Department of Physics

Prospective Students

Recommended Courses for First Year

Includes Applied Physics, Applied Physics/Engineering-Dual Degree (see below for more information), Physics with Environmental Emphasis. The first-year mathematics and physics courses that provide the foundation for all physics majors require a background of precalculus mathematics and physics. Students having a good background in theses areas would then take the following mathematics and physics courses in the first year.

First Semester
880:060 Calculus I 4 hours
880:130 Physics I for Science and Engineering 4 hours

Second Semester
880:061 Calculus II 4 hours
880:131 Physics II for Science and Engineering 4 hours

Students having a weak background in precalculus mathematics or none at all should begin with 800:046 Elementary Analysis (4 hours) instead of Calculus I. Those having a weak background in physics should begin with either 880:011 Conceptual Physics (4 hours) or 880:054 General Physics I (4 hours) instead of Physics I for Science and Engineering. The Head, Department of Physics, Room 205 Physics Building, should be consulted in these cases. Progress through a physics major will unavoidable be slower.

Applied Physics/Engineering Dual-Degree Major

Qualified students may pursue a dual-degree major leading to a B.S. Applied Physics degree from the University of Northen Iowa (UNI) and a B.S. engineering degree from Iowa State University (ISU) or the University of Iowa (UI). This requires approximately three years of attendance a UNI followed by approximately two years of attendance at ISU or UI. Students who successfully complete the UNI part of the major are guaranteed admittance into the ISU or UI portion of the major if they have an average of at least B (3.00 GPA) in the chemistry, mathematics and physics courses required by the UNI Department of Physics and the positive recommendation of the Head, Department of Physics.

The engineering courses completed toward a B.S. engineering degree at ISU or UI will be transferred to UNI to provide 9-13 credit hours of electives for the applied physics portion of the major. The UNI internship requirement will be satisfied through comparable practical experience at ISU or UI that has been approved the Head, Department of Physics, UNI.

In the first three years, taken at UNI, students in the major must complete at least 90 semester credit hours of course work. In addition to the required courses, students are expected to complete courses to satisfy the General Education requirements. Credit but no grades for courses at UNI passed with a grade of C or better will be transferred to ISU or UI as credit for equivalent courses there, even though they may not be required by the engineering curriculum selected by the student.

During the years at ISU or UI, students will complete the requirements specified in the College of Engineering Catalog at the time of their admission. Course work completed at ISU or UI will be transferred to UNI to complete the requirements for the applied physics portion of the major. Upon successful completion of the major, students will be eligible to participate in commencement ceremonies at both UNI and either ISU or UI.