Secondary Education - Physics (Geaux Teach)

Information on Courses for Non-Physics Majors: Dr. Dana Browne

Undergraduate Advisor for Physics Majors: Dr. David Young and Dr. Kenneth Matthews

Our Undergraduate Program is for students wishing to major in Physics and Astronomy, Medical and Health Physics, or who would like to minor in Physics. The usual course of study includes Calculus, General Physics including laboratory experiments in the first year. In the second year, courses in differential equations, modern physics, mechanics are suggested. In your junior and senior years, you can choose an area in which to concentrate - Physics, Minor in Physics, Astronomy, Medical/Health Physics, Secondary Education or Second Discipline.

Freshman (30 Semester Hours)

Fall Spring

PHYS 1201 General Physics for Physics Majors (4)

This is a General Education course. Prereq.: credit or registration in MATH 1550 or MATH 1551.
Primarily for students intending to major in physics. Credit will not be given for this course and PHYS 2001, PHYS 2110, PHYS 2112. 4 hrs. lecture/demonstration. Fundamentals of classical physics and some concepts of modern physics; calculus and vector analysis introduced and used in development of subject matter.

PHYS 1202 General Physics for Physics Majors (4)

This is a General Education course. Prereq.: PHYS 1201 and credit or registration in MATH 1552 or MATH 1553.
Primarily for students intending to major in physics. Credit will not be given for this course and PHYS 2002 or PHYS 2113. 4 hrs. lecture/demonstration. Fundamentals of classical physics and some concepts of modern physics; calculus and vector analysis introduced and used in development of subject matter.

PHYS 1208 General Physics for Laboratory Physics Majors (1)

Prereq.: credit or registration in PHYS 1201. Credit will not be given for this course and PHYS 2108. Laboratory to accompanyPHYS 1201.
3 hrs. lab.

PHYS 1209 General Physics Laboratory for Physics Majors (1)

Prereq.: credit or registration in PHYS 1202. Credit will not be given for this course and  PHYS 2109. Laboratory to accompanyPHYS 1202. 3 hrs. lab.

MATH 1550 Analytic Geometry and Calculus (5)

[LCCN: CMAT 2115, Calculus I] This is a General Education course. An honors course, MATH 1551, is also available. Prereq.:An appropriate ALEKS placement score. Credit will be given for only one of the following: MATH 1431, MATH 1550, MATH 1551.Limits, derivatives, and integrals of algebraic, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions, with applications. 

MATH 1552 Analytic Geometry and Calculus (4)

[LCCN: CMAT 2124, Calculus II] This is a General Education course. An honors course, MATH 1553, is also available. Prereq.:MATH 1550 or MATH 1551. Credit will not be given for both this course and MATH 1553 or MATH 1554. Techniques of integration, parameter equations, analytical geometry, polar coordinates, infinite series, vectors in low dimensions; introduction to differential equations and partial derivatives.

ENGL 1001 English Composition (3)

[LCCN: CENL 1013, English Composition I] This is a General Education course. Placement by department. Introduction to analytical writing and research-based inquiry.

Any 2000 level courses in English literature (3)

BASC 2010 Inquiry Approaches to Math and Science Teaching (1)

Introduction to the theory and practice of inquiry-based math and science instruction; design and execution of lesson plans in elementary school under guidance of course instructor and mentoring elementary school teacher.

Art (3) General education courses
  SCI 2011 (1)
Total: (14)  Total: (16)

 

Sophomore (32 Semester Hours)

Fall Spring

PHYS 2203 Introductory Modern Physics (3)

Prereq.: PHYS 1202 or PHYS 2112, PHYS 2113. Elementary modern physics; special relativity, wave/particle duality, quantum mechanics, hydrogen atom, many-electron atoms, nuclear structure elementary particles, solid state, astrophysics and cosmology.

PHYS 2221 Introduction to Mechanics (3)

Prereq.: MATH 2057; PHYS 1202 or both PHYS 2112 and PHYS 2113.
Basic concepts of mechanics with emphasis on corresponding mathematical techniques.

PHYS 2207 Introductory Modern Physics Laboratory (1)

Prereq.: PHYS 1209. Coreq.: PHYS 2203. For physics majors only. Laboratory to accompany PHYS 2203.
3 hrs. lab.

PHYS 3098 Instrumentation Electronics for Scientists (3)

Prereq.: PHYS 1202 or both PHYS 2112 and PHYS 2113; PHYS 2207; CSC 1253 or equivalent. For physics majors only. 2 hrs. lecture; 3 hrs. lab. Basic electronic technology and circuits used in scientific instrumentation; circuit analysis, discrete components, operational amplifiers, digital electronics and microcontrollers.

MATH 2057 Multidimensional Calculus (3)

An honors course, MATH 2058, is also available.  Prereq.: MATH 1552 or MATH 1553.  Credit will not be given for both this course and MATH 2058. Three-dimensional analytic geometry, partial derivatives, multiple integrals.

