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Physics Major, with Teacher Certification in Physics (Preschool-Grade 12) (B.S.) - Undergraduate - 2009 University Catalog

Students who wish to pursue P-12 teacher certification must apply to and be admitted to the Teacher Education Program. Please visit the Teacher Education Program Web site for the required professional sequence of courses and other important program requirements, guidelines, and procedures. Students are strongly advised to review the Teacher Education Program Handbook. Students majoring in physics have two teacher certification options to choose from – Physical Science or Physics – and should consult with an advisor to determine which certification program they wish to complete. Physics majors, with some additional chemistry courses, can qualify for Physical Science Teacher Certification. Courses specific to the Physics teacher certification program are listed below.

Teacher Education Sequence (42 s.h.)
To be eligible for admission to the Teacher Education Program, a student must have a minimum 2.50 GPA in physics major and collateral courses and have successfully completed 12 semester hours or more of physics major courses. In addition, in order to remain in the Teacher Education Program students must maintain a 2.75 overall GPA and 2.5 GPA in the major.

PHYSICS TEACHER EDUCATION MAJOR

Complete 65 semester hours including the following 3 requirement(s):

  1. PHYSICS REQUIRED COURSES

    Complete the following 6 courses for 24 semester hours:

    PHYS 191 University Physics I 4
    PHYS 192 University Physics II 4
    PHYS 210 Mechanics 4
    PHYS 240 Electricity and Magnetism 4
    PHYS 350 Optics 4
    PHYS 460 Modern Physics 4

  2. PHYSICS ELECTIVE COURSES

    Complete at least 14 semester hours from the following:

    GEOS 112 Physical Geology 4
    PHYS 242 Circuit Theory 3
    PHYS 245 Electronics and Digital Circuits 3
    PHYS 247 Microprocessors and Their Applications 3
    PHYS 280 Astronomy 4
    PHYS 310 Advanced Mechanics 3
    PHYS 320 Thermodynamics 3
    PHYS 340 Advanced Electricity and Magnetism 3
    PHYS 377 Mathematical Physics 3
    PHYS 430 Computer Simulations of Physical Systems 3
    PHYS 462 Nuclear Physics 4
    PHYS 464 Quantum Mechanics 3
    PHYS 468 Fluid Mechanics 3
    PHYS 470 Solid State Physics 3
    PHYS 490 Literature Research in Physics 2
    PHYS 495 Laboratory Research in Physics 1-4

  3. PHYSICS COLLATERAL COURSES

    Complete the following 7 courses for 27 semester hours:

    CHEM 120 General Chemistry I 4
    CHEM 121 General Chemistry II 4
    CMPT 183 Foundations of Computer Science I 3
    MATH 122 Calculus I 4
    MATH 221 Calculus II 4
    MATH 222 Calculus III 4
    MATH 420 Ordinary Differential Equations 4

Course Descriptions:

CHEM120: General Chemistry I

Introductory lecture and laboratory course for science majors, prerequisite for all advanced chemistry courses. Introduction to atomic and molecular structure, bonding, stoichiometry, states of matter, solutions, and selected topics in descriptive inorganic chemistry. Laboratory stresses techniques and data treatment and their use in examining chemical systems. Meets the 1983 General Education Requirement (GER) - Natural/Physical Science, Laboratory or Non-Laboratory Science. 4 sh.

Prerequisites: One year of high school chemistry.

CHEM121: General Chemistry II

Introductory lecture and laboratory course for science majors, prerequisite for all advanced chemistry courses. Introduction to thermochemistry, kinetics; general acid base, precipitation, redox equilibria, electrochemistry and selected topics in descriptive inorganic chemistry. Laboratory stresses techniques and data treatment and their use in examining chemical systems. 4 sh.

Prerequisites: CHEM 120.

CMPT183: Foundations of Computer Science I

Basic theory of digital computers. Syntax and semantics of a programming language. Algorithms: logic, design, testing and documentation. Meets the 1983 General Education Requirement (GER) - Mathematics, Computer Science. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: MATH 100, MATH 112, MATH 114, MATH 116, MATH 122 or MATH 221.

