Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

One of the nation's top undergraduate
engineering, science, and mathematics colleges

Programs - Physics

The physics curriculum is designed to develop a strong foundation in classical and modern physics, which will serve as a basis for future specialization, for additional study at the graduate level, and for design and development work in industrial laboratories. The curriculum emphasizes basic physical concepts, and includes extensive work in mathematics and related areas. Laboratory facilities are available for work in optics, acoustics, X-ray diffraction, nuclear physics, and solid-state physics. Course topics included in the curriculum are Many Particle Physics, Physical Optics, Biophysics, Biomedical Optics, Theoretical Mechanics, Electromagnetism, Celestial Mechanics, Acoustics, Microsensors, Semiconductor Materials and Devices, X-rays and Crystalline Materials, Electro-Optics, and Laser Physics.

The Physics program places an emphasis on laboratory courses with a hands-on approach. The students have the opportunity to take a variety of courses in disciplines such as math and chemistry allowing them to tailor their education. The Physics curriculum is flexible enough that one can double major in computer science, mathematics, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. National interest in our program has been generated by our basic physics courses that use new methodologies of teaching such as studio format lectures.

We have a wide range of research programs accessible to undergraduates including areas such as: Astronomy, Solid State Devices, Electro-optics, Non-linear Optics, X-ray absorption, Semiconductor Materials and Devices, Magnetics, Chaos, Lasers, Fiber Optics, Holography, Microsensors. In addition, we are very successful in placing our students in summer internship positions with various research facilities such as NASA, Argonne National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and CSPAAR.

PHYSICS

Freshman Year
Fall Term		Credit
MA PH CLSK RH HSS EM	111 111 100 131 104	Calculus I .............................. Physics I................................ College and Life Skills ......... Rhetoric and Composition or Elective.................................. Graphical Communications .	5 4 1 4 2
			16

Winter Term		Credit
PH MA CHEM	112 112 105	Physics II............................... Calculus II............................. Engineering Chemistry I..... Computing Elective*.............	4 5 4 2-4
15 or 17

Spring Term		Credit
PH MA CHEM HSS RH	113 113 107 131	Physics III ............................. Calculus III............................ Engineering Chemistry II ..... Elective or Rhetoric and Composition ....	4 5 4 4
			17

Sophomore Year
Fall Term		Credit
PH MA PH	235 221 292	Free Elective†.......................... Many Particle Physics .......... Differential Equations I & Matrix ............................... Physical Optics.....................	4 4 4 4
			16

Winter Term		Credit
PH HSS MA	255 222	Fund. of Modern Physics... Elective.................................. Technical Elective................ Differential Equations & Matrix II ............................	4 4 4 4
			16

Spring Term		Credit
PH HSS MA	314 371	Theoretical Mechanics I.... Elective................................. Linear Algebra I ................. Math Elective†........................	4 4 4 4
			16

Junior Year
Fall Term		Credit
HSS PH PH	316 405	Elective.................................. Electric and Magnetic Fields................................... Technical Elective†............... Semiconductor Materials and Applications...............	4 4 4 4
			16

Winter Term		Credit
PH PH HSS	317 401	Electromagnetism ................ Intro Quantum Mechanics . Elective.................................. Physics Elective†...............	4 4 4 4
			16

Spring Term		Credit
PH HSS OE PH	325 450 327	Advanced Physics Lab I..... Elective.................................. Laser Sys & App or Physics Elective† Thermodynamics & Statistical Mechanics.............	4 4 4 4
			16

Senior Year
Fall Term		Credit
Math HSS		Elective†................................ Technical Elective†.............. Elective.................................. Free Elective..........................	4 4 4 4
			16

Winter Term		Credit
PH HSS	425	Advanced Physics Lab II.... Elective.................................. Technical Elective†.............. Free Elective†........................	4 4 4 4
			16

Spring Term		Credit
OE	450	Technical Elective†............. Laser Sys & App or Physics Elective.................. Free Elective.......................... Physics Elective†.................	4 4 4 4
			16

		Total credits required: 192

* Computing elective: 2 or 4 credit course on computing from the following course: AB 140, CHE 110, CSSE 120, and ME 123. CSSE 120 is required for physics majors who are planning to double major with CSSE, CPE, EE, MA, and ME

†Free, Math and technical electives are only suggestions and can change subject to offering. Electives must be approved by PHOE advisor.

