).
COM 11400 (or the college-approved equivalent: HIST 12500).

Both courses require a grade of C- or better

Language: Credits 6

Two courses at the first-year level in a single International Language or in American Sign Language (or demonstrate equivalent proficiency).

Note: if you begin these courses at PFW at the second-semester level or higher, you and your advisor are eligible to apply for special course credits after successful completion of the course into which you placed. Non-native English speaking students and those with other language transfer credits should contact the College’s Student Success Center.

Physics Major Core Courses: Credits 22

A grade of C or higher is required in both PHYS 15200 and PHYS 25100.

PHYS 15200 - Mechanics Cr. 5.
PHYS 17000 - Special Topics In Physics Cr. 1-4. - taken as First Year Seminar Cr. 2.
PHYS 25100 - Heat, Electricity, And Optics Cr. 5.
PHYS 34200 - Modern Physics Cr. 3.
PHYS 34300 - Modern Physics Laboratory Cr. 1.
PHYS 44200 - Quantum Mechanics Cr. 3.
PHYS 48001 - Senior Thesis I Cr. 3.
PHYS 48002 - Senior Thesis II Cr. 0.

Supporting Core Courses: Credits 16

CHM 11500 - General Chemistry Cr. 4.
MA 16500 - Analytic Geometry And Calculus I Cr. 4.
MA 16600 - Analytic Geometry And Calculus II Cr. 4.
MA 26100 - Multivariate Calculus Cr. 4.

Additional Physics Major Courses: Credits 19

A combination of the following courses totaling 19 credits:

ASTR 37000 - Cosmology Cr. 3.
One of the following:
PHYS 17000 - Special Topics In Physics Cr. 1-4. (except as Freshman Seminar)
PHYS 17001 - Introductory Physics Support I Cr. 1.
PHYS 17002 - Physics-Based Pre-calculus Support Cr. 2.
PHYS 17003 - Physics-Based Calculus Support I Cr. 2.
PHYS 20501 - Intro To Python For Computational Computing Cr. 1.
One of the following:
PHYS 27000 - Special Topics In Physics Cr. 1-5.
PHYS 27001 - Introductory Physics Support II Cr. 1.
PHYS 27002 - Physics-Based Calculus Support II Cr. 2.
PHYS 30500 - Intermediate Mathematical Physics Cr. 3.
PHYS 31000 - Intermediate Mechanics Cr. 4.
One of the following:
PHYS 31200 - Intermediate Electricity And Magnetism Cr. 3.
ECE 31100 - Electric And Magnetic Fields Cr. 3.
PHYS 32200 - Intermediate Optics Cr. 3.
PHYS 32500 - Scientific Computing Cr. 3.
PHYS 41800 - Thermal And Statistical Physics Cr. 3.

Additional Laboratory/ Research Requirements: Credits 2

A combination of the following totaling 2 credits:

PHYS 34500 - Optics Laboratory I Cr. 1.
PHYS 34600 - Advanced Laboratory I Cr. 1.
PHYS 47000 - Special Topics In Physics Cr. 1-5.

Material Science Concentration

Required Courses: Credits 22-25

CHM 11600 - General Chemistry Cr. 4.
CHM 24100 - Introductory Inorganic Chemistry Cr. 4.
or
CHM 26100 - Organic Chemistry I Cr. 3.
EAPS 22101 - Introductory Mineralogy Cr. 3-4.
EAPS 42500 - Scanning Electron Microscopy Cr. 2-3.
ET 20000 - Strength of Materials Cr. 3.
MET 18000 - Materials And Processes Cr. 3.
PHYS 14204 - Materials Science: Materials Laboratory Cr. 1.
PHYS 54500 - Solid-State Physics Cr. 3.

Additional Courses: Credits 4

Choose four credits from the following list:

General Electives

Sufficient additional credits to bring the total to 120

Total Credits: 120

Student Responsibility

You are responsible for ensuring that you satisfy all graduation requirements specified for each selected program. Thus, it is essential that you develop a thorough understanding of the required courses, academic policies, and procedures governing your academic career. If you cannot complete all program requirements by your stated graduation date but fail to remove those from your plan of study, the Registrar’s Office in consultation with your academic advisor will remove unmet pursuits from your plan of study. Changing curricular records during the graduation term of application may affect state or federal financial aid awards. All requests for exceptions to specific requirements must be made in writing and may be granted only by written approval from the appropriate chair or dean.

Additional Course Use:

PHYS 17000 taken as First Year Seminar required; BIOL 12000, CHM 19400, MA 10500 accepted