DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

 The Department of Physics offers courses in the academic area of Physics (PHYS). In addition, an undergraduate degree is offered, the Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics, as well as a minor in Physics for students pursuing undergraduate degrees in other disciplines. No graduate degrees are offered through this unit at this time. Members of the Department and departmental facilities are housed on the first floor of the Spearman Technology Building with the Department Office located in Room 147.

The primary mission of the Department of Physics is to prepare students majoring and minoring in departmental curricular offerings for entry into the workforce and for graduate study. The mission also embraces making students aware of the natural laws that govern our universe.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Physics are summarized below. Each student must be admitted by the Department, through a departmental admissions procedure, as a major before attempting to meet all of the requirements for either degree. The admissions procedure is under continual review by the Departmental Admissions Committee. Thus, interested students are asked to contact the Department Office during their freshman year for the steps that must be taken in order to gain admission as majors, and to verify application deadlines. Students are responsible for completing ASSET requirements and prerequisites administered through the General University Academic Center (GUAC) prior to admission to the department.

Students pursuing majors or undergraduate degrees in this unit must also have a declared minor in another academic discipline as first-time seekers of an undergraduate degree. The sequence in which major courses must be taken is provided along with degree requirements at the end of this section.

 Students must earn grades of "C" or better (where grades of "C-" are unacceptable) in all courses specific to either the major or the minor selected for both degrees offered through this unit. Graduating seniors are also required to take an exit examination.

Students transferring to the University are cautioned that Physics credits transferred from other colleges and universities must be evaluated by the Department before being used to fulfill requirements for the major in Physics. These credits may or may not be acceptable. If these credits are judged to be unacceptable by the Department, students may be able to use them to fulfill core curriculum requirements, elective requirements, or both.

In selecting a minor, as required for completion of the B.S. in Physics, students should seek detailed advisement from their designated advisors because the selection of a minor having representative courses in the core curriculum for the degree sought could impact the total number of credits required. In no case will students qualify for graduation at the undergraduate level with fewer than 124 semester credit hours satisfactorily completed.

For a Physics minor, twenty-one (21) semester credit hours are required through enrollment in the following courses: PHYS 217, PHYS 218, PHYS 251, PHYS 252, and nine (9) additional junior/senior level PHYS credits of choice. Prior to pursuing this minor, students must seek advisement and approval from the Department Office. The prerequisites for PHYS 217 and 251 must also be met before pursuing this minor. Grades of "C" or better must be earned, where grades of "C-" are unacceptable, in these courses. 

Students admitted to the Department as majors, as well as students pursuing minors in the unit, are each expected to maintain an overall GPA of 2.50 or better, or they could be dismissed from the Department if more than thirty (30) semester credit hours are still required for graduation. If individual GPA's fall below 2.50 and students are within thirty (30) semester credit hours of graduation, they will be refused the privilege of recommendations from members of the faculty, but will retain official status in the Department. 

Upon admission to the Department, students are each assigned an official advisor. They are expected to keep the Department Office informed of changes in address and/or telephone numbers up to the time of graduation.

In summary, an interested student must first gain admission to the University; must meet his/her ASSET responsibility; must fulfill prerequisites as outlined above; and, finally, must apply for admission to the Department once prerequisites and ASSET requirements have been met. Acceptance to major standing is not automatic, but subject to the decision of a Departmental Admissions Committee. Each student is provided with extensive advisement once admitted to the unit before further progression toward the completion of degree requirements is undertaken, and an exit examination is required. Questions may be directed to the Department Office at (713)-313-7980 Fax (713)-313-1833.Email : COST@tsu.edu