SUMMARY OF GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR PHYSICS MAJORS

All the courses listed above by the number.
The program must be approved by the advisor.
Twelve credits of physics courses, besides those listed by number. At least two of these credits must be directed research (PH290 or PH490) with at least one credit of PH490.
Twenty credits of technical electives of which at least eight must be in courses other than physics courses (cannot include ECE340).
Cross reference for the following courses:
ECE340 and ECE341 for PH316 and PH317
ES202 and ES204 for PH235
Sixteen credits of free electives (cannot include ECE340).
Thirty-six credits of humanities or social sciences courses. The distribution of these courses must meet the requirements of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences.
A technical elective is any RHIT course in chemistry, computer science, engineering, applied biology, mathematics, or physics.
A free elective is any course offered at RHIT.

Course by Subjects		Hours
Physics Course work Physics Electives* Chemistry and Mathematics Course work Mathematics Electives* Humanities and Social Science (Standard requirement) Technical Electives† Free Electives†† Miscellaneous and OE450††† Total		56 12 35 8 36 20 16 9 192

*Listed below are the PH elective courses, from which a physics major is required to take 12 hours.

Course	Course Title	Hours
EP 280 EP 380 OE 172 OE 280 OE 360 OE 393 OE 480 OE 485 OE 495 PH 230 PH 265 PH 270 PH 290, 490 PH 302 PH 310 PH 322 PH 330 PH 402 PH 404 EP 406 PH 407 EP 408 PH 437 PH 440 PH 460 PH 470	Introduction to Nano-engineering Nanotechnology, Entrepreneurship and Ethics Optics and Technology Paraxial Optics Opto-mechanics and Optical Materials Fiber Optics and Applications Lens Design and Aberrations Electro-Optics and Applications Optical Metrology Intro to Astronomy and Astrophysics Fundamentals of Nuclear Physics Special Topics in Physics Directed Research Biophysics Intro to Relativity Celestial Mechanics and Solar System Physics Material Failure Introduction to Atomic Physics Acoustics Semiconductor Devices and Fabrication Solid State Physics Microsensors Introduction to Image Processing X-rays and Crystalline Materials Directed Study Special Topics in Physics	4 4 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Arranged Arranged 4 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 (Arranged) (Arranged)
PH497,498,499 Senior Thesis+		(Arranged)
+Students wanting to pursue the Senior Thesis option must find a faculty advisor (from the Physics and Optical Engineering Faculty) by the Fall Term of their Senior Year. At that time, the thesis topic should be decided and the research plan developed. Students in the thesis option should enroll in Senior Thesis courses for each of the three terms of their Senior Year (the number of credits will be determined with the guidance of the faculty thesis advisor). Students working on a Senior Thesis will present their thesis near the end of the Spring Term of their Senior Year.

**Math and Chemistry Courses:

Course	Course Title	Hours
MA 111 MA 112 MA 113 MA 221 MA 222 MA 371 CHEM 105 CHEM 107 Total	Calculus I Calculus II Calculus III Diff. Eq. I Diff. Eq. II Linear Algebra Engineering Chemistry I Engineering Chemistry II	5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 35

***Listed below are the mathematics elective courses, of which a physics major must choose two, or have the consent of the advisor to take any other mathematics courses.

Course	Course Title	Hours
MA 336 MA 330 MA 367 MA 433	Boundary Value Problems Vector Calculus Functions of a Complex Variable Numerical Analysis	4 4 4 4

†Twenty credits of technical electives are required for a physics major, of which at least eight must be in courses other than physics courses (cannot include ECE340).

††A physics major may take sixteen credit hours of free electives, which may include any of the electives mentioned above or any other course offered at RHIT.

†††Miscellaneous Courses

Course	Course Title	Hours
CLSK 100 EM 104 OE 450 Total	College and Life Skills Graph Comm. Laser System and Applications Computing Elective	1 2 4 2 9

Area Minor Programs
The course requirements and advisors for Area Minors in Physics, Astronomy, Solid State Physics/Materials Science, and Optical Engineering are listed below. Successful completion of an Area Minor is indicated on the student’s grade transcript. A student interested in pursuing an Area Minor should consult with the appropriate advisor.

Area Minor in Physics
Eligibility: Students in any major degree program except for Physics and Engineering Physics

Advisors: all Physics and Optical Engineering faculty members.

Required courses:

	Course	Course Title	Hours
	PH 314 PH 325	Theoretical Mechanics I Advanced Laboratory I	4 4

Plus three of:

	Course	Course Title	Hours
	PH 292* PH 310 PH 315 PH 316** PH 327 PH 401	Physical Optics Introduction to Relativity Theoretical Mechanics II Electric and Magnetic Fields Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics Quantum Mechanics	4 4 4 4 4 4

Students majoring in Optical Engineering may not count PH292 for the minor requirements. Such students may substitute here any PH course numbered 300 or greater which is not a named requirement for the OE major. *ECE340 may be substituted here for students who take it as part of their major degree requirements.

