Undergraduate Programs and Requirements
Majors
BS Physics
BS Engineering Physics
BA Physics
BA Physics for Pre-Professional Students
BS Dual-Degree
Engineering Program
Minor
Physics
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to Physics Department Course Listings
To obtain a major in physics, engineering
physics, or through the dual degree program, students must maintain a minimum
GPA of 2.50 in mathematics and physics courses. Additionally, to receive a
bachelor of science degree in physics, but not through the dual degree program,
students must complete a senior thesis. See the department chair for details.
University Core Curriculum
and General Education Requirements
See
University Core Curriculum and General Education Requirements in the Howard
College of Arts and Sciences introductory pages for a list of required and
applicable courses. For a major or minor in physics or a major in engineering
physics, the general education mathematics requirements is satisfied by MATH 240
(Calculus I). Physics majors cannot use physics courses or COSC 107
(Introduction to Computer Science) to fulfill the general education natural and
computational sciences requirement.
Undergraduate
Dual-Degree Engineering Program
T
The Department of Physics and the
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science offer a dual-degree engineering
program jointly with the following universities: University of Alabama at
Birmingham, Auburn University, Washington University (Missouri) and Mercer
University (Georgia). The five-year program leads to two degrees: a bachelor of
science degree from Samford with a major in physics or mathematics, and a
bachelor of engineering degree from the participating university.
Students in this five-year
program will first pursue a three-year general curriculum at Samford, followed
by a two-year general technical curriculum at one of the participating
engineering schools. Students apply to the engineering school during their third
year at Samford. Applications must include a letter of recommendation from the
chair of the Department of Physics or from the chair of the Department of
Mathematics and Computer Science (depending on the track selected), as well as
documentation that the candidate will complete the required coursework at
Samford. Candidates must satisfy the admission requirements for the
participating engineering school, and should contact the school well in advance
of application. The program consists of 96-108 credits at Samford (depending on
placement in world languages). Both departments have checklists available for
this program: one for the physics track and one for the mathematics track.
Please see either department chair for further information.
Physics Major Bachelor of
Science
Required Courses
*Students who take Chem 320W and 323W may complete a
minor in physics with Phys 203, 204, and two upper-level courses. See
Department Chair for details.
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Courses
Courses
IDSC 201 Scientific Methods (4)
Scientific approach to understanding the physical universe through an
investigation of representative topics in physics, chemistry, and biology,
paying particular attention to the sources of scientific information both for
scientists and society. Interdisciplinary course taught by faculty in biology,
chemistry, and physics. Meets general education requirement for natural and
computational science. LEC 4. Prereq: Grade of C- or better in UCCA 102.
PHYS 100 Physics for Society (4)
Conceptual survey of all fields of physics, including modern developments,
with an emphasis on the explanation of everyday physical phenomena. Not
applicable to a major or minor in physics; closed to those who have had PHYS 101
or PHYS 203. Includes laboratory. Prereq: High school algebra. Offered: Most Jan
Terms and summers.
PHYS 101 and 102 General Physics I-II (4 each course)
Study of Newtonian mechanics, heat, light, sound, electricity, magnetism,
and relativity. Includes laboratory. Prereq for PHYS 101: Thorough understanding
of algebra at the high school level. Prereq for PHYS 102: PHYS 101; elementary
knowledge of trigonometry desirable though not required. Offered: Fall and
Summer I (101); Spring and Summer 2 (102).
PHYS 108 Exploring Physics for Education (4)
How close can you fly a spaceship to a black hole? How small is a quark or
an x-ray? How can you solidify water? And we don’t mean freeze it! How cold is
liquid air? How does a rocket work? This integrated lecture and laboratory
course provides a hands-on learning experience to develop enhanced conceptual
understanding of many topics in physics. Includes open discussions on selected
topics to reward the curious student. Current trends in science-education
pedagogy, including kit-based science, are also explored. Prereq: High school
algebra. Offered: Most Jan Terms.
PHYS 150 Introduction to Astronomy (4)
Survey of the solar system, stars, and galaxies. Includes laboratory.
Offered: Fall, Spring, and some summers.
PHYS 203 and 204 Physics I-II (5 each course)
Study of Newtonian mechanics, heat, light, sound, electricity, magnetism,
and relativity using calculus. Includes laboratory.
Co-req for PHYS 203: MATH 240 Co-req for PHYS 204: MATH
260. Prereq for PHYS 204: PHYS 203. Offered: Fall (203); Spring (204).
PHYS 206 Sound and Music (4)
Study of physical principles of production, transmission, and reception of
sound. Course cannot count towards a physics major or minor. Includes
laboratory. Prereq: High school algebra. Offered: See department chair.