GEOS112: Physical Geology

Materials of the earth; landforms and structures; the processes and agents responsible for their formation and modification. Modern tectonic concepts. Topographic and geologic maps. Required field trips. Not open to students who have had Principles Of Geology. Meets Gen Ed 2002 - Natural/Physical Science Laboratory. Meets the 1983 General Education Requirement (GER) - Natural/Physical Science, Laboratory or Non-Laboratory Science. 4 sh.

Prerequisites: Not open to students who have had Principles of Geology.

MATH122: Calculus I

Limits, continuity; derivative and differentiation; applications of the derivative, maxima, minima, and extreme considerations; antiderivatives; Riemann integral. Meets the 1983 General Education Requirement (GER) - Mathematics, Mathematics. 4 sh.

Prerequisites: MATH 111 or MATH 112 or placement through the Montclair State University Placement Test (MSUPT) or a satisfactory score on department's Calculus Readiness Test. (Students who did not satisfy the course prerequisite at MSU and students who received a grade of D-, D, or D+ in the prerequisite course taken at MSU are required to demonstrate competency on the department's Calculus Readiness Test.)

MATH221: Calculus II

Riemann integral applications, transcendental functions, techniques of integration, improper integrals, L'Hospital's rule, infinite series. Meets the 1983 General Education Requirement (GER) - Mathematics, Mathematics. 4 sh.

Prerequisites: MATH 122.

MATH222: Calculus III

Vector algebra; partial differentiation, and extreme considerations; polar, cylindrical, and spherical coordinates, multiple integration; introduction to line integrals. 4 sh.

Prerequisites: MATH 221.

MATH420: Ordinary Differential Equations

A course in the theory and applications of ordinary differential equations which emphasizes qualitative aspects of the subject. Topics include analytic and numerical solution techniques for linear and nonlinear systems, graphical analysis, existence-uniqueness theory, bifurcation analysis, and advanced topics. Prerequisite: MATH 335. 4 sh.

Prerequisites: MATH 335.

PHYS191: University Physics I

This one-semester calculus-based course including laboratory is a study of the principles of physics and some applications to society's problems. Topics covered include mechanics, thermodynamics, fluids, and harmonic motion. Meets the 1983 General Education Requirement (GER) - Natural/Physical Science, Laboratory or Non-Laboratory Science. 4 sh.

Prerequisites: MATH 122 is prerequisite or co-requisite.

PHYS192: University Physics II

Calculus-based course. Study of some principles of physics and some applications to society's problems. Topics include: wave motion, sound and noise pollution, optics, electricity, lasers, nuclear theory, radiation, nuclear reactors, waste disposal. Meets the 1983 General Education Requirement (GER) - Natural/Physical Science, Laboratory or Non-Laboratory Science. 4 sh.

Prerequisites: MATH 221 is prerequisite or corequisite.

PHYS210: Mechanics

Classical mechanics: Kinematics, Newton's laws, impulse and momentum, statics, work and energy, oscillations, general motion, central force motion, non-inertial frames, system of particles, methods of handling data. 4 sh.

Prerequisites: PHYS 191.

PHYS240: Electricity and Magnetism

Basic principles of electromagnetism: Coulomb's law and general techniques in electrostatics, currents and their associated magnetic field, electromagnetic induction and magnetic properties of materials. Foundations of Maxwell's equations (without detailed solutions). Laboratory experiments. 4 sh.

Prerequisites: PHYS 192. MATH 222 is a prerequisite or corequisite.

PHYS242: Circuit Theory

Introduces basic methods in circuit analysis and design. Topics include linear electric circuits and their response, circuit theorems, filters, Fourier analysis of different inputs and outputs, and transmission lines. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: PHYS 192 or PHYS 194 and MATH 221.

PHYS245: Electronics and Digital Circuits

An introduction to the principles of amplifiers, waveform generators, and digital circuits, with emphasis on the use of commonly available integrated circuit packages. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: PHYS 192 or 194.

PHYS247: Microprocessors and Their Applications

One semester course providing an introduction to the principles, operations and applications of microprocessors including experiment control and data manipulation. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: PHYS 192 or 194.

