About the Program
The physics B.A. program provides a good concentration in physics courses and a broad distribution in the liberal arts. It prepares students for technical or technically related graduate school studies or employment.
About the Physics Department
162 Science and Math Complex
1300 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY 14222
Phone: (716) 878-6726
Fax: (716) 878-4421
https://physics.buffalostate.edu/
Admission Requirements
Mathematics preparation through precalculus is required.
Learning Outcomes
Students will demonstrate:
1. ability to communicate clearly using the vocabulary and concepts of physics.
2. ability to solve conceptual and quantitative problems in physics at an undergraduate level.
3. understanding of laboratory skills used in physics laboratory exercises.
4. ability to write algorithms in a computational language using common software.
5. an understanding of keeping an accurate and legible laboratory notebook.
6. to analyze and evaluate experimental data.
7. mastery of the subject matter in Classical Mechanics, Electricity & Magnetism, and Quantum Mechanics.
8. adequate technical report writing skills.
9. adequate oral presentation skills.
Program Requirements
General Education 23 Requirements
33 credit hours 33
Physics Major Requirements (35 credit hours)
Required Core Courses (26 credit hours)
PHY 111 UNIVERSITY PHYSICS I 5
PHY 112 UNIVERSITY PHYSICS II 5
PHY 213 UNIVERSITY PHYSICS III 3
PHY 214 OPTICS AND HEAT LABORATORY 1
PHY 305 MODERN PHYSICS I 3
PHY 306 MODERN PHYSICS II 3
PHY 310 COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS LABORATORY 3
PHY 320 INTRODUCTION TO THEORETICAL PHYSICS 4
Electives in Physics (9 credit hours)
Select from the following: 9
PHY 308 OPTICS
PHY 315 HEAT AND THERMODYNAMICS
PHY 323 STATICS
PHY 324 ELECTRIC CIRCUIT ANALYSIS
PHY 340 NONLINEAR DYNAMICS AND CHAOS
PHY 410 ADVANCED PHYSICS LABORATORY
PHY 425 CLASSICAL MECHANICS
PHY 435 INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM MECHANICS
PHY 440 ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM I
PHY 441 ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM II
Required Credit Hours Outside the Major (23 credit hours)
CHE 111 FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY I 3
CHE 112 FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY II 3
CHE 113 LABORATORY FOR FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY I 1
CHE 114 LABORATORY FOR FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY II 1
MAT 161 CALCULUS I 4
MAT 162 CALCULUS II 4
MAT 163 USING TECHNOLOGY TO EXPLORE CALCULUS I 1
MAT 164 USING TECHNOLOGY TO EXPLORE CALCULUS II 1
MAT 263 CALCULUS III 4
MAT 264 USING TECHNOLOGY TO EXPLORE CALCULUS III 1
All College Electives
29 credit hours 29
Total Credit Hours 120