The Department of Physics and Optical Engineering has provided both science and engineering foundation at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology through its physics and optics engineering programs. Physics is the foundation subject to all engineering and through the study in engineering physics we aim at blending a strong physics component with relevant engineering backgrounds that are usually necessary to work in areas such as semiconductor, optical technologies, biomedical applications, mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering, and polymer and biochemistry. The students will get their traditional undergraduate engineering education that has a broad foundation in mathematics, engineering sciences and technology. This program emphasizes problem solving skills and an understanding of engineering design to address the needs and challenges of the technology age and allow students to take a broad range of engineering careers.
Engineering Physics at Rose-Hulman will provide students with a unique opportunity to learn the foundation concepts of physics and make a concentrated study in micro and nano technology. Engineering physicist will be able to apply both scientific and engineering approaches to a wide variety of problems which otherwise is not possible with any traditional engineering or science degree. Rose-Hulman’s engineering physics graduates will be trained to take up challenging jobs in engineering and development of new technologies or to pursue further studies in engineering or physics.
Mission: To provide a coherent foundation of physics for all majors and a strong foundation of physics, engineering physics and optical engineering for our majors so that all students can acquire education appropriate to their majors. The engineering disciplines of optical engineering and engineering physics enable students to practice in their dynamic and progressive engineering professional careers with responsibility to society.
Vision: To cultivate in the students responsibility, independence, and knowledge that allows them to be fully engaged in all disciplines, to continuously improve the curriculum, and to be engaged in professional development.
EP Program Educational Objectives
EP Student Learning Outcomes
| Outcome A: | Knowledge of the Fundamentals: An understanding of the fundamentals of science and engineering. |
| Outcome B1: | Interpreting Data: Ability to interpret graphical, numerical, and textual data. |
| Outcome B2: | System Level Modeling: Ability to model components and system level engineering problems. |
| Outcome B3: | Experimentation: Ability to design and conduct experiments to understand the relationships between variables in a problem which may or may not have been mathematically modeled before. |
| Outcome C: | Design: Ability to design a product or process to satisfy client's needs subject to constraints. |
| Outcome D: | Team work and Deliverables: Ability to work in teams and understand the effective team dynamics and be able to deliver a product. |
| Outcome E: | Problem Solving: Ability to apply relevant scientific and engineering principles to solve real world engineering problems. |
| Outcome F: | Professional Practice and Ethics: Sound understanding of what a Materials professional is, and an awareness and understanding of professional ethics. |
| Outcome G: | Communication: Ability to communicate effectively in oral, written and visual forms. |
| Outcome H: | Contemporary issues, non-technical issues, global awareness: An awareness of contemporary and non-technical issues in engineering profession and the role of professionals in an interdependent global society. |
| Outcome I: | Life Long Learning: A facility for independent learning and continued professional development. |
ENGINEERING PHYSICS (Micro-Nano)
| Freshman Year | ||
| Fall Term | Credit | |
| PH 111 | Physics I | 4 |
| MA 111 | Calculus I | 5 |
| CLSK 100 | College & Life Skills | 1 |
|
RH 131 |
Rhetoric and Composition | 4 |
| EM 104 | Graphical Communications | 2 |
| Total | 16 | |
| Winter Term | Credit | |
| PH 112 | Physics II | 4 |
| MA 112 | Calculus II | 5 |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
|
CSSE 120 ME 123 |
Introduction to Software Development or Computer Applications I |
4 |
| Total | 17 | |
| Spring Term | Credit | |
| PH 113 | Physics III | 4 |
| MA 113 | Calculus III | 5 |
| CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| OE 172 | Optics in Technology* | 2 |
| EM 103 | Introduction to Design** | 2 |
| Total | 17* |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Fall Term | Credit | |
| ES 201 |
Conservation and Accounting Principles |
4 |
| PH 235 | Many Particle Physics | 4 |
| MA 211 | Differential Equations | 4 |
| PH 292 | Physical Optics | 4 |
| Total | 16 | |
| Winter Term | Credit | |
