Physics, BS < UAH - University of Alabama in Huntsville

Requirements
Pathways

Physics, BS Requirements:

All students are encouraged to see an advisor after completion of 24 credits.
Physics, BS degree requires 128 credit hours.
39 of 128 credit hours must be taken at 300 level or higher (39 credits includes courses taken at the 300+ level in major, minor (if chosen), Pre professional area and electives).
12 credit hours of 300 level and above must be taken in the major or 6 credit hours in the major and 6 credit hours in the minor (if chosen).
12 of the last 18 credit hours must be taken at UAH, with an overall 25% of coursework taken at UAH.
Unless otherwise noted a C- or better is required for all College of Science prerequisite courses.
No more than 64 credit hours from a two-year college can be applied toward a UAH degree.
For graduation application instructions, see here.

Degree Requirements

Charger Foundations Requirements
*Please see Area V for CoS requirements that can also be used to fulfill Charger Foundations Requirements.

Course List
Code	Title	Semester Hours
Area I: Freshman Composition		3-6
EH 101	COLLEGE WRITING I
or EH 101S	COLLEGE WRITING I W/STUDIO
EH 102	COLLEGE WRITING II
EH 103	ACCELERATED COLLEGE WRITING
EH 105	HONORS ENGLISH SEMINAR
Area II: Humanities and Fine Arts*		12
Fine Arts		3
ARH 100	ARH SURV:ANCIENT-MEDIEVAL
ARH 101	ARH SURV:RENAISSANCE-MODERN
ARH 103	ARH SUR: WORLD ART
ARS 160	DRAWING: FOUNDATIONS
TH 122	THEATRE APPRECIATION
TH 123	INTRO TO FILM STUDIES
MU 100	INTRO TO MUSIC LITERATURE
Literature		3-6
EH 207	READINGS LITERATURE/CULTURE I
EH 208	READINGS LITERATURE/CULTURE 2
EH 209	HONORS SEM READINGS LIT/CUL I
EH 210	HONORS SEM READINGS LIT/CUL 2
EH 242	MYTHOLOGY
Humanities and Fine Arts		3-6
CM 113	Intro to Rhetorical Communication
WLC 101S	INTRO FOREIGN LANG I: SPANISH
or WLC 101A	INTRO FOREIGN LANG I: ARABIC
or WLC 101F	INTRO FOREIGN LANG I:FRENCH
or WLC 101G	INTRO FOREIGN LANG I:GERMAN
or WLC 101J	INTRO FOREIGN LANG I:JAPANESE
or WLC 101R	INTRO FOREIGN LANG I:RUSSIAN
WLC 102S	INTRO FOREIGN LANG II:SPANISH
or WLC 102A	INTRO FOREIGN LANG II: ARABIC
or WLC 102F	INTRO FOREIGN LANG II:FRENCH
or WLC 102G	INTRO FOREIGN LANG II:GERMAN
or WLC 102J	INTRO FOREIGN LANG II:JAPANESE
or WLC 102R	INTRO FOREIGN LANG II:RUSSIAN
WLC 201S	INTERM FOREIGN LANG:SPANISH
or WLC 201A	INTERM FOREIGN LANG I: ARABIC
or WLC 201F	INTERM FOREIGN LANG:FRENCH
or WLC 201G	INTERM FOREIGN LANG:GERMAN
or WLC 201J	INTERM FOREIGN LANG: JAPANESE
or WLC 201R	INTERM FOREIGN LANG:RUSSIAN
WLC 202S	INTERM FOREIGN LANG II:SPANISH
or WLC 202A	INTERM FOREIGN LANG II: ARABIC
or WLC 202F	INTERM FOREIGN LANG II:FRENCH
or WLC 202G	INTERM FOREIGN LANG II:GERMAN
or WLC 202J	INTERM FORGN LANG II:JAPANESE
or WLC 202R	INTERM FOREIGN LANG II:RUSSIAN
WLC 204	INTERNATIONAL CINEMA
PHL 101	INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY
PHL 102	INTRO TO ETHICS
PHL 103	INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC
PHL 150	TECH, SCIENCE & HUMAN VALUES
WGS 200	INTRO WOMEN'S & GENDER STUDIES
AMS 229	ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL WORLDS
ARH 100	ARH SURV:ANCIENT-MEDIEVAL
ARH 101	ARH SURV:RENAISSANCE-MODERN
ARH 103	ARH SUR: WORLD ART
ARS 160	DRAWING: FOUNDATIONS
TH 122	THEATRE APPRECIATION
TH 123	INTRO TO FILM STUDIES
MU 100	INTRO TO MUSIC LITERATURE
Area III: Mathematics and Sciences		11-12
Mathematics		3-4
MA 105	NATURE OF MATHEMATICS
MA 107	ALGEBRA WITH APPLICATIONS
MA 110	FINITE MATHEMATICS
MA 112	PRECALCULUS ALGEBRA
MA 113	PRECALCULUS TRIGONOMETRY
MA 115	PRECALCULUS ALGEBRA & TRIG
MA 120	MATH PROFESSIONAL APPLICATIONS
MA 171	CALCULUS A
Natural Sciences (Lab)		8
AST 100	SURVEY OF ASTRONOMY
AST 106	EXPLORING THE COSMOS I
AST 107	EXPLORING THE COSMOS II
BYS 109	FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOLOGY
BYS 119	PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY
BYS 120	ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY
BYS 215	HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I
CH 101 & CH 105	INTRO TO CHEMISTRY and INTRO CHEMISTRY LAB
CH 121 & CH 125	GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB I
CH 123 & CH 126	GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
CH 151 & CH 105	GENERAL, ORGANIC, BIOCHEMISTRY and INTRO CHEMISTRY LAB
ESS 103	ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCE
ESS 111	WEATHER, CLIMATE & GLOBAL CHNG
PH 100	CONCEPTUAL PHYSICS
PH 101	GENERAL PHYSICS I
PH 102	GENERAL PHYSICS II
PH 111 & PH 114	GEN PHYSICS W/CALCULUS I and GENERAL PHYSICS LAB I
PH 112 & PH 115	GEN PHYSICS W/CALC II and GENERAL PHYSICS LAB II
PH 113 & PH 116	GEN PHYSICS W/CALC III and GENERAL PHYSICS LAB III
Area IV: History and Social and Behavioral Sciences*		12
History		3-6
HY 103	WORLD HISTORY TO 1500
HY 104	WORLD HISTORY SINCE 1500
HY 221	UNITED STATES TO 1877
HY 222	UNITED STATES SINCE 1877
Social and Behavioral Sciences		6-9
ECN 142	PRINC OF MACROECONOMICS
ECN 143	PRINC OF MICROECONOMICS
GS 200	GLOBAL SYSTEMS AND CULTURES
ESS 105	WORLD REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY
ESS 110	PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
PSC 101	INTRO TO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
PSC 102	INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS
PSC 260	INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
PY 101	GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY I
PY 201	LIFE-SPAN DEVELOPMENT
SOC 100	INTRO TO SOCIOLOGY
SOC 102	ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS
SOC 103	INTRO TO CRIMINOLOGY
SOC 105

