The Physics Major

The concepts and methods of physics impact nearly all areas of human endeavor. The Department of Physics thus offers courses in physics for the entire Cornell community. There are general education courses for non-scientists, well-designed introductory sequences for science and engineering majors, more advanced courses for physics majors, and rigorous programs of graduate study, up to doctoral-level independent research.

Undergraduate and graduate students benefit from outstanding faculty and world-class research facilities in the Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics (LASSP) and the Laboratory of Elementary Particle Physics (LEPP). Physics faculty and students conduct research in condensed-matter physics, nanophysics, biophysics, atomic physics, X-ray physics, high-energy particle physics, accelerator physics and astrophysics. Students are invited to attend weekly research seminars and colloquia that showcase the work of the national and international physics communities. Undergraduates are encouraged to participate in research, and many find summer employment within the department. For more information, visit http://www.physics.cornell.edu/undergraduate.

Courses for Non-Physics Majors

PHYS 1101-1102 is a self-paced auto-tutorial course sequence designed for students who recognize the need for a basic understanding of physics, but who do not have preparation in calculus and who do not intend to take further physics courses.
PHYS 2207- 2208 and 1112-2213-2214 are introductory physics courses for students who want a solid grounding in physics and a chance to develop their calculus-based problem solving skills. Non-majors considering more advanced work in physics are encouraged to take 1112-2213-2214 or 2207-2213-2214.
Courses beyond the introductory level that may be of interest to non-majors include PHYS 3316 ‘Modern Physics I’, PHYS 3330 ‘Modern Experimental Optics’, and PHYS 3360 ‘Electronic Circuits’.
General education courses include PHYS 2201,‘Why the Sky is Blue: Aspects of the Physical World’, PHYS 2203, ‘Physics of the Heavens and Earth’ and PHYS 2204, ‘The Physics of Musical Sound’.

Students may obtain advanced placement and credit, as outlined in “Advanced Placement of Freshmen,” and transfer credit for physics courses taken elsewhere. Students seeking transfer credit or advice on the use of AP credit should consult the Physics Director of Undergraduate Studies.

The Physics Major: Two Routes to a Promising Future

The analytical and problem solving skills and the fundamental conceptual and practical understanding of how the world works provided by an education in physics have allowed physics majors to pursue careers - and have major impacts - not just in physics, but in engineering, education, medicine and the life sciences, the military services, computer and information sciences, earth and environmental sciences, law, finance and economics, management consulting, philosophy of science, forensics and public policy. Reflecting this breadth of opportunity, the Physics Department offers two approaches to the major:

The concentration within physics is the principal path to professional or graduate work in physics and closely related fields, and is also the best choice for students who wish to obtain maximum benefit from rigorous studies in physics. The inside concentration consists of the core physics courses plus electives taken within the Physics Department.

The concentration outside physics provides more flexibility for those want to develop skills in physics but whose career interests lie elsewhere. For example, a pre-medical or biophysics student may concentrate in biology; a pre-law student may concentrate in business, history or public policy; and a student planning graduate work in econometrics or on pursuing an MBA may concentrate in economics. Students interested in education careers (and in capitalizing on the critical national shortage of high school physics teachers) may concentrate in education, allowing them to complete a Masters degree in Physics Education with New York State Teacher certification in one additional year at Cornell.

Physics majors - especially those concentrating within physics - are advised to start the introductory physics sequence in the first semester of their freshman year, as a delayed start reduces flexibility in future course scheduling. Students who switch to the physics major after taking introductory physics in their sophomore year can usually still complete an outside concentration. Acceptance into the major program is normally granted upon completion of a year of physics and mathematics courses at Cornell with all course grades at the B minus level or higher. Grades of at least C- (or S for S-U only courses) are required in all courses counting toward the physics major.

Advising

Prospective majors are urged to meet with the Physics Director of Undergraduate Studies for advice on advanced placement credit and on program planning. Based on their specific interests, students will be matched by the DUS with a major advisor. The student and major advisor will then work out the details of the major course program.

Courses for Physics Majors

The Physics Core - All physics majors must complete a core of physics and math courses, as follows:

A three-semester introductory physics sequence, either PHYS 1112–2213–2214, or its more analytic ‘advanced’ version 1116–2217–2218. PHYS 2207 students with life/chemical/health science interests who decide to switch to the physics major may complete 2207-2213-2214. A transition from 2208 to 2214 is also possible for students with very strong math backgrounds.
Mathematics courses covering single and multivariable calculus, linear algebra, series representations, and complex analysis: MATH 1910 or 1120; 1920 or 2210; 2930 or 2220; and 2940 or 2210; or their equivalents. Inside concentrators should complete at least one additional year of applicable mathematics such as AEP 3210 and 3220.
Five upper-level courses beyond the three-semester introductory sequence, consisting of: (1) the two-course sequence in modern physics (PHYS 3316–3317), (2) at least three semester hours of laboratory work selected from PHYS 3310, 3330, 3360, 4410, or ASTRO 4410, (3) an intermediate course in classical mechanics (PHYS 3314 or 3318), and (4) an intermediate course in electromagnetism (PHYS 3323 or 3327). Students who complete the 1112-2213-2214 introductory sequence are advised to complete the 1 credit course PHYS 2216 before taking PHYS 3316.

In addition to the core, each physics major must complete at least 15 semester hours of credit in an area of concentration that has been agreed upon by the student and major faculty advisor.