PHYS280: Astronomy

Application of physical laws to the earth as a planet; nature of the other planets; orbital motion and space flight; origin of the solar system; the birth, life and death of a star galactic structure; and cosmology. Meets the University Writing Requirement for PHAS and PHYS majors. 4 sh.

Prerequisites: PHYS 191, 192 or PHYS 193, 194.

PHYS310: Advanced Mechanics

Classical mechanics; transformations, oscillators, generalized motion; Lagrange's equations; Hamilton's equation; small oscillations; wave propagation. (Offered alternate years.) Meets the University Writing Requirement for PHYS majors. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: MATH 222, and 420, and PHYS 210.

PHYS320: Thermodynamics

Thermodynamic systems; laws of thermodynamics; entropy; kinetic theory; transport processes; statistical thermodynamics. (Offered alternate years.) 3 sh.

Prerequisites: MATH 222 and PHYS 210.

PHYS340: Advanced Electricity and Magnetism

Dielectric materials; image calculations; Laplace's equation; magnetic materials and flux; A.C. networks; nonsinusoidal AC; transients and pulses; electromagnetic radiation. (Offered alternate years.) 3 sh.

Prerequisites: MATH 420.

PHYS350: Optics

Propagation of light, optical components, instruments and photometry. Interference, diffraction and polarization with elements of spectroscopy. (Offered alternate years.) Meets the University Writing Requirement for PHAS, PHPS, PHYE and PHYS majors. 4 sh.

Prerequisites: PHYS 240.

PHYS377: Mathematical Physics

Vector analysis, complex variables, ordinary and partial differential equations, matrices. (Not offered every year.) 3 sh.

Prerequisites: 2 years of physics and MATH 222.

PHYS430: Computer Simulations of Physical Systems

This course applies computer techniques and numerical analysis to model physical systems. Simulations and calculations will be done of falling bodies, gravitational orbits, scattering, oscillations, electrical circuits, molecular dynamics, Monte Carlo techniques, chaos, and quantum systems. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: MATH 221, PHYS 191, PHYS 192, and CMPT 183.

PHYS460: Modern Physics

Special relativity, kinetic theory of matter; quantization of electricity, light and energy; nuclear atom; elementary quantum mechanics and topics on solid state. (Offered alternate years.) 4 sh.

Prerequisites: PHYS 210, 240.

PHYS462: Nuclear Physics

Nuclear radiation; radioactive decay; detectors; nuclear spectroscopy and reactions; theories and models; fission, fusion, reactors; and application of radioisotopes. (Offered alternate years.) Meets the University Writing Requirement for PHYS majors. 4 sh.

Prerequisites: PHYS 210, 240.

PHYS464: Quantum Mechanics

Shroedinger's wave equation, its application and interpretation; Pauli exclusion principle and spectra. (Offered alternate years.) 3 sh.

Prerequisites: PHYS 460.

PHYS468: Fluid Mechanics

Mechanics of continuous media, liquids and gases; stress, viscosity, Navier-Stokes and Euler Equations, exact solutions, potential flow, circulation and vorticity, dimensional analysis and asymptotic models, boundary layers, stability theory and applications to industrial and environmental problems. Cross listed with MATH 468. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: PHYS 210 or MATH 222.

PHYS470: Solid State Physics

Properties of solid state matter are developed from the quantum mechanics of atoms and molecules. (Not offered every year.) 3 sh.

Prerequisites: PHYS 460.

PHYS490: Literature Research in Physics

Student considers topics in physics and gains facility in literature research techniques: topics in pure physics or related to physics education. Students intending to enroll in laboratory research in physics should use PHYS 490 to provide the literature research related to his/her laboratory problem. (Not offered every year.) 2 sh.

Prerequisites: At least 16 credit hours of physics beyond PHYS 192.

PHYS495: Laboratory Research in Physics

Solution of a laboratory problem research in pure physics or in physics education. Written report required. (Not offered every year.) 1 - 4 sh.

Prerequisites: At least 16 credit hours of physics beyond PHYS 192.