Academics
Undergraduate Programs
Undergraduate Programs
Physics, B.A.
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
262 Science Building
1300 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY 14222
Phone: (716) 878-6726
Fax: (716) 878-4421
www.buffalostate.edu/physics
Contact Faculty and Staff in the Physics Department
Career Information
Physics majors are prepared for technical positions as research and laboratory technicians or teachers. Physics majors in the cooperative physics-engineering ("three-two") program graduate with two bachelor of science degrees: physics and engineering. Students who choose graduate school typically pursue advanced science or engineering studies at schools such as Georgia Institute of Technology, Florida State University, Northwestern University, and the University at Buffalo.
Graduates have been hired as computer programmers, teachers, engineers, and lab technicians. Typical hiring firms include technology companies, engineering companies, and government-funded research and development firms.
Recent graduates have been hired by many school districts and by companies such as HSBC, Xerox, Argonne National Laboratory, Nortel (Northern Telecom), the Hartford Financial Services Group, and Lucent Technologies.
Program Requirements
Intellectual Foundations Requirements 39–66 cr
Total Required Credit Hours in Physics 33 cr
A. Required Core Courses (18 cr)
PHY 111 University Physics I (or equivalent) (5)
PHY 112 University Physics II (or equivalent) (5)
PHY 213 University Physics III
PHY 305 Modern Atomic Physics I
PHY 320 Introduction to Theoretical Physics (4)
B. Electives in Physics (13 cr)
PHY 306 Modern Physics II
PHY 310 Computational Physics Laboratory (2)
PHY 315 Heat and Thermodynamics
PHY 323 Statics
PHY 324 Electric Circuits
PHY 410 Advanced Physics Laboratory
PHY 425 Classical Mechanics (4)
PHY 435 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
PHY 440 Electricity and Magnetism I
PHY 441 Electricity and Magnetism II
Total Required Credit Hours Outside the Major 12 cr
MAT 161 Calculus I
MAT 162 Calculus II
MAT 163 Using Technology to Explore Calculus I (1)
MAT 164 Using Technology to Explore Calculus II (1)
MAT 263 Calculus III
MAT 264 Using Technology to Explore Calculus III (1)
All College Electives 11–38 cr
Total Required Credit Hours 120 cr
