(updated on August 23, 2024)
The mission of the Bachelor of Sciences in Physics with a Mathematical Physics Concentration degree program is to develop professional physicists whose interests are focused on theoretical physics. This undergraduate program provides an enhanced, graduate-level education in electromagnetism and quantum mechanics as well as experience in mathematical methods used in theoretical physics. The complete set of Program Student Learning Outcomes for this degree can be found at the end of this posting.
This program is based on the B.S. in Physics but with certain substitutions in the course requirements. Two advanced laboratory courses are replaced by mathematics courses and some undergraduate physics courses are replaced by similar graduate courses.  This program is distinct from the B.S. in Mathematics and Physics, which is a parallel education in both mathematics and physics administered jointly by both departments.
The following table shows the requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Physics with Mathematical Physics Concentration effective for students entering in the class of fall 2022*. Students who matriculated to CWRU before fall 2022 should consult the General Bulletin for the year they started at CWRU for program requirements that apply for them.  One important change implemented in fall 2019 is a reduction in the total number of credits required for this degree from 127 to 120, leading to a reduction in the number of required open electives from 18 to 11. Those courses in the standard B.S. program that are replaced are shown in red font in brackets and are followed by their replacements, if any.
*A student’s Academic Requirements page in SIS and the University’s General Bulletin https://case.edu/bulletin/ are the definitive sources for course and degree information.
| Course | Â |
Yr* |
Cred |
Course | Â |
Yr* |
Credit |
| PHYS 121 or 123 |
Intro Mech |
1 |
4 |
MATH 121 or 123 |
Calc 1 |
1 |
4 |
| PHYS 122 or 124 |
Intro E&M |
1 |
4 |
MATH 122 or 124 |
Calc 2 |
1 |
4 |
| PHYS 221 |
Modern |
2F |
3 |
MATH 223 or 227 |
Calc 3 |
2F |
3 |
| PHYS 203 |
Elect Lab |
2F |
4 |
MATH 224 |
Diff E |
2S |
3 |
| Â | Â | Â | Â | [PHYS 204] |
[Instr Lab] |
[2S] |
4 |
| PHYS 250 |
CompMeth |
2S |
3 |
M-group 1** |
Adv. Math |
3 |
3 |
| PHYS 310 |
Clas. Mech |
2S |
3 |
M-group 2** |
Adv math |
4 |
3 |
| [PHYS 302] |
Adv Lab 2 |
3S |
3 |
M-group 3** |
Adv Math |
4 |
4 |
| PHYS 349 |
Math Meth I |
3F |
3 |
 |  |  |  |
| PHYS 301 |
Adv Lab 1 |
3F |
3 |
Subtotal | Â | Â |
23 |
| PHYS 303*** |
AdvLabSem |
3F |
1 |
 |  |  |  |
| PHYS 313 |
Thermo |
3F |
3 |
CHEM 105 or 111 |
Chem 1 |
1 |
3 (4) |
| [PHYS 331] |
QM1 |
[3]F |
3 |
CHEM 106 or ENGR 145 |
Chem 2 |
1 |
3(4) |
| PHYS 481 |
QM I grad |
3F |
 | ENGR 131 or CSDS/ECSE 132 |
CompProg |
1 |
3 |
| PHYS 324 + 325 or PHYS 423 |
E&M 1 + 2 or E&M grad |
3S+ 4F 4F |
6 or 3 |
 |  |  |  |
| [PHYS 332] |
QM2 |
[3S] |
3 |
 |  |  |  |
| PHYS 482 |
QM 2 grad |
3S |
 | Subtotal |  |  |
9
|
| [PHYS 325] |
{E&M 2] |
[[4F] |
 |  |  |  |  |
| PHYS 350 |
Math Meth II |
3S |
3 |
 |  |  |  |
| Choose 1 of the following 4 | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
| PHYS 315 |
Solid State |
4S |
3 |
SAGES first/univ sem | Â |
1 & 2 |
10 |
| PHYS 320 |
Biophysics |
3 or 4F |
3 |
 |  |  |  |
| PHYS 326 |
Phys. Optics |
 |
3 |
SAGES dept. sem.*** | Â |
3 or 4 |
2or3 |
| PHYS 327 |
Laser Phys. |
4 |
3 |
SAGES capstone**** | Â |
4 |
3or4 |
| Choose 1 of the following 4 | Â | Â | Â | Breadth Requirement***** | Â | Â |
12 |
| PHYS 316 |
Nuc Par |
4S |
3 |
Open electives****** | Â | Â |
11 |
| PHYS 328 |
Cosmo. Univ. |
4 |
3 |
PHED 2 semesters | Â | Â |
0 |
| PHYS 336 |
Mod. Cosmo. |
4 |
3 |
Subtotal | Â | Â |
39
|
| PHYS 365 |
General Rel. |
4 |
3 |
 |  |  |  |
| Subtotal | Â | Â |
49 |
Total | Â | Â |
120 |
 * course usually taken in this year, ‘F’ or ‘S’ indicates the course is usually offered only in fall or spring. Other courses are either offered both semesters (100 & 200 level) or on no fixed schedule.
