Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology-Catalog

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	112 112 201 100	Physics II............................... Calculus II............................. Engineering Chemistry I..... Comp. Elective*....................	4 5 4 2-4
15 or 17

Spring Term		Credit
PH MA CHEM HSS RH	113 113 202 131	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 ................. Free 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 Devices I .....................	4 4 4 4
			16

Winter Term		Credit
PH PH HSS	317 401	Electromagnetism ................ Intro Quantum Mechanics . Elective.................................. Technical Elective�...............	4 4 4 4
			16

Spring Term		Credit
PH HSS Math OE PH	325 450 327	Advanced Physics Lab I..... Elective.................................. Elective� or Laser Sys & App .......... Thermodynamics & Statistical Mechanics** or Free Elective�........................	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
Math OE PH	450 327	Elective�................................ or Laser Sys & App ................. Electives ................................ Thermodynamics & Statistical Mechanics** or Free Elective�........................	4 4 8 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
** Alternate year course and �L� denotes courses with laboratories
�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

1.	All the courses listed above by the number.
2.	The program must be approved by the advisor.
3.	Eight 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.
4.	Twenty credits of technical electives of which at least eight must be in courses other than physics courses (cannot include ECE340).
5.	Cross reference for the following courses:
	ECE340 and ECE341 for PH316 and PH317 ES202 for PH235
6.	Twenty credits of free electives (cannot include ECE340).
7.	Thirty-six credits of humanities or social sciences courses. The distribution of these courses must meet the requirements of the Department of Humanities, Social and Life Sciences.
8.	A technical elective is any RHIT course in chemistry, computer science, engineering, life sciences, mathematics, or physics
9.	A free elective is any course offered at RHIT except with MS or AS prefix.

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�� Total		56 8 39 8 36 20 20 9 192

*Listed below are the PH elective courses, from which a physics major is required to take 8 hours.

Course	Description	Hours
OE171 OE172 OE280 OE393 OE395 OE480 OE485 OE495 PH230 PH265 PH270 PH290, 490 PH302 PH310 PH314 PH322 PH327 PH330 PH402 PH404 PH406 PH407 PH408 PH437 PH440 PH460 PH470	Holography and Photography Optics and Technology Paraxial Optics Fiber Optics and Applications Optical Instrumentation 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 Theoretical Mechanics I Celestial Mechanics and Solar System Physics Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics Material Failure Introduction to Atomic Physics Acoustics Semiconductor Materials and Devices II Solid State Physics Microsensors Introduction to Image Processing X-rays and Crystalline Materials Directed Study Special Topics in Physics	2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Arranged Arranged 4 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 (Arranged) (Arranged)
PH497,498,499 Senior Thesis		(Arranged)

**Math and Chemistry Courses:

Course	Description	Hours
MA111 MA112 MA113 MA221 MA222 MA371 CHEM201 CHEM202 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 4 39

***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	Description	Hours
MA336 MA330 MA367 MA433	Boundary Value Problems Vector Calculus Functions of a Complex Variable Numerical Analysis	4 4 4 4

�Sixteen 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 twenty credit hours of free electives, which may include any of the electives mentioned above or any other course offered at RHIT. These electives may not be chosen from Military Science or Air Force Science areas.

��Miscellaneous Courses

Course	Description	Hours
CLSK100 EM104 OE450 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, Solid State Physics/Materials Science, Optical Engineering and Electronics 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)

Advisors: all Physics faculty members.

Required courses:

	Course	Description	Hours
	PH314 PH325	Theoretical Mechanics I Advanced Laboratory I	4 4

Plus three of:

	Course	Description	Hours
	PH292* PH310 PH315 PH316** PH327 PH401	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.

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 Astronomy
(Eligibility: students in any major degree program)
Advisors: Drs. Ditteon, Duree, Kirkpatrick, and Syed

Required Courses
PH 230 Introduction to Astronomy and Astrophysics 4
PH 240 Planetary Science and Cosmology 4
PH 310 Introduction to Relativity 2
PH 322 Celestial Mechanics 4
Plus four hours of:

PH 270 Special Topics in Physics 2
PH 290 Directed Research 2
PH 460 Directed Study 4
PH 470 Special Topics in Physics 4
PH 490 Directed Research 4

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

Area Minor in Solid State Physics/Materials Science
(Eligibility: students in any degree program)

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

Required courses:

	Course	Description	Hours
	PH405 PH406	Physics of Solid State Devices Solid State Physics	4 4
	ME328/CHE315 Materials Engineering/Material Science & Engineering		4

Plus at least two of:

	Course	Description	Hours
	PH330 PH407 PH408 PH440	Material Failure Low Temperature Physics Microsensors X-Rays and Crystalline Materials	4 4 4 4
	PH490/ME490 Directed Research		4
	ME302 ME417	Heat Transfer Advanced Materials Engineering	4 4

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

Advisors: Drs. Bunch, Ditteon, Duree, Joenathan, Siahmakoun, Wagner, Berry (ECE), and Ferguson (ECE).

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
	Course	Description	Hours
	OE 415 OE 416 OE 480 OE 490	Optical Engineering Design I Optical Engineering Design II Lens Design and Aberrations Directed Research	4 4 4 4

Photonics/Electro-optics Area
	Course	Description	Hours
	OE 415 OE 416 PH 450 OE 485 OE 490 OE 493	Optical Engineering Design I Optical Engineering Design II Laser Systems and Applications Electro-optics and Applications Directed Research Fiber Optics and Applications	4 4 4 4 4 4

Image Processing Area
	Course	Description	Hours
	OE 415 OE 416 OE 490	Optical Engineering Design I 4 Optical Engineering Design II 4 Directed Research	4 4 4
	PH 437/ECE480 Introduction to Image Processing PH 537/ECE582 Advanced Image Processing		4 4

In order to have the area minor posted to your transcripts you must submit an area-minor completion form to the registrar. Forms are available in the Physics and Optical Engineering office (CL106).

Area Minor in ECE
(Eligibility: Only students in Physics.)

Advisors: Physics faculty and ECE faculty

Required courses:

	Course	Description	Hours
	ES 203 ECE 200 ECE 300 ECE 380 ECE 310 ECE 314	Electrical Systems Circuits and Systems Signals and Systems Discrete Time and Continuous Systems Communication Systems Wireless Systems	4 4 4 4 4 4

Area Minor in Electronics
(Eligibility: only students in Physics or Optical Engineering degree programs)

Advisors: Drs. Ditteon, Joenathan, Kirkpatrick, McInerney, Moloney, Syed, Wagner

Required courses:

	Course	Description	Hours
	ECE130 ECE200 ECE300 ECE330	Introduction to Logic Design Circuits and Systems Signals and Systems Digital Design Lab	4 4 4 4

Plus at least one of:

	Course	Description	Hours
	ECE 310 ECE 333 ECE 341 ECE 350 ECE 380 ECE 410 ECE 430 PH 408	Communication Systems Digital Systems Electromagnetic Waves Electronics and Interfacing Discrete Time and Continuous Systems Computer Networks Microcomputers Microsensors	4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

If any one of these courses is a named requirement for the degree program, then another course from the above list must be substituted. Five courses over and above the named requirements for the major are required to earn this area minor.

In order to have the area minor posted to your transcripts you must submit an area-minor completion form to the registrar. Forms are available in the Physics and Optical Engineering office (CL106).

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