Physics and Astronomy
Catalog pages 362-363
Subject abbreviation: PHYS College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Harry W.K. Tom, Ph.D., Chair John A. Ellison, Ph.D., Vice Chair Department Office, 3047 Physics
- (951) 827-5331; physics.ucr.edu
Professors Kenneth N. Barish, Ph.D. Robert B. Clare, Ph.D. Bipin R. Desai, Ph.D. John A. Ellison, Ph.D. J. William Gary, Ph.D. Gail G. Hanson, Ph.D. Ernest S. Ma, Ph.D. Allen P. Mills, Ph.D. Bahram Mobasher, Ph.D. Umar Mohideen, Ph.D. Richard K. Seto, Ph.D. Jing Shi, Ph.D. Harry W.K. Tom, Ph.D. Chandra M. Varma, Ph.D. Stephen J. Wimpenny, Ph.D. Jose Wudka, Ph.D. Jory A. Yarmoff, Ph.D. Professors Emeriti Frederick W. Cummings, Ph.D Sun-Yiu Fung, Ph.D. Peter E. Kaus, Ph.D. Anne Kernan, Ph.D. Nai-Li H. Liu, Ph.D. Donald C. McCollum, Ph.D. John C. Nickel, Ph.D. Douglas E. MacLaughlin, Ph.D. Raymond L. Orbach, Ph.D. Michael Pollak, Ph.D. Eugen S. Simanek, Ph.D. R. Stephen White, Ph.D. Allen D. Zych, Ph.D. Associate Professors Ward Beyermann, Ph.D. E. Gabriela Canalizo, Ph.D. Roland Kawakami, Ph.D. Chun Ning “Jeanie” Lau, Ph.D. Owen Long, Ph.D. Leonid P. Pryadko, Ph.D. Kirill Shtengel, Ph.D. Gillian Wilson, Ph.D. Assistant Professors Shan-Wen Tsai, Ph.D. Roya Zandi, Ph.D.
Major
The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers two degrees: the B.A. and B.S. in Physics. The B.S. program is designed for students with a strong interest in the sciences or engineering who wish to emphasize this aspect of their edu- cation and training. The B.S. degree provides a strong background for students who wish to continue on to graduate school.
The B.A. program follows the liberal arts tradi- tion with a broader coverage of the hum anities and social sciences. It is selected often by stu- dents who intend to obtain a teaching creden- tial with a specialty in science or to pursue a career combining business management oppor tunities with a knowledge in science and technology.
The extensive course offerings and modern facilities within the Department of Physics and Astronomy, coupled with close, personal coun- seling by faculty advisors, provide students with a physics program that is characterized by its breadth and flexibility.
Career Opportunities
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in Physics generally begin their careers in government or industry. Professions include research and devel- opment, system modeling and analysis, and sales in a large variety of fields. A Physics degree provides one of the most flexible qualifications with direct applications to materials science, advanced electronics, lasers and mic ro wave devices, computing and communications.
The federal government and national laborato- ries employ many physicists as do industries in medical and scientific instruments, computers, audio and telecommunications equipment, financial analysis and investments, material science, and engineering.
The bachelor’s degree programs in the UCR Department of Physics and Astronomy are well suited for continued education in graduate school and for preparation in technical and professional careers. Colleges or universities, national laboratories, industry, and governmen- tal agencies employ students with graduate training.
University Requirements
See Undergraduate Studies section.
College Requirements
See College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Colleges and Programs section.
Some of the following requirements for the major may also fulfill some of the college’s breadth requirements. Consult with a depart- ment advisor for course planning.
Major Requirements
The major requirements for the B.S. and B.A. degrees in Physics are as follows:
- 1. Lower-division requirements (63–64 units)
MATH 009B, MATH 009C, MATH 010A, MATH 010B, MATH 046 Physcial Sciences / Physics and Astronomy / 363
CHEM 01LA, CHEM 01LB, CHEM 01LC
- 2. Upper-division requirements (55 units)
PHYS 135A, PHYS 135B, PHYS 136, PHYS 156A, PHYS 156B
approved senior thesis (PHYS 195A, PHYS 195B, PHYS 195C, PHYS 195D) in experimental physics or an internship (PHYS 198-I) in experimental physics at a government or industrial laboratory can be used in place of up to 3 units of PHYS 142L.