** M-group 1, 2 and 3 are to be chosen, in consultation with the advisor, from among approved advanced mathematics or statistics courses.
*** PHYS 303 + PHYS 352 can be used to satisfy the SAGES departmental seminar requirement.
**** PHYS 351 can be used to satisfy the SAGES capstone requirement. .
***** The breadth requirements include 6 hours of Social Sciences and 6 hours of Arts and Humanities. This may increase by 3 credits if the required Global and Cultural Diversity course is not also one of the breadth requirement courses. Courses required for the BS in Physics satisfy the 6 credit GER for Natural Sciences and Mathematics as well as the Quantitative Reasoning course requirement.
****** The number of open electives may vary, depending on course choices made by the student, but the degree requires that the total number of credits be at least 120.
Typical Schedule
(* indicates options, 4-5 of the Open Electives are normally used to satisfy GER Breadth Requirements.)
|
 |
Fall (Class Hours-Lab Hours-Credit Hours) |
Spring (Class Hours-Lab Hours-Credit Hours) |
| First Year |
PHYS 121 or PHYS 123Â Mechanics (4-3-4) MATH 121 Calculus for Science and Engineering I (4-0-4) CHEM 105 or CHEM 111 (3-0-3) or (4-0-4) Open* Elective = PHYS 166 Physics Today & Tom. (1-0-1) FS** SAGES First Seminar (4-0-4) PHED *** Physical Education Activities (0-3-0) |
PHYS 122 or PHYS 124 Electricity & Magnetism (4-3-4) MATH 122 Calculus for Science and Engineering II (4-0-4) CHEM 106 or ENGR 145 (3-0-3) or (4-0-4) ENGR 131 Elementary Computer Programming (2-2-3) US** University Seminar (3-0-3) PHED *** Physical Education Activities (0-3-0) |
| Second Year |
PHYS 203 Analog & Digital Electronics Lab (2-4-4) PHYS 221 General Physics III, Modern Physics (3-0-3) MATH 223 Calculus for Science & Engineering III (3-0-3) US** University Seminar (3-0-3) Open* Elective (3-0-3) |
PHYS 250 Computational Methods(3-0-3) PHYS 310 Classical Mechanics (3-0-3) MATH 224 Differential Equations (3-0-3) Open* Elective (3-0-3) Open* Elective (3-0-3) |
| Third Year |
PHYS 301 Advanced Laboratory Physics I (0-7-3) PHYS 303 Advanced Laboratory Physics Seminar (1-0-1) PHYS 313 Thermodynamics & Statistical Mech. (3-0-3) PHYS 349 Mathematical Methods of Physics I (3-0-3) PHYS 481 Graduate Quantum Mechanics I (3-0-3) Open* Elective (3-0-3) |
PHYS 324 Electricity & Magnetism I or Open* Elective (3-0-3) PHYS 350 Mathematical Methods of Physics II (3-0-3) PHYS 482 Graduate Quantum Mechanics II (3-0-3) MATH *** Advanced Mathematics Elective (3-0-3) Open* Elective (3-0-3) |
| Fourth Year |
PHYS 351+352 Senior Project + Seminar (0-6-2)+(1-0-1) PHYS 3** Condensed Matter Physics Elective (3-0-3) PHYS 423 Graduate Electricity and Magnetism I (3-0-3) or  PHYS 325 Electricity & Magnetism II (3-0-3) MATH *** Advanced Mathematics Elective (3-0-3) Open* Elective (3-0-3) |
PHYS 351+352 Senior Project + Seminar (0-6-2)+(1-0-1) PHYS 3** Particle/Astrophysics Elective (3-0-3) MATH *** Advanced Mathematics Elective (3-0-3) Open* Elective (3-0-3)
|
The Program Student Learning Outcomes, PSLO’s, for this degree program are:
PSLO #1: Mathematical Concentration majors graduate with the mastery of classical mechanics, thermal physics/statistical mechanics and electromagnetism at the level expected for a bachelor’s physicist and the mastery of quantum mechanics at the level of a PhD physicist. They also have experience with advanced mathematical methods used in theoretical physics.
PSLO #2: Graduates will be able to carry out experiments, take measurements and analyze data to support or refute a scientific hypothesis.
PSLO #3: Graduates will demonstrate proficiency in the methods of scientific inquiry, including critical thinking and problem-solving, and be able to formulate and solve quantitative problems using computational and analytical methods.
PSLO #4: Graduates will have experience in research and demonstrate they can contribute to an experimental, theoretical or computational research effort.
PSLO #5: Graduates will demonstrate proficiency in communicating scientific concepts and results orally and in writing in styles appropriate to proposals, reports and formal publications.
PSLO #6: Graduates will demonstrate their understanding of professional standards and ethics.
PSLO #7: Graduates will be prepared for employment or graduate study in physics and aligned technical disciplines, as well as other professional career paths
PSLO #8: Mathematical Physics Concentration majors will graduate with mastery of advanced mathematical methods used in theoretical physics.
For more information, contact Prof. Harsh Mathur, harsh.mathur@case.edu.