An Area Minor Completion Form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office in order for the Area Minor to be posted on your official transcript. The forms are available in the Physics and Optical Engineering Departmental Office, CL106.

Area Minor in Astronomy
Eligibility: Students in any major degree program

Advisors: Drs. Ditteon, Duree, Kirkpatrick, McInerney and Syed

Required Courses

Course	Course Title	Hours
PH 231	Observational Astronomy	2
PH 241	Physics of Stars	4
PH 250	Planets and Galaxies	4
It is recommended, but not required, that the required courses be taken in the order listed above. Plus eight hours of:
PH 270	Special Topics in Physics	2
PH 310	Introduction to Special Relativity	2
PH 322	Celestial Mechanics	4
PH 460	Directed Study	1
PH 470	Special Topics in Physics	2
PH 290/490	Directed Research	1

The optional courses must be on a topic approved by one of the astronomy advisors.

Normally, only one credit of directed research or directed study is taken each quarter. Directed study and directed research may be repeated (4 hours maximum) and must be on a topic approved by one of the astronomy advisors.

In order to have the area minor posted to your transcript you must submit an area minor completion form to the registrar. Forms are available in the Physics and Optical Engineering office.

Area Minor in Solid State Physics/Materials Science
Eligibility: Students in any degree program, except students who are working for the Semiconductor Materials and Devices Certificate.

Advisors: Dr. Bunch, Dr. McInerney, Dr. Moloney, Dr. Siahmakoun, Dr. Syed, Dr. Wagner

Required courses:

	Course	Description	Hours
	PH 405	Semiconductor Materials and Applications	4
	EP 406	Semiconductor Devices and Fabrication	4
	ME 328/CHE 315	Materials Engineering/Material Science & Engineering	4

Plus at least two of:

	Course	Description	Hours
	OE 360	Opto-mechanics and Optical Materials	4
	PH 330	Material Failure	4
	PH 407	Solid State Physics	4
	EP 408	Microsensors	4
	PH 440	X-Rays and Crystalline Materials	4
	PH 490/ME 490	Directed Research	4
	ME 408	Heat Transfer	4
	ME 417	Advanced Materials Engineering	4

An Area Minor Completion Form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office in order for the Area Minor to be posted on your Official Transcript. The forms are available in the Physics and Optical Engineering Departmental Office, CL106.

Area Minor in Optical Engineering
Eligibility: Students in any degree program, except Optical Engineering.

Advisors: Drs. Bunch, Ditteon, Duree, Granieri, Joenathan, Lepkowicz, Siahmakoun, Wagner, F. Berry, and Black.

Required courses:

	Course	Description	Hours
	OE 280 PH 292 OE 295	Paraxial Optics Physical Optics Optical Systems	4 4 4

	*Plus at least two courses from one of the areas listed below:**

Lens Design Area
	OE 360 OE 415 OE 480 OE 490	Optical Materials and Opto-mechanics Optical Engineering Design I Lens Design and Aberrations Directed Research (4 Credits Only)	4 4 4 4

Photonics/Electro-optics Area
	Course	Description	Hours
	OE 360 OE 415 OE 450 OE 485 OE 490 OE 493	Optical Materials and Opto-mechanics Optical Engineering Design I Laser Systems and Applications Electro-optics and Applications Directed Research (4 Credits Only) Fundamentals of Optical Fiber Communications	4 4 4 4 4 4

Image Processing Area
	Course	Description	Hours
	OE 360	Optical Materials and Opto-mechanics
	OE 415 OE 490	Optical Engineering Design I Directed Research (4 Credits Only)	4 4
	PH 437/ECE 480 Introduction to Image Processing PH 537/ECE 582 Advanced Image Processing		4 4

Area Minor in ECE
Eligibility: Only students in Physics and Optical Engineering

Advisors: Physics and Optical Engineering faculty and Electrical and Computer Engineering faculty

Course Number	Course Title	Credits
ECE 203 Required ECE 204 Required	DC Circuits AC Circuits	4 4
ECE 205 ECE 300 ECE 310 ECE 380	Dynamical Systems Continuous-Time Signals and Systems Communication Systems Discrete-Time Signals and Systems	4 4 4 4

To see the complete list of optional courses available for this minor, please see the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Area Minor Listing. Taking courses other than the ones listed here may require the student to take additional courses to fulfill the prerequisites for the other courses.

An Area Minor Completion Form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office in order for the Area Minor to be posted on your Official Transcript. The forms are available in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Departmental Office.

Also see Certificate Program in Semiconductor Materials and Devices

You may view all information regarding Physics and Optical Engineering at our web site: http://www.rose-hulman.edu/Class/phoe