* Take either 1 EH (Area II) + 2 HY (Area IV) <OR> 2 EH (Area II) + 1 HY (Area IV). Take no more than six hours in a single discipline in Area II or Area IV.

Area V: Pre Professional Requirements

Course List
Code	Title	Semester Hours
Courses in this area may also fulfill Charger Foundations requirements
Communications
CM 113	Intro to Rhetorical Communication
Chemistry sequence		8
CH 121 & CH 125	GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB I
CH 123 & CH 126	GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
Mathematics ²		18
MA 171	CALCULUS A
MA 172	CALCULUS B
MA 201	CALCULUS C
MA 238	APPL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
MA 244	INTRO TO LINEAR ALGEBRA
Computer Science		3
CS 102	INTRO TO C PROGRAMMING
or CS 104	INTRO TO CS USING PYTHON
Technical Writing		3
EH 301	TECHNICAL WRITING
Additional Science or Engineering course: Choose one		3-4
AST 106 & 106L	EXPLORING THE COSMOS I and ASTRONOMY LABORATORY
BYS 119 & 119L & 119R	PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY and LABORATORY and RECITATION
CH 101 & CH 105	INTRO TO CHEMISTRY and INTRO CHEMISTRY LAB
CS 121	COMPUTER SCIENCE I
ESS 103 & 103L	ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCE and LABORATORY
ESS 111 & 111L	WEATHER, CLIMATE & GLOBAL CHNG and LABORATORY
MA 112	PRECALCULUS ALGEBRA
MA 113	PRECALCULUS TRIGONOMETRY
MA 281	ELEMENTS OF STATISTICAL ANALYS
Higher level math course
Engineering course

Major Requirements

Course List
Code	Title	Semester Hours
Physics Core		28
PH 110	FRONTIERS IN SCIENCE
PH 111 & PH 114	GEN PHYSICS W/CALCULUS I and GENERAL PHYSICS LAB I
PH 112 & PH 115	GEN PHYSICS W/CALC II and GENERAL PHYSICS LAB II
PH 113 & PH 116	GEN PHYSICS W/CALC III and GENERAL PHYSICS LAB III
PH 251	SPECIAL RELATIVITY
PH 301	INTERMEDIATE MECHANICS
PH 305	MATH METHODS IN PHYSICS
PH 351	INTRODUCTION TO MODERN PHYSICS
PH 499	PHYSICS PRACTICUM
Physics Elective Courses		8
PH/OPT/AST 300+ level or higher course
PH/OPT/AST 300+ level or higher course
PH/OPT/AST 300+ level or higher course

Elective Requirements

Course List
Code	Title	Semester Hours
Elective Courses		26-27
Additional Elective courses 100+ level to reach 128 credit hours. Electives can be taken from any department and do not have to be taken in your major or minor. No more than 4 credits of 100 level HPE courses can count toward degree requirements.

