Physics

Admission Requirements

None. 

Any student admitted to KSU as a degree-seeking undergraduate may declare this major directly in Owl Express.

Special General Education Requirements

Area A2: Students must take MATH 1113 or higher.

Area D1: Students must take MATH 1190 or higher.

Area D2: Students must take two four-hour laboratory sciences in Area D2. Students must choose from CHEM 1211/L, CHEM 1212/L, BIOL 1107/L, or BIOL 1108/L.

Tracks Available

• General Physics Track: Physics is the study of matter, motion, force and energy across space and time. This area of study is wide-ranging and math-intensive; students who earn Bachelor’s degrees in physics develop broad analytical skills and are well prepared to pursue graduate education in physics or related areas of study. Other graduates pursue careers in the engineering, computer science or other STEM-related areas.
• Electrical Engineering Track:  This BS degree with a concentration in electrical engineering combines the study of physics with 32 credit hours of courses in electrical engineering, plus courses in solid state physics and engineering statics, thus further broadening the students’ analytical skills. In addition, adding electrical engineering courses will increase the marketability of the physics student.
• Mechanical Engineering Track: This BS degree with a concentration in mechanical engineering combines the study of physics with 30 credit hours of courses in mechanical engineering. This curriculum design helps to further broaden the students’ analytical skills. In addition, adding skills developed in mechanical engineering courses will increase the marketability of the physics student.

Double Owl Pathways

• Physics, B.S./Applied Statistics and Analytics, M.S.

Related Minors or Certificates Available

• Physics Minor 

Sample Classes

• PHYS 3011: Introduction to Heat, Light, Sound, and Fluid

  This course is a survey of topics that includes heat, geometric optics, fluid flow, and sound. Students will develop conceptual understandings and solve real-world problems using special functions. Students will apply laws of conservation to fluid flow and heat flow using mathematical analysis. Students will study the behavior of light in interaction with lenses and mirrors and discuss the physical description of sound and resonant systems using special functions.

• PHYS 3710: Modern Physics
  The topics covered in this course constitute the most fundamental background in modern physics. The main objective of this course is to provide the student with a basic understanding of the physical laws and phenomena that constitute the framework leading to quantum mechanics. Students will strengthen their knowledge of special relativity and explore aspects of the quantum theory of wave/particle duality and the probabilistic interpretation. Students will learn the Schrödinger’s equation, its solutions for simple potentials, and properties of the one-electron atom. Students will also study applications of quantum principles to atomic, molecular and nuclear structures.
• PHYS 4210: Quantum Mechanics I

  This course presents a systematic development of quantum mechanical laws. Students will be introduced to Dirac’s notation and will learn about the theory of angular momentum quantization and will use the operator formalism to solve the Schrödinger’s equation in 3-dim for a particle in a central force field, and the simple harmonic oscillator. In addition, students will learn concepts of time-independent and time-dependent perturbation theory and scattering theory.

• PHYS 4230: Thermal Physics

  This course is a study of the principles of thermal equilibrium, physical statistics, irreversible processes, and the approach to equilibrium. Students will learn how to apply the statistical nature of thermodynamics using Boltzmann, Bose-Einstein, and Fermi-Dirac statistics