Concentration Within Physics

Students planning professional or graduate work in physics are encouraged to take the more advanced and analytically rigorous versions of the core courses - PHYS 1116, 2217, 2218, 3318 and 3327. Students with weaker high school preparation may start in Physics 1112 and then switch to the advanced sequence in later semesters. The best prepared students, who may qualify for advanced placement credit for PHYS 1112 and/or 2213, are still strongly encouraged to start with 1116.

For a concentration within physics, the minimum 15 hours beyond the core must be composed of physics courses with numbers greater than 3000. These 15 hours must include the senior laboratory course PHYS 4410 in addition to one of the lab courses listed for the core, so that a physics concentration requires a minimum of 7 credit hours of laboratory work. The accompanying table shows some typical course sequences that fulfill the major requirements. The sequence followed by each student will depend upon his or her interests and pre-college preparation, and will be determined in consultation with the major advisor. Majors are strongly encouraged to participate in the Department’s research activities. If this work is done as an independent project, PHYS 4490, up to 8 credit hours can be applied toward the concentration.

Concentration Outside of Physics

For outside concentrations, the courses to be counted in the minimum 15 credit hours beyond the core must have internal coherence and lead to mastery in the area of concentration. The course sequence must be worked out with and approved by the major faculty advisor. At least 8 of the 15 credit hours must be in courses numbered above 3000. Past areas of concentration include astronomy, business, chemical physics, computer science, econometrics, education, geophysics, history, and philosophy of science, law, meteorology, and public policy. A combined biology/chemistry concentration is common for premedical students or those who wish to prepare for work in biophysics.

The Department particularly wishes to encourage students with an interest in science education. Physics majors can obtain teaching certification by concentrating in education and then completing a one-year master of arts in teaching (MAT) degree. Information about the education concentration and MAT can be obtained from the Department of Education’s Cornell Teacher Education Program, from the Physics Department’s Teacher in Residence, or from the Physics Director of Undergraduate Studies.

The core for students with outside concentrations may follow either PHYS 1112-2213-2214, 3314 and 3323 or the advanced 1116-2217-2218, 3318 and 3327. Students concentrating in astronomy who might continue on to graduate school in that field are encouraged to take PHYS 3318 and 3327 in the core and ASTRO 4410, 4431, and 4432 toward the concentration.

Honors

A student may be granted honors in physics upon the recommendation of the Physics Advisors Committee of the physics faculty. There is no particular course structure or thesis requirement for honors.

Double Majors

Double majors including physics are possible and not at all uncommon. However, any course used to satisfy a requirement of another major may be used in satisfaction of physics major requirements only if the student’s concentration is within physics.

Courses with Overlapping Content

The grouped courses listed in the chart below have largely similar content. Students should select courses for their academic program carefully, as they may receive credit for only one course in each group.

PHYS 1101, 1112, 1116, 2207

PHYS 1102, 2208, 2213, 2217

PHYS 2214, 2218

PHYS 3314, 3318

PHYS 3323, 3327

PHYS 1116, 2216

In addition, students with credit for PHYS 1101, 1112, 1116, or 2207, or an advanced placement equivalent who wish to enroll in PHYS 2200–2206, 2209, or 2210 must obtain written permission from the instructor and the Physics Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Course Prerequisites

Achieving success in a physics course is easier if you have the proper preparation. Each physics course description lists prerequisite courses that develop mastery in the needed mathematics and physics. Students who wish to enroll in a course but lack the listed prerequisites can often succeed with an appropriate work plan, especially if they have other relevant prior experience. These students must discuss their preparation with the course instructor and with their advisor before enrolling.

Typical Physics Course Sequence

Semester	No AP Math or Physics	1 year AP calculus and good HS Physics	Outside Concentrators	Outside Concentrators (Alternate)
1st - Fall	1112	1116	1112	1112
2nd - Spring	2213	2217	2213
3rd - Fall	2214	2218	2214	2213
4th - Spring	3316, 330x*	3316, 330x*	330x*	2214
5th - Fall	3317, 3327, 330x*	3317, 3327, 330x*	3316	330X*, 3316
6th - Spring	3314/3318, 4443	3318, 4443	3314	3314, 330x*
7th - Fall	3341, 4410	3341, 4410	3317, 3323	3317, 3323
8th - Spring	Elective(s)	Elective(s)

*One semester of intermediate laboratory, listed here as 330x, is required.

For majors with concentrations outside physics, there will be wide variation in individual programs, arranged to best match the field of concentration.

Crossovers between the two sequences 1112-2213-2214 & 2216 and 1116-2217-2218 are possible, although the combination 1112-2213-2218, is difficult. Physics 2207 may be substituted for Physics 1112. Students taking 2217 after 1112 must coregister for 2216.

Exceptionally well-prepared students may be able to begin work at Cornell with Physics 2217. Such students should come to the department office for advice in planning a course program.

Physics electives include 3360, 4444, 4454, 4455, 4480, 6525, 6553, 6561, 6572, the senior seminars 4481-4483, Astronomy 3332 and 4431-4432, and A&EP 4434, 4436.

Well-prepared sophomores wishing to take Physics 3318 should consult the instructor before registering.

Minimum Grades for Major
For students graduating after 2008, grades of at least C- or S, for S-U only courses, are required in all courses for the physics major (recall that a B- or better in a year of physics and a year of mathematics are required to enter the major).