B.S. Physics
Courses

120 credit hours
90% career outcome rate
1 degree option

PhysicsFeatured Courses

As a student in the physics major at Concordia Nebraska, you’ ll have the opportunity to take specialized courses related to various aspects of the physics profession. These classes, designed to equip you for leadership and service in various physics careers, are taught by some of our esteemed faculty who have extensive experience in their fields.

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PhysicsSample Schedule of Courses

The following sample course of study is an example of the sequence of courses you might take in order to receive your degree. Please plan to discuss your actual course of study with your advisor, who can help you stay on track to meet your academic and professional goals.

Semester 1

PHYS 111
General Physics I
Lecture 3, Lab. 2. Experiments, lectures and discussions to reveal the sensibleness of nature via mechanics of particles and waves as models, relativity and conservation laws, momentum and energy, and the nature of scientific inquiry.
4
credits
CHEM 115
General Chemistry
Lecture 3, Lab. 3. General principles of chemistry: atoms and molecules, chemical reactions and reaction stoichiometry, phases of matter, electronic structure, bonding, molecular shapes, and intermolecular forces.
4
credits
FYE
First-Year Experience
A unique course designed to provide first-year college students with knowledge, tips and tricks to support their collegiate career.
1
credits
GEN ED
General Education
General education from across the university
9
credits
Total Credits
18

Semester 2

PHYS 112
General Physics II
Lecture 3, Lab. 2. Continuation of PHYS 111 with special emphasis on electricity and magnetism, light, and relativity and their relation to conservation principles and current scientific explanation.
4
credits
CHEM 116
General Chemistry II
Lecture 3, Lab. 3. A continuation of general chemistry: chemical kinetics, equilibrium, acids and bases, oxidation-reduction chemistry, and fundamental qualitative analysis.
3
credits
GEN ED
General Education
General education from across the university
10
credits
Total Credits
17

Semester 3

PHYS 211
General Physics I Calculus Topics
Lecture 1. A calculus-based treatment of topics covered in PHYS 111. Enrollment in PHYS 211 and PHYS 111 is equivalent to taking a calculus-based general physics course.
1
credits
PHYS 321
Introductory Mechanics
Lecture 3. Calculus treatment of the motion of particles and rigid bodies using Newtonian force methods: non-inertial reference frames, classical mechanics, relativistic laws of motion of a particle.
3
credits
MATH 184
Calculus I
A beginning course in the analysis of functions including analytic geometry. A study of limits, techniques and applications of differentiation, basic integration and transcendental functions.
4
credits
GEN ED
General Education
General education from across the university
8
credits
Total Credits
16

Semester 4

PHYS 212
General Physics II Calculus Topics
Lecture 1. A calculus-based treatment of topics covered in PHYS 112. Enrollment in PHYS 212 and PHYS 112 is equivalent to taking a calculus-based general physics course.
1
credits
PHYS 353
Thermodynamics
See CHEM 353.
3
credits
CS 141
Computer Programming II
Continued development of discipline in program design, writing, testing and debugging with C++ as the high level programming language. Algorithms to be studied include internal sorting and searching methods, string processing, and the manipulation of data structures: arrays, stacks, queues, and linked lists.
3
credits
GEN ED
General Education
General education from across the university
9
credits
Total Credits
16

Semester 5

PHYS 354
Quantum Mechanics
See CHEM 354.
3
credits
PHYS 371
Electronics
Laboratory approach to the study of integrated circuits and transistors. Classroom component for supporting theory.
3
credits
MATH 186
Calculus II
A continuation of Calculus I. Topics studied include integration, analytical geometry and vectors in two-dimensional space, and techniques of integration.
4
credits
MATH 322
Foundations of Statistics
A study of mathematical statistics including probability distributions sampling theory, point estimation, methods of correlation and regression, and the principles of statistical inference.
3
credits
GEN ED
General Education
General education from across the university
3
credits
Total Credits
16

Semester 6

PHYS 381
Modern Physics
Lecture 3. Physics of the 20th century. Relativity, the wave–particle duality, atomic models, the quantum theory.
3
credits
PHYS 382
Advanced Physics Lab. I, II, III
Lab. 3. Selected experiments in modern physics requiring library research.
1
credits
MATH 284
Calculus III
A continuation of Calculus II. A study of analytic geometry in three dimensional space, partial differentiation, multiple integration and infinite series.
4
credits
GEN ED
General Education
General education from across the university
8
credits
Total Credits
16

Semester 7

PHYS 383
Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics
Study of nuclear radiations, nuclear structure and models, and the energetics of sub-atomic particle interactions.
3
credits
PHYS 390
Electricity and Magnetism
Study of electrical and magnetic phenomena and their understanding through models and formulation.
3
credits
MATH 384
Differential Equations
A study of ordinary differential equations, first and higher order, systems linear and non-linear, their solutions and applications, including La Place Transforms.
3
credits
GEN ED
General Education
General education from across the university
6
credits
Total Credits
15

Semester 8

PHYS 399
Research in Physics
Capstone course in physics. Students perform supervised independent research in physics, and also learn about issues related to the profession.
2
credits
CS 131
Computer Programming I
The development of skill in translating problems into algorithms and implementing these algorithms into a high- level programming language. An emphasis will be placed on good programming style including structured programming techniques. An overview of the organization and operation of a computer system will be given.
3
credits
CHEM 231
Organic Chemistry I
Lecture 3, Lab. 3. The compounds of the aliphatic and aromatic series, stressing general principles. The basic understandings in this area, an appreciation of the relation of organic chemistry to daily life.
4
credits
GEN ED
General Education
General education from across the university
6
credits
Total Credits
15
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Physics Faculty

As experts in physics, our faculty and instructors bring years of experience to the classroom.

Meet the faculty