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Physics, Professional, Bachelor of Science (BS)

The Bachelor of Science–Physics, Professional program is designed primarily for students preparing for graduate studies in physics or students planning for a professional career in physics. 

A Senior Capstone/Senior Thesis class is a university requirement for graduation. Contact your Physics advisor or Department Chair for course options.

Required Mathematics Courses
MATH/HONS 161CALCULUS I5
MATH 162CALCULUS II5
MATH 163CALCULUS III5
MATH 231LINEAR ALGEBRA5
MATH 241CALCULUS IV5
MATH 347INTRODUCTORY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS4
Required Physics Courses
PHYS 151GENERAL PHYSICS I4
PHYS 152GENERAL PHYSICS II4
PHYS 153GENERAL PHYSICS III4
PHYS 221GENERAL PHYSICS IV4
PHYS 361CLASSICAL MECHANICS I4
PHYS 362CLASSICAL MECHANICS II4
PHYS 371QUANTUM PHYSICS I: INTRODUCTION4
PHYS 372QUANTUM PHYSICS II: ATOMIC4
PHYS 401ELECTROMAGNETISM I4
PHYS 402ELECTROMAGNETISM II4
PHYS 411CLASSICAL THERMODYNAMICS4
PHYS 421COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS4
Required Physics Laboratory Courses
PHYS 161MECHANICS LABORATORY1
PHYS 162HEAT AND OPTICS LABORATORY1
PHYS 163ELECTRONICS LABORATORY I1
PHYS 263ELECTRONICS LABORATORY II1
PHYS 321ADVANCED PHYSICS LABORATORY I3
PHYS 322ADVANCED PHYSICS LABORATORY II3
Required Electives–choose from the following14
Note: any 300- or 400-level PHYS course—except PHYS 497—may be chosen as electives.
Note: a maximum of 7 credits can count from courses outside PHYS.
Note: some of these courses may require completion of additional prerequisites.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
ENERGY SYSTEMS
POWER SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
TOPICS IN APPLIED ANALYSIS II
COMPLEX ANALYSIS
PROBABILITY AND STATISTICAL INFERENCE I
PROBABILITY AND STATISTICAL INFERENCE II
APPLIED GROUP THEORY
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
HEAT TRANSFER
ADVANCED FLUID DYNAMICS
Total Credits101

Plan of Study

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses could be offered in different terms, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015MATH 1635
MATH 1615MATH 1625PHYS 153
PHYS 163
5
PHYS 151
PHYS 161 (Natural Science BACR 1)
5PHYS 152
PHYS 162 (Natural Science BACR 2)
5Humanities & Arts BACR 115
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
MATH 2415MATH 2315MATH 3474
PHYS 2214PHYS 321 or 37123-4PHYS 322 or 37223-4
PHYS 2631PHYS 362 or 40124PHYS 411 or 40224
PHYS 361 or 42124Social Science BACR 115Social Science BACR 215
 14 17-18 16-17
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
PHYS 361 or 42124PHYS 321 or 37123-4PHYS 322 or 37223-4
Humanities & Arts BACR 115PHYS 362 or 40124PHYS 411 or 40224
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Physics Elective34Physics Elective34
 Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Diversity - graduation requirement15
 14 16-17 16-17
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
Physics Elective34PHYS 491 or ITDS 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)4Physics Elective34
Global Studies - graduation requirement15Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 14 14 14
Total Credits 180-184
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Take the first course listed if fall of the academic year is an even year, and the second course if it's an odd year

3

Required Electives–choose 14 credits from the approved list. Any 300- or 400-level PHYS course—except PHYS 497—may be chosen as electives. A maximum of 7 credits can count from courses outside PHYS.

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB


General Education Requirements (GER)
  • Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences


University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List


Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term you expect to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.
Requirements in Degree Works are based on these two catalog years:

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Credit Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who earn a BS in Physics, Professional from EWU should be able to:​​​

  • demonstrate knowledge of the basic concepts of physics (such as mechanics, thermodynamics and electricity and magnetism);
  • make and interpret laboratory measurements in physics;
  • write effectively using the language of physics.