MATH 2090 Elementary Differential Equations and Linear Algebra (4)

Prereq.: MATH 1552 or MATH 1553. Credit will not be given for both this course and MATH 2065, MATH 2070,or MATH 2085.Introduction to first order differential equations, linear differential equations with constant coefficients, and systems of differential equations; vector spaces, linear transformations, matrices, determinants, linear dependence, bases, systems of equations, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and Laplace transforms.

CSC 1253 Computer Science I with C++(3)

Prereq.: credit or registration in MATH 1550 or credit in MATH 1431. Credit will not be given for both this course and CSC 1250 orCSC 1350.
Fundamentals of algorithm development, program design and structured programming using an object-oriented language.

BIOL 1X01 (3)

ENGL 2000 English Composition (3)

[LCCN: CENL 1023, English Composition II] This is a General Education course. Prereq.: ENGL 1001 or equivalent and 39 total credit hours earned by the time of enrollment.
Practice in argument writing and research-based inquiry.

EDCI 3550 Classroom Interactions (3)

Prereq.: BASC 2011 and EDCI 2500. 2 hrs. lecture; 2 hrs. field experience in multicultural settings. Classroom interactions in secondary mathematics and science education understood as a process of concept acquisition that encompasses learner’s knowledge and emphasizes student thinking as well as illuminating the critical role of reflection and language in the construction of knowledge. Students in classroom interactions study classroom events that impact learning in mathematics and science and critical issues of student equity.

EDCI 2500 Knowing and Learning in Mathematics and Science* (3)

This is a General Education course. Introduction to multiple disciplinary perspectives on knowing and learning as guidance for pedagogical practice. Includes field experiences in area schools.

 
Total: (16) Total: (16)

 

Junior (31 Semester Hours)

Fall Spring

PHYS 2411 Computational Science I (3)

Prereq.: CSC 1253 or equivalent and one of the following three choices: PHYS 2221; or MATH 2057 and PHYS 1202 or both PHYS 2112 and PHYS 2113; or CHEM 4581 and credit or registration in MATH 2065 (or MATH 2090). 2 hrs. lecture; 2 hrs. lab. Introduction to symbolic manipulation and numerical techniques used to analyze or simulate a broad range of physical systems.

Any 4000 level courses in Physics (3)

PHYS 2231 Electricity and Magnetism (3)

Prereq.: PHYS 2221 or CHEM 4581 and credit or registration in MATH 2065 or MATH 2090. Electricity and magnetism; static and quasistatic electromagnetic fields in vacua and in dielectric and magnetic media.

Any 4000 level courses in Physics (3)
For. Lang. (4) General education courses

PHYS 4005 Science Research Methods (3)

See BIOL 4005.

ASTR/CHEM (3) ASTR/CHEM (3)
Soc. Sci. (3) General education courses

PHIL 2786** Logic, Science and Society (3)

Prereq.: completed analytical reasoning area of general education or consent of instructor. Logic, evidence, probability and induction; objectivity and relativism; technology and utopia.

 Total: (16) Total: (15)

 

 

Senior (27 Semester Hours)

Fall Spring

EDCI 4500 Instructional Models for Mathematics and Science (3)

Prereq.: EDCI 3550. Applying instructional approaches in mathematics and science for middle and high school students. Includes supervised field experiences in multicultural settings and/or informal learning environments.

EDCI 4006 Student Teaching in Grades 6-12 Mathematics and Sciences (9)

Prereq.: EDCI 4500, passage of applicable Praxis II content exam and Praxis II Principles of Learning & Teaching.  1 hr. lecture; 24 hrs. lab/field experience in diverse multicultural settings. All day, all semester student teaching experiences, including observation, participation, and a minimum of 180 actual clock hours of teaching (with a substantial portion of the 180 hours in a full day teaching) under the supervision of an assigned public school mentor teacher.

Humanities (3) General education courses

EDCI 3136 Reading in the Content Areas (3)

Content area reading problems and solutions; the reading process, approaches, skills and materials.

Humanities (3) General education courses  
Electives (9)  
 Total: (12) Total: (15)

 

Hours in Concentration - 35
* counts as Gen. Ed. Humanities
** counts as Gen. Ed. Soc. Science
The secondary education concentration is part of the College of Science GeauxTeach program.
ENGL 20XX is a General Education literature course.
The core of the physics program can be started in the second year and still finished in 4 years.
Student who need additional background before starting should fill their first year with Gen. Ed. and electives.
The department strongly recommends that the two courses listed as PHYS 4XXX be PHYS 4125 and 4132.
Those two courses are part of the physics core in the other concentrations.
4000 level ASTR, MEDP or NS courses can only be used as PHYS 4XXX replacements with department approval.