Physics, BS

Requirements for Students Matriculating in or before Academic Year 2024-2025. Learn more about University Academic Regulation 3.1.

Minimum Overall Grade Point Average: 2.00
Total Hours: 120

General Education Requirements
English Composition
See Academic Regulation 3.5
ENGL 1113Composition I3
or ENGL 1313 Critical Analysis and Writing I
Select one of the following:3
Composition II
Critical Analysis and Writing II
Technical Writing
American History & Government
HIST 1103Survey of American History3
or HIST 1483 American History to 1865 (H)
or HIST 1493 American History Since 1865 (DH)
POLS 1113American Government3
Analytical & Quantitative Thought (A)
MATH 2144Calculus I (A) 14
MATH 2153Calculus II (A) 13
Humanities (H)
Courses designated (H)6
Natural Sciences (N)
Must include one Laboratory Science (L) course
CHEM 1314Chemistry I (LN) 14
Course designated (N)2
Social & Behavioral Sciences (S)
Courses designated (S)3
Additional General Education
Courses designated (A), (H), (N), or (S)6
Hours Subtotal40
Diversity (D) & International Dimension (I)
May be completed in any part of the degree plan
Select at least one Diversity (D) course
Select at least one International Dimension (I) course
College/Departmental Requirements
First Year Seminar
(Transfer students with 15 hours exempt)1
Arts & Humanities
PHIL 3933Creation and Evolution3
Natural & Mathematical Sciences
CHEM 1515Chemistry II (LN)5
PHYS 2014University Physics I (LN)4
Foreign Language
0-6 hours. See note 3
Upper-Division General Education
Select 6 hours outside major department. See note 2.c.
Hours Subtotal13
Major Requirements
Minimum GPA 2.00 with a minimum grade of “C” in each course
Core Requirements
PHYS 2114University Physics II (LN)4
PHYS 2203University Physics III3
PHYS 3013Mechanics I3
PHYS 3323Modern Laboratory Methods I3
PHYS 3513Mathematical Physics3
PHYS 3623Modern Laboratory Methods II3
PHYS 3713Modern Physics3
PHYS 4113Electricity and Magnetism3
PHYS 4513Introductory Quantum Mechanics3
PHYS 4712Senior Project2
PHYS 4813Electromagnetic Radiation3
MATH 2163Calculus III3
MATH 2233Differential Equations3
Additional Requirements
Select 9 upper-division hours in Physics or Astronomy9
Select 6 upper-division hours from: BIOL, CS, ENSC, GEOL, MAE, MATH, MEEN, PHIL6
Hours Subtotal54
Electives
Select 13 hours13
May need to include 6 hours of a foreign language (see note 3)
May need to include 6 hours upper-division general education outside major department (see note 2.c.)
MATH 1513 and MATH 1813 required for students who do not place directly into MATH 2144.
Suggested electives: ASTR, CS, and MATH
Hours Subtotal13
Total Hours120
1

College and Departmental Requirements that may be used to meet General Education Requirements.

Other Requirements

  • See the College of Arts and Sciences Requirements.
  • Upper-Division Credit: Total hours must include at least 40 hours in courses numbered 3000 or above.