| EP 280 | Intro to Nano Engineering | 4 |
| PH 255 |
Foundations of Modern Physics |
4 |
| MA 212 |
Matrix Algebra and Systems of Differential Equations |
4 |
| ES 202 | Fluid & Thermal Systems | 3 |
| Total | 15 | |
| Spring Term | Credit | |
| HSS | Elective | 4 |
| OE 295 | Optical Systems | 4 |
| SV 151 | Principles of Economics | 4 |
| ES 203 | Electrical Systems | 4 |
| Total | 16 |
| Junior Year | ||
| Fall Term | Credit | |
| PH 316 | Electric and Magnetic Fields | 4 |
| HSS | Elective | 4 |
| PH 405 |
Semiconductor Materials and Applications |
4 |
| MA 223 | Engineering Statistics I | 4 |
| Total | 16 | |
| Winter Term | Credit | |
| HSS | Elective | 4 |
| PH 317 | Electromagnetism | 4 |
| RH 330 |
Technical and Professional Communication. |
4 |
| EP 406 |
Semiconductor Devices and Fabrication |
4 |
| Total | 16 | |
| Spring Term | Credit | |
| EP 380 |
Nanotechnology, Entrepreneurship and Ethics |
4 |
| EP 410 | Intro to MEMS | 4 |
| EP 415 |
Engineering Physics Project I |
4 |
|
EP 408 |
Engineering Elective or Microsensors |
4 |
| Total | 16 |
| Senior Year | ||
| Fall Term | Credit | |
| EP 416 |
Engineering Physics Project II |
4 |
| EP 411 | Advanced topics in MEMS | 4 |
| OE 495 | Optical Metrology | 4 |
| Engineering Elective | 4 | |
| Total | 16 | |
| Winter Term | Credit | |
| EP 417 |
Engineering Physics Project III |
4 |
| HSS | Elective | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | |
| PH 401 | Intro Quantum Mechanics | 4 |
| Total | 16 | |
| Spring Term | Credit | |
| HSS | Elective | 4 |
| HSS | Elective | 4 |
| Science Elective | 4 | |
EP 408 |
Engineering Elective or Microsensors |
4 |
| Total | 16 | |
| Total credits required: | 193 |
| Subjects | #Classes | Hours |
| Physics(PH) | 10 | 40 |
| Math(MA) | 6 | 27 |
| Chemistry(CHEM) | 2 | 8 |
| Computer Science(CSSE)/ME | 1/0 or 0/1 | 4 |
| EM | 2 | 4 |
| CLSK | 1 | 1 |
| Engineering Science | 3 | 11 |
| Optical Engineering (OE) | 3 | 10 |
| HSS | 9 | 36 |
| Engineering Physics (EP) | 6 | 24 |
| Engineering Physics Project(EP) | 3 | 12 |
| Elective(Science, Eng. and Free) | 4 | 16 |
| Total | 50 | 193 |
| Classes by Subjects | Hours |
| Physics Coursework* | 40 |
| Chemistry and Mathematics Coursework** | 35 |
| Humanities and Social Science(Standard requirement) | 36 |
| Computer Science, EM, CLSK Courses | 9 |
| Engineering Science Classes | 11 |
| Other Engineering Classes (Optical) | 10 |
| EP Courses | 24 |
| EP Projects | 12 |
| Engineering Electives | 8 |
| Science and Free Electives | 8 |
| Total | 193 |
Foundation Physics Classes
| Course | Description | Hours |
| PH 235 | Many Particle Physics | 4 |
| PH 255 | Foundations of Modern Physics | 4 |
| PH 316 | Electric & Magnetic Fields | 4 |
| PH 317 | Electromagnetism | 4 |
| PH 401 | Introduction to Quantum Mechanics | 4 |
| Total | 20 |
General Foundation Classes
| Course | Description | Hours |
| PH 111 | Physics I | 4 |
| PH 112 | Physics II | 4 |
| PH 113 | Physics III | 4 |
| MA 111 | Calculus I | 5 |
| MA 112 | Calculus II | 5 |
| MA 113 | Calculus III | 5 |
| MA 211 | Differential Equations | 4 |
| MA 212 | Matrix Algebra and Systems of Differential Equations | 4 |
| MA 223 | Engineering Statistics | 4 |
| CHEM 105 | Engineering Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 107 | Engineering Chemistry II | 4 |
| Total | 47 |
Engineering Sciences Foundation
| Course | Description | Hours |
| EM 104 | Graphical Communications | 2 |
| OE 172 | Optics in Technology | 2 |
| ES 201 | Conservation and Accounting Principles | 4 |
| ES 202 | Fluids and Thermal Systems | 3 |
| ES 203 | Electrical Systems | 4 |
| EP 280 | Introduction to Nano-engineering | 4 |
| PH 292 | Physical Optics | 4 |
| OE 295 | Optical Systems | 4 |
| EP 380 | Nanotechnology, Entrepreneurship and Ethics | 4 |
| PH 405 | Semiconductor Materials and Applications | 4 |
| EP 406 | Semiconductor Devices and Fabrication | 4 |
| EP 410 | Introduction to MEMS; Fabrication and Applications | 4 |
| EP 411 | Advance Topics in MEMS | 4 |
| OE 495 | Optical Metrology | 4 |
| Engineering Elective | 8 | |
| CSSE 120/ME 123 | Computer Programming | 4 |
| Total | 67 |
Design Sequence
| Course | Description | Hours |
| EM 103 | Introduction to Design | 2 |
| EP 415 | Engineering Physics Projects I | 4 |
| EP 416 | Engineering Physics Projects II | 4 |
| EP 417 | Engineering Physics Projects III | 4 |
| Total | 14 |
Recommended Engineering Electives: Requires the approval of the advisor.
The EP advisory committee can modify this list and add more courses over time.
ECE 204 AC Circuits
ECE 205 Dynamic Systems
ECE 351 Analog Electronics
ME 424 Composite Materials & Mechanics
OE 485 Electro-Optics & Applications
OE 450 Laser Systems
ME 328 Engineering of Materials
CHE 315 Materials Science & Engineering
EP 440/407* Advanced Materials
* indicates a course that is under development.