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.

Required Courses
PHYS 21300
PHYS 21400
FUNMNTLS OF PHYSICS-W/LAB I:SM
and FUNMNTL OF PHYSICS-W/LAB II:SM
8
PHYS 22500INTRO ELECTRONICS-W/LAB4
PHYS 32000FUNMNTLS OF MRDN PHYSICS-W/LAB4
PHYS 33000MECHANICS3
CHEM 35000PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY I-W/LAB4
PHYS 35000QUANTUM PHYSICS4
PHYS 36000ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY4
PHYS 44000PHYSICS ADVANCED LABORATORY3
Capstone
PHYS 48000SENIOR SEMINAR 11
Required Correlative Courses
MATH 19800CALCULUS I:MM4
MATH 19900CALCULUS II:MM4
MATH 20000CALCULUS III:MM4
MATH 21800LINEAR ALGEBRA:MM3
MATH 24300DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS:MM3
CPSC 17000JAVA SUPPLEMENT1-4
or CPSC 17100 INTRO TO COMPUTER SCI-W/LAB:MM
CPSC 17200INTRO TO PROGRAMMING-W/LAB:MM4
Total Hours58-61
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.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall 12 WeekHours
UCS 10101 FIRST-YEAR ENDURING QUESTIONS 4
MATH 19800 CALCULUS I:MM 1 4
PHYS 21300 FUNMNTLS OF PHYSICS-W/LAB I:SM 4
 Hours12
Fall 3 Week
MATH 21800 LINEAR ALGEBRA:MM 2 3
 Hours3
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
 Hours12
Spring 3 Week
Hiram Core Requirement 3-4
 Hours3-4
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
 Hours12
Fall 3 Week
PHYS 33000 MECHANICS 3 3
 Hours3
Spring 12 Week
CHEM 35000 PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY I-W/LAB 4
Hiram Core Requirement 4
Hiram Core Requirement 4
 Hours12
Spring 3 Week
MATH 24300 DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS:MM 2 3
 Hours3
Third Year
Fall 12 Week
UCS 30301 URGENT CHALLENGE SEMINAR:TT 4
PHYS 22500 INTRO ELECTRONICS-W/LAB 2 4
Hiram Core Requirement 4
 Hours12
Fall 3 Week
Hiram Core Requirement 3-4
 Hours3-4
Spring 12 Week
PHYS 35000 QUANTUM PHYSICS 2 4
Hiram Core Requirement 4
Elective, Second Major, Minor Course 4
 Hours12
Spring 3 Week
PHYS 44000 PHYSICS ADVANCED LABORATORY 3 3
 Hours3
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
 Hours12
Fall 3 Week
Elective, Second Major, Minor Course 3-4
 Hours3-4
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
 Hours13
Spring 3 Week
Elective, Second Major, Minor Course 3-4
 Hours3-4
 Total Hours121-125
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. 

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall 12 WeekHours
UCS 10101 FIRST-YEAR ENDURING QUESTIONS 4
MATH 19800 CALCULUS I:MM 1 4
Hiram Core Requirement 4
 Hours12
Fall 3 Week
Hiram Core Requirement 3-4
 Hours3-4
Spring 12 Week
UCS 20201 ADDRESSING URGENT QUESTIONS 4
MATH 19900 CALCULUS II:MM 1 4
Hiram Core Requirement 3-4
 Hours11-12
Spring 3 Week
Hiram Core Requirement 3-4
 Hours3-4
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
 Hours12
Fall 3 Week
Hiram Core Requirement or Elective 3-4
 Hours3-4
Spring 12 Week
PHYS 21400 FUNMNTL OF PHYSICS-W/LAB II:SM 4
Elective, Second Major, Minor Course 4
Hiram Core Requirement 4
 Hours12
Spring 3 Week
Hiram Core Requirement or Elective 3-4
 Hours3-4
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
 Hours12
Fall 3 Week
MATH 21800 LINEAR ALGEBRA:MM 2 3
 Hours3
Spring 12 Week
PHYS 35000 QUANTUM PHYSICS 2 4
Hiram Core Requirement 4
Elective, Second Major, Minor Course 4
 Hours12
Spring 3 Week
PHYS 44000 PHYSICS ADVANCED LABORATORY 3 3
 Hours3
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
 Hours12
Fall 3 Week
PHYS 33000 MECHANICS 3 3
 Hours3
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
 Hours13
Spring 3 Week
MATH 24300 DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS:MM 2 3
 Hours3
 Total Hours120-125
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