College of Arts and Sciences Requirements

  1. Hours in One Department: For B.A. and B.S. degrees, no more than 54 hours in one department may be required to meet degree requirements. Courses used to satisfy the General Education English Composition, U.S. History, American Government, and Mathematics or Statistics requirements will not count toward the 54-hour maximum required from one department.
  2. A&S College/Departmental Requirements
    1. Arts and Humanities are defined as any course carrying an (H) designation or courses from AMST, ART, DANC, ENGL (except ENGL 3323 Technical Writing) HIST, MUSI, PHIL (except PHIL 1313 Logic and Critical Thinking (A), PHIL 3003 Symbolic Logic (A) and PHIL 4003 Mathematical Logic and Computability), REL, TH, and foreign languages.
    2. Natural and Mathematical Sciences are defined as any course from the following prefixes: ASTR, BIOC, BIOL, CHEM, CS (except CS 4883 Social Issues in Computing), GEOL, MATH, MICR, PBIO, PHYS, and STAT; or courses from other departments that carry an (A) or (N) general education designation.
    3. Six upper-division hours are required from General Education or any CAS courses outside the student’s major department. This requirement may be satisfied by courses also used to satisfy any part of a student’s degree program (i.e., in General Education, College Departmental Requirements, Major Requirements or Electives).
    4. Non-Western Studies Requirement for B.A. and B.F.A.; One course in Non-Western Studies (N.W.). This requirement may be satisfied by courses also used to satisfy any part of a student's degree program (i.e., in General Education, College Departmental Requirements, Major Requirements or Electives).
    5. The College of Arts & Sciences requires a minimum 2.0 GPA in all major requirements and a minimum 2.0 GPA in all major-prefix courses applied to the degree.
  3. Foreign Language Proficiency
    1. The foreign language requirement for the B.A. may be satisfied by 9 hours college credit in the same language, which must include 3 hours at the 2000-level, or equivalent proficiency (e.g., passing an advanced standing examination; TOEFL exam; presenting a high school transcript which demonstrates the high school was primarily conducted in a language other than English; etc.). Computer Science courses may not be used to satisfy this requirement. Currently Arabic and Mvskoke are not offered at the 2000-level at OSU.
    2. The foreign language requirement for the B.S., B.M. and B.F.A. may be satisfied by presenting a high school transcript which demonstrates two years of study of a single foreign language (passing grades at second-year level of study). It may also be satisfied by 6 hours college credit in the same language, which must include language courses 1713 and 1813, or equivalent proficiency (e.g., passing an advanced standing examination; TOEFL exam; presenting a high school transcript which demonstrates the high school was primarily conducted in a language other than English; etc.). Computer Science courses may not be used to satisfy this requirement.
    3. In addition to a. and b., students pursuing teacher certification must meet novice-high foreign language proficiency by presenting a high school transcript which demonstrates two years of study of a single foreign language with no grade below B. Or, students may complete 3 hours college credit in a single language with no grade below C (or pass an advanced standing examination, College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam, or Oral Proficiency Interview developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, equivalent to 3 hours of college credit.) Or, students may meet the requirement by transfer of documentation of meeting the foreign language competency from one of the teacher education programs in the State of Oklahoma approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
  4. Exclusions. Courses with ATHL or LEIS prefixes and leisure activity courses may not be used for degree credit.

Additional State/OSU Requirements

  • At least: 60 hours at a four-year institution; 30 hours completed at OSU; 15 of the final 30 or 50% of the upper-division hours in the major field completed at OSU.
  • Limit of: one-half of major course requirements as transfer work; one-fourth of hours earned by correspondence; 8 transfer correspondence hours.
  • Students will be held responsible for degree requirements in effect at the time of matriculation and any changes that are made, so long as these changes do not result in semester credit hours being added or do not delay graduation.
  • Degrees that follow this plan must be completed by the end of Summer 2030.

Finish in Four Plan of Study

The plan below is an example of how students can successfully complete degree requirements in four years. This suggested class schedule plan may be used as a guide and can be adjusted based on individual needs. Students are required to meet with an academic adviser prior to enrollment each semester to plan their class schedule, and students are ultimately responsible for completing all degree requirements.

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
FallHours
First Year Seminar 1
CHEM 1314 Chemistry I (LN) 4
MATH 2144 Calculus I (A) 4
General Education courses 5
 Hours14
Spring
MATH 2153 Calculus II (A) 3
PHYS 2014 University Physics I (LN) 4
General Education courses 9
 Hours16
Sophomore
Fall
MATH 2163 Calculus III 3
PHYS 2114 University Physics II (LN) 4
General Education courses 9
 Hours16
Spring
PHYS 2203 University Physics III 3
PHYS 3513 Mathematical Physics 3
MATH 2233 Differential Equations 3
College and Elective courses 6
 Hours15
Junior
Fall
PHYS 3013 Mechanics I 3
PHYS 3713 Modern Physics 3
PHYS 4113 Electricity and Magnetism 3
MATH 3013 Linear Algebra (A) (Recommended) 3
Major, College, and Elective courses 3
 Hours15
Spring
PHYS 4513 Introductory Quantum Mechanics 3
PHYS 4813 Electromagnetic Radiation 3
Major, College, and Elective courses 9
 Hours15
Senior
Fall
PHYS 3323 Modern Laboratory Methods I 3
Major, College, and Elective courses 12
 Hours15
Spring
PHYS 3623 Modern Laboratory Methods II 3
PHYS 4712 Senior Project 2
Major, College, and Elective courses 9
 Hours14
 Total Hours120
1

Speak with academic advisor about saving General Education electives and Humanities (H) for Upper-division courses with International (I) and Diversity (D) dimensions.