PHYS 310 Mechanics (3)
Study of classical mechanics, including motion of planets and comets about
the sun, using vector calculus. Includes study of the methods of Lagrange and
Hamilton. Prereq: PHYS 101 or PHYS 203, and MATH 270. Co-req: PHYS 311. Offered:
Fall, on rotation.
PHYS 311 Mechanics Laboratory (1)
Laboratory companion course to PHYS 310. Co-req: PHYS 310. Offered: Fall, on
rotation.
PHYS 330 Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism (3)
Study of electromagnetic interaction, featuring Maxwell’s equations. Prereq:
MATH 270 and either PHYS 203 and 204, or PHYS 101 and 102. Co-req: PHYS 331W.
Offered: Fall, on rotation.
PHYS 331W Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism
Laboratory (1)
Laboratory companion course to PHYS 330. Co-req: PHYS 330. Offered: Fall, on
rotation.
PHYS 334W Electronics (4)
Introduction to modern electronics. Includes laboratory. Prereq: PHYS 203
and 204 or PHYS 101 and 102. Offered: See department chair.
PHYS 340 Optics (3)
Introduction to optics. Prereq: PHYS 203 and 204 or PHYS 101 and 102; and
MATH 260. Co-req: PHYS 341W. Offered: Spring, on rotation.
PHYS 341W Optics Laboratory (1)
Laboratory companion course to PHYS 340. Co-req: PHYS 340. Offered: Spring,
on rotation.
PHYS 350 Modern Physics (3)
Study of x-rays, atomic and nuclear physics, radioactivity, relativity, and
quantum mechanics. Prereq: PHYS 203 and 204, or PHYS 101 and 102. Co-req: PHYS
351 and MATH 260. Offered: Spring, on rotation.
PHYS 351 Modern Physics Laboratory (1)
Laboratory companion course to PHYS 350. Co-req: PHYS 350. Offered: Spring,
on rotation.
PHYS 360 Modern Physics II (3)
Continued study of quantum mechanics from Modern Physics. Includes
applications of quantum mechanics to atomic, nuclear, solid-state, and laser
physics. Prereq: PHYS 350. Offered: Fall, on rotation.
PHYS 380 Scientific Methods of Computer-Based
Instrumentation (4)
Survey of computer-based instrumentation and software/hardware integration
used to develop experiments or tests. Covers laboratory programming using
fourth-generation visual computer language, acquisition and conditioning of
real-world signals, and control of ASCII conversation-based bench-top
instruments. Prereq: PHYS 102 or PHYS 204 and COSC 110 or equivalent. Co-listed
as CHEM 380 and COSC 380. Offered: Fall, on rotation.
PHYS 408 International Physics Seminar (4)
Seminar course held in an international cross-cultural context, addressing
both advanced physics topics and worldview defining experiences. Consists of a
series of academic topics taught by Samford and possibly international
professors in a setting outside the United States. Includes student projects
completed in collaboration with other international undergraduate physics
students. Prereq: Permission of the instructor. Offered: Jan Term.
PHYS 410 Theoretical Mechanics (3)
Continuation of PHYS 310 (Mechanics). Prereq: PHYS 310 and MATH 330.
Offered: See department chair.
PHYS 420 Thermodynamics, Kinetic Theory, and
Statistical Mechanics (3)
Study of theories and concepts of thermodynamics, kinetic theory, and
statistical mechanics, including Maxwell-Boltzmann, Bose-Einstein, and Fermi-Dirac
statistics. Prereq: PHYS 203 and 204, or PHYS 101 and 102; and MATH 260.
Offered: Spring, on rotation.
PHYS 430 Advanced Electricity and Magnetism (3)
Continuation of PHYS 330 (Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism). Prereq:
MATH 270 and PHYS 330. Offered: See department chair.
PHYS 454 Quantum Mechanics (3)
Study of the formulations of Schroedinger, Heisenberg, and Dirac. Includes
applications to atomic and nuclear physics. Prereq: PHYS 360 and MATH 270 or
permission of the department chair. Offered: See department chair.
Note on Special Problems courses: A maximum of five
credits total for PHYS 461 through PHYS 481, inclusive, may count toward
graduation requirements.
PHYS 461 Special Problems (1)
Intended primarily for juniors and seniors in the physical sciences and
mathematics. Prereq: Permission of the department chair.
PHYS 471 Special Problems (2)
Prereq: Permission of the department chair.
PHYS 481 Special Problems (3)
Prereq: Permission of the department chair.
PHYS 491 Seminar (1)
Can be repeated up to six times for credit. Prereq: Permission of the
department chair.
PHYS 499 Senior Thesis (4)
Capstone course and advanced research experience leading to a significant
senior thesis in physics. Each student is required to design, conduct, analyze,
write up, and present an original research project under the supervision of a
faculty member. Experimental, theoretical, or computational physics topics are
acceptable. Prereqs: Physics majors with senior standing and permission of the
department chair. Offered: Fall and Spring.
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