Minors and Certificates

Minor in Physics

Students wishing to minor in physics may do so by taking 16 credits of prescribed physics courses. This program provides the student with a broad overview of both classical and modern physics, and is an excellent complement to many major fields, even outside of the natural sciences. Beginning science and engineering majors who switch their majors after their 1st or 2nd years will find it particularly simple to earn a minor in physics by simply adding the modern physics sequence, physics 0477 and 0481, to the courses that they have already taken. Students taking the minors sequence will have to satisfy the course prerequisites as specified in the course descriptions below.

Graduation Requirements

  • Introductory physics: 0174, 0175, and 0219 or the corresponding honors courses

  • Additional physics: 0477 and one of the following – 0481, 1374, 1375, 1376 or 1378

Nanoscience and Engineering Certificate

Graduation Requirements

Required Courses (9 credit hours)

  • ENGR 0240 Nanotechnology and Nanoengineering (3)
  • PHYS 1375/CHEM 1630 Foundations of Nanoscience (3)
  • ENGR/CHEM 1730 or PHYS 1903 Directed Research in Nanoscience or Nanotechnology (3)

Elective Courses (6 credit hours)

  • CHEM 1410 or 1420 Physical Chemistry 1 or 2 (3) or CHEM 1480 Intermediate Physical Chemistry (3)
  • CHEM 1450 Molecular Modeling and Graphics (3)
  • CHEM 1600 Synthesis and Characterization of Polymers (3)
  • CHEM 1620 Atoms, Molecules, and Materials (3)
  • ECE 0257 Analysis & Design of Electronic Circuits (3)
  • ECE 1247 Semiconductor Device Theory (3)
  • ECE 2295 Nanosensors (3)
  • ENGR 0241 Fabrication and Design in Nanotechnology (3)
  • IE 1012/2012 Manufacture of Structural Nanomaterials (3)
  • MEMS 1057 Micro/NanoManufacturing (3)
  • MEMS 1447 Nanocharacterization (3)
  • MEMS 1469 Materials Science of Nanostructures (3)
  • MEMS 1477 Thin Film Processes and Characterization (3)
  • MEMS 1478 Nanoparticles: Science and Technology (3)
  • MEMS 1480 Introduction to Microelectromechanical Systems (3)
  • PHYS 0520 Modern Physics Measurements (3)
  • PHYS 1361 Wave Motion and Optics (3)
  • PHYS 1370 Quantum Mechanics 1 (3) or PHYS 1371 Quantum Mechanics 2 (3)
  • PHYS 1374 Introduction to Solid State Physics (3)

No more than 6 credit hours of overlap will be allowed between the NSEC and electives of degree tracks in Physics and Astronomy or Chemistry.