Degree Requirements
All students are required to complete overall degree requirements in addition to their major. Please see Degree Completion Requirements for full details for students entering in the 2024-2025 catalog year.
Those students who started at Hiram prior to the 2024-2025 academic year will follow the Degree Requirements outlined in your catalog of record.
Major Requirements
A typical schedule for a physics major with strong math skills might be shown in "Physics Pathway A". Another possible schedule is shown in "Physics Pathway B" that lets students solidify their math skills before tackling the math-intensive science courses.
Speak with your advisor to determine which pathway is most appropriate for you.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| PHYS 21300 & PHYS 21400 | FUNMNTLS OF PHYSICS-W/LAB I:SM and FUNMNTL OF PHYSICS-W/LAB II:SM | 8 |
| PHYS 22500 | INTRO ELECTRONICS-W/LAB | 4 |
| PHYS 32000 | FUNMNTLS OF MRDN PHYSICS-W/LAB | 4 |
| PHYS 33000 | MECHANICS | 3 |
| CHEM 35000 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY I-W/LAB | 4 |
| PHYS 35000 | QUANTUM PHYSICS | 4 |
| PHYS 36000 | ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY | 4 |
| PHYS 44000 | PHYSICS ADVANCED LABORATORY | 3 |
| Capstone | ||
| PHYS 48000 | SENIOR SEMINAR 1 | 1 |
| Required Correlative Courses | ||
| MATH 19800 | CALCULUS I:MM | 4 |
| MATH 19900 | CALCULUS II:MM | 4 |
| MATH 20000 | CALCULUS III:MM | 4 |
| MATH 21800 | LINEAR ALGEBRA:MM | 3 |
| MATH 24300 | DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS:MM | 3 |
| CPSC 17000 | JAVA SUPPLEMENT | 1-4 |
| or CPSC 17100 | INTRO TO COMPUTER SCI-W/LAB:MM | |
| CPSC 17200 | INTRO TO PROGRAMMING-W/LAB:MM | 4 |
| Total Hours | 58-61 | |
- 1
Includes a 30-minute public presentation and a written thesis on the student's senior research project.
Pathways
Physics Pathway A
This pathway is for students who have demonstrated strength in math and physics.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall 12 Week | Hours | |
| UCS 10101 | FIRST-YEAR ENDURING QUESTIONS | 4 |
| MATH 19800 | CALCULUS I:MM 1 | 4 |
| PHYS 21300 | FUNMNTLS OF PHYSICS-W/LAB I:SM | 4 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| MATH 21800 | LINEAR ALGEBRA:MM 2 | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| UCS 20201 | ADDRESSING URGENT QUESTIONS | 4 |
| MATH 19900 | CALCULUS II:MM 1 | 4 |
| PHYS 21400 | FUNMNTL OF PHYSICS-W/LAB II:SM | 4 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| Hiram Core Requirement | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall 12 Week | ||
| MATH 20000 | CALCULUS III:MM 1 | 4 |
| PHYS 32000 | FUNMNTLS OF MRDN PHYSICS-W/LAB | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| PHYS 33000 | MECHANICS 3 | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| CHEM 35000 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY I-W/LAB | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| MATH 24300 | DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS:MM 2 | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall 12 Week | ||
| UCS 30301 | URGENT CHALLENGE SEMINAR:TT | 4 |
| PHYS 22500 | INTRO ELECTRONICS-W/LAB 2 | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| Hiram Core Requirement | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| PHYS 35000 | QUANTUM PHYSICS 2 | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| PHYS 44000 | PHYSICS ADVANCED LABORATORY 3 | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall 12 Week | ||
| CPSC 17100 | INTRO TO COMPUTER SCI-W/LAB:MM (or Elective, Second Major, Minor Course) 4 | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| CPSC 17000 | JAVA SUPPLEMENT 5 | 1 |
| CPSC 17200 | INTRO TO PROGRAMMING-W/LAB:MM | 4 |
| PHYS 36000 | ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY 3 | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Total Hours | 121-125 | |
- 1
"Critical'' to timely degree progression.
- 2
Every other odd year
- 3
Every other even year
- 4
Or can take 1 credit CPSC 17000 JAVA SUPPLEMENT in spring
- 5
Take if CPSC 17100 INTRO TO COMPUTER SCI-W/LAB:MM not taken in fall
Physics Pathway B
This pathway starts physics courses in year two, allowing students to solidify math skills in year one.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall 12 Week | Hours | |
| UCS 10101 | FIRST-YEAR ENDURING QUESTIONS | 4 |
| MATH 19800 | CALCULUS I:MM 1 | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| Hiram Core Requirement | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| UCS 20201 | ADDRESSING URGENT QUESTIONS | 4 |
| MATH 19900 | CALCULUS II:MM 1 | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 11-12 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| Hiram Core Requirement | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall 12 Week | ||
| MATH 20000 | CALCULUS III:MM 1 | 4 |
| PHYS 21300 | FUNMNTLS OF PHYSICS-W/LAB I:SM | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| Hiram Core Requirement or Elective | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| PHYS 21400 | FUNMNTL OF PHYSICS-W/LAB II:SM | 4 |
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 4 | |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| Hiram Core Requirement or Elective | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall 12 Week | ||
| UCS 30301 | URGENT CHALLENGE SEMINAR:TT | 4 |
| PHYS 22500 | INTRO ELECTRONICS-W/LAB 2 | 4 |
| PHYS 32000 | FUNMNTLS OF MRDN PHYSICS-W/LAB | 4 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| MATH 21800 | LINEAR ALGEBRA:MM 2 | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| PHYS 35000 | QUANTUM PHYSICS 2 | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| PHYS 44000 | PHYSICS ADVANCED LABORATORY 3 | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall 12 Week | ||
| CPSC 17100 | INTRO TO COMPUTER SCI-W/LAB:MM (or Elective, Second Major, Minor Course) 4 | 4 |
| Elective, Second Major, Minor Course | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| PHYS 33000 | MECHANICS 3 | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| CPSC 17000 | JAVA SUPPLEMENT 5 | 1 |
| CPSC 17200 | INTRO TO PROGRAMMING-W/LAB:MM | 4 |
| CHEM 35000 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY I-W/LAB | 4 |
| PHYS 36000 | ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY 3 | 4 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| MATH 24300 | DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS:MM 2 | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 120-125 | |
- 1
"Critical'' to timely degree progression.
- 2
Every other odd year
- 3
Every other even year
- 4
Or can take 1 credit CPSC 17000 JAVA SUPPLEMENT in spring
- 5
Take if CPSC 17100 INTRO TO COMPUTER SCI-W/LAB:MM not taken in fall