- c) A student may take up to a maximum of
8 units of undergraduate research in pur- suit of a senior thesis (PHYS 195A, PHYS 195B, PHYS 195C, PHYS 195D).
- d) During the junior or senior years, a Phys -
ics internship (PHYS 198-I) of up to 12 units can be taken at an approved gov- ernment or industrial laboratory. A maxi- mum of 3 out of the 12 units may be used to satisfy the major requirements.
- e) Three elective courses to be taken in con-
sultation with a faculty advisor.
Specialized skills can be developed by taking physics electives from the following:
PHYS 111 (Astrophysics and Stellar Astronomy)
PHYS 150A, PHYS 150B (Introduction to Condensed Matter Physics)
PHYS 151 (Topics in Modern Condensed Matter Physics)
PHYS 163 (Atomic Physics and Spectroscopy)
PHYS 164 (Introduction to Nuclear Physics)
PHYS 165 (Introduction to Particle Physics)
PHYS 166 (Cosmology)
PHYS 168 (Environmental Physics)
PHYS 177 (Computational Methods for Physical Sciences)
Biophysics option (B.S. degree only)
- 1. Lower-division requirements (76-77 units)
CHEM 01LA, CHEM 01LB, CHEM 01LC
- 2. Upper-division requirements (88 units)
PHYS 135A, PHYS 135B, PHYS 136, PHYS 145A, PHYS 145B, PHYS 145C, PHYS 156A
- d) BIOL 105
Students may substitute BIOL 107A for BCH 110C
- f) 4 units of experimental research in either
special studies (PHYS 190, PHYS 190L), an approved senior thesis (PHYS 195A, PHYS 195B, PHYS 195C, PHYS 195D), undergraduate research (PHYS 197), or an internship (PHYS 198-I).
- g) 12 units of elective courses (chosen after
consultation with a faculty advisor)
Physics Education option
- 1. Lower-division requirements (73-74 units)
CHEM 01LA, CHEM 01LB, CHEM 01LC
- 2. Upper-division requirements (75 units)
PHYS 135A, PHYS 135B, PHYS 136, PHYS 156A, PHYS 156B
- c) Two electives from the following list (8
units): PHYS 111, PHYS 145A, PHYS 145B, PHYS 145C, PHYS 150A, PHYS 150B, PHYS 151, PHYS 163, PHYS 164, PHYS 165, PHYS 166, PHYS 168, PHYS 177
EDUC 116, EDUC 139, EDUC 174, EDUC 177A
- 3. Upper division recommendations (4 units)
Students seeking an emphasis in environmen- tal physics or chemical physics should consult with an advisor. The physics electives may be selected on an individual basis to stress one of these concentrations.
Students continuing on to graduate school are encouraged to take additional upper-division courses in Mathematics, such as MATH 146A, MATH 146B, MATH 146C, MATH 165A, MATH 165B, and MATH 113.
To graduate, a minimum grade point average of 2.00 (C) is necessary overall and in the upper- division courses taken for the major (courses listed under 2.).
Although no foreign languages are required for the B.S. degree, the student who is planning to proceed to graduate work is reminded that reading proficiency in one or more foreign lan- guages is required in some physics graduate programs. Bachelor of Arts For the B.A. degree, additional units are re quired in Humanities, Social Sciences, and for eign language to meet the breadth requirements.
Minor
The minor in Physics consists of 26 upper- division units in Physics. A minimum of 16 units must be unique to the minor and may not be used to satisfy major requirements.
- 1. First Tier (16 units)
- a) PHYS 130A
- b) PHYS 134
- c) PHYS 135A
- d) One Physics elective from PHYS 111,
PHYS 150A, PHYS 151, PHYS 164, PHYS 165, PHYS 166, PHYS 177
- 2. Second Tier: at least 10 units from any
upper-division Physics courses not chosen in the First Tier. The combined units from the First and Second Tiers should add to at least 26.
- 3. No more than 4 units of 190-199 courses
may be used to fulfill the upper-division units for the minor.
See Minors under the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences in the Colleges and Programs section of this catalog for additional information on minors.
Community College Transfers
The department provides special advisory serv- ices to aid community college transfer students in formulating their program and in remedying any deficiencies in required course work. Transfer students who have followed the pre- scribed program at the community college should be able to continue with the sample program at the junior level.