Overall Requirements

Course List
Code	Title	Semester Hours
All College of Science degrees must have at least 128 credits.
At least 39 of the 128 credits must be at the 300+ level. These may be taken in any area including electives.
Total Semester Hours		128

Students must take one literature and one history course. Students must also take either a second literature or history course to complete a sequence. Acceptable Literature sequences must include one early literature (EH 207 or EH 242 or EH 209) and one later literature (EH 208 or EH 210). Acceptable history sequences are (HY 103 + HY 104), or (HY 221 + HY 222)

Based on Math placement, prerequisite MA 112 and/or MA 113 Mathematics courses may be required.

No more than 6 credit hours can be taken in a single discipline.

⁴

For choices see the World Languages and Cultures department.

Sample Four-Year Plan for Physics, BS degree:

Note: This is only an example and variations are possible.

Year 1
Fall		Semester Hours
FYE 101S	CHARGER SUCCESS - SCIENCE	1
PH 110	FRONTIERS IN SCIENCE	3
CH 121 & CH 125	GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB I	4
MA 171	CALCULUS A	4
EH 101	COLLEGE WRITING I	3
	Term Semester Hours:	15
Spring
PH 111 & PH 114	GEN PHYSICS W/CALCULUS I and GENERAL PHYSICS LAB I	4
CH 123 & CH 126	GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II	4
MA 172	CALCULUS B	4
EH 102	COLLEGE WRITING II	3
	Term Semester Hours:	15
Year 2
Fall
PH 112 & PH 115	GEN PHYSICS W/CALC II and GENERAL PHYSICS LAB II	4
CS 102	INTRO TO C PROGRAMMING	3
or CS 104	or INTRO TO CS USING PYTHON
MA 201	CALCULUS C	4
Fine Art		3
See Requirements tab for approved list.
Literature		3
See Requirements tab for approved list.
	Term Semester Hours:	17
Spring
PH 113 & PH 116	GEN PHYSICS W/CALC III and GENERAL PHYSICS LAB III	4
PH 251	SPECIAL RELATIVITY	1
MA 238	APPL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS	3
CM 113	Intro to Rhetorical Communication	3
Elective		3
Elective		3
Electives can be taken from any department and do not have to be taken in your major or minor. No more than 4 credit hours of 100 level HPE courses can count toward degree requirements.
	Term Semester Hours:	17
Year 3
Fall
PH 351	INTRODUCTION TO MODERN PHYSICS	3
MA 244	INTRO TO LINEAR ALGEBRA	3
Additional Science or Engineering Course		3-4
See Requirements tab for approved list.
Social and Behavioral Science		3
See Requirements tab for approved list.
Humanities, 2nd Fine Art or 2nd Literature		3
See Requirements tab for approved list.
	Term Semester Hours:	15-16
Spring
PH 301	INTERMEDIATE MECHANICS	3
PH 305	MATH METHODS IN PHYSICS	3
PH/OPT/AST 300+ level or higher course		3
Social and Behavioral Science		3
See Requirements tab for approved list.
Elective 300+ level or higher course		3
Elective		1
Electives can be taken from any department and do not have to be taken in your major or minor. No more than 4 credit hours of 100 level HPE courses can count toward degree requirements.
	Term Semester Hours:	16
Year 4
Fall
PH/OPT/AST 300+ level or higher course		3
PH/OPT/AST 300+ level or higher course		2
EH 301	TECHNICAL WRITING	3
History		3
See Requirements tab for approved list.
Elective 300+ level or higher course		3
Elective 300+ level or higher course		3
Electives can be taken from any department and do not have to be taken in your major or minor. No more than 4 credit hours of 100 level HPE courses can count toward degree requirements.
	Term Semester Hours:	17
Spring
PH 499	PHYSICS PRACTICUM	3
2nd History or 3rd Social and Behavioral science		3
See Requirements tab for approved list.
Elective 300+ level or higher course		3
Elective 300+ level or higher course		3
Elective 300+ level or higher course		3
Elective		1
Electives can be taken from any department and do not have to be taken in your major or minor. No more than 4 credit hours of 100 level HPE courses can count toward degree requirements.
	Term Semester Hours:	16
	Total Semester Hours:	128-129

Physics, BS

2020-2021 Catalog

Physics, BS Requirements:

Degree Requirements

Sample Four-Year Plan for Physics, BS degree: