2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Dec 05, 2025

2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Physics, BS (PHYSICS-BS)

CIP Code: 400801

Program Description

The Department of Physics offers programs leading either to a Bachelor of Science degree or a Bachelor of Arts degree in physics. Students in secondary education may earn the Bachelor of Arts degree in physics and enter the Professional Year Experience program of the College of Health, Education, and Human Services for licensure in physics.

Minimum requirements for the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees in physics include successfully completing the required courses, with a GPA of at least 2.0 for all physics courses, as well as completing university and college degree requirements.

Program Admission Requirements

This academic program does not have admission requirements beyond regular admission to Wright State University. Any student is eligible to declare this academic program.

Program Learning Objectives

Students enrolled in this program will learn to:

develop a scientific mindset and gain proficiency in the fundamental concepts, laws, and mathematical techniques across key physics domains, applying them effectively to solve specific problems.
develop hands-on laboratory skills through a diverse range of experiments, utilizing modern instrumentation and engaging in quantitative data analysis.
master the art of communicating physics concepts and scientific findings through both oral presentations and written documentation.
acquire the ability to collect, analyze, and interpret measurements, enabling the derivation of meaningful conclusions from observations of physical systems.
learn programming languages and computational tools to simulate and model intricate physical systems, thereby enhancing problem-solving capabilities.
apply acquired knowledge in physics and mathematics to bridge connections with other scientific disciplines, engineering, and social sciences.

Program Learning Outcomes

As a result of their learning experience, graduates of this program can:

apply fundamental principles of physics and demonstrate problem solving competence, including Solve real-world problems through idealizations and estimation. Mathematically modeling the real world starting from fundamental physical principles. Using computational techniques, including familiarity with basic computer programs, to solve complex problems numerically.
demonstrate laboratory competence, including Setting up and using a range of equipment to obtain experimental data and critically analyzing this data. Quantitatively determining error in an experiment and using this to assess agreement with a specific theory or set of hypotheses. Understanding and/or creating graphical representations of data.
employ computational tools and programming languages to simulate and model physical systems, predicting outcomes and behaviors in varied scenarios.
collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary teams to address complex issues, leveraging diverse skills and perspectives for comprehensive problem-solving.
Utilize advanced mathematical techniques, including differential equations, linear algebra, and calculus, to model and solve engineering and physical problems in physics (classical mechanics, computational physics, electricity and magnetism, modern physics, waves and optics, and quantum mechanics).

Physics Honors Program

The Department of Physics offers an honors program designed to provide exceptional students with a program that offers greater creativity and intellectual challenge. Students who wish to participate in this program must apply to the department during the spring semester before they plan to enter the honors program. Interested students should have at least a 3.2 GPA overall and at least a 3.2 in physics courses numbered 3000 and above. To graduate with honors in physics, students are required to complete at least two 4000-level PHY courses above and beyond those required by the program.

Combined Undergraduate and Graduate Programs

This program offers a combined-degree program with a master’s degree in Physics. A combined-degree program provides an opportunity for an undergraduate student to begin working toward a master’s degree in their senior year. This allows students to complete the bachelor’s and master’s degrees in less combined time than it would take to complete them sequentially.

Students enrolled in a combined-degree program may “double count” a maximum of nine credit hours of graduate-level courses to satisfy both the bachelor’s and the master’s degree requirements. Students must earn at least 141 unique credit hours (any credits that “double-count” toward both degrees are counted only once toward the total number of unique hours) in the combined-degree program.

To participate in a combined-degree program, students must apply through the College of Graduate Programs and Honors Studies and meet all admission qualifications. Learn more about combined programs in Policy 5330.

For More Information

Program Requirements

I. Wright State Core: 37 Credit Hours

As a part of the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at Wright State University, all students must complete the Wright State Core, a general education curriculum. Most programs require 36 hours in the Core, some programs may require additional hours.

Specific Core classes in some of the Elements may be required by some majors. When this occurs, the specific Core courses required will be listed below. In Elements where a specific course is not required, students can choose any course from the Wright State Core Program Requirements.

First-Year Seminar: 1 Credit Hour

All students must successfully complete a First-Year Seminar during their first year. Transfer students who transfer 24 or more credit hours (post high school graduation) are exempt from this requirement and will need to satisfy one additional credit hour in the Additional Core Courses category.

UVC 1010 - First Year Seminar Credit Hour(s): 1 to 3

Element A - English Composition: 6 Credit Hours

First-Year Writing Course (3 credit hours)

All students must successfully complete ENG 1100.  Based on Writing Placement level, some students may be required to enroll in a corequisite course (DEV 0100). 
ENG 1100 - Academic Writing and Reading Credit Hour(s): 3
Second-Year Writing Course (3 credit hours)
ENG 2100 - Research Writing and Argumentation Credit Hour(s): 3

Element B - Mathematics, Statistics, and Logic: 4 Credit Hours

Based on Math Placement Level, students may need additional prerequisite or corequisite coursework in mathematics prior to enrollment in the required course below.

Required:

MTH 2300 - Calculus I Credit Hour(s): 4 required

Element C - Arts and Humanities: 6 Credit Hours

Students will select two Arts and Humanities courses, with different course prefixes from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements. One course must fulfill the History requirement.

History Requirement (3 credit hours)

Choose 1 course from the list below:
HST 1100 - Western Civilizations to 1500 Credit Hour(s): 3
HST 1200 - The West and the World since 1500 Credit Hour(s): 3
HST 1500 - Introduction to Greek and Roman Culture Credit Hour(s): 3
Arts and Humanities Course (3 credit hours)

Choose an additional Arts and Humanities course (a different prefix from what is chosen above) from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements.

Element D - Social and Behavorial Sciences: 6 Credit Hours

Students will select two Social and Behavioral Sciences courses, with different course prefixes from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements.

Element E - Natural Sciences: 10 Credit Hours

Students will select two Natural Science courses, from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements. At least one course must contain a laboratory.

Required:

PHY 2400 - General Physics I Credit Hour(s): 4
PHY 2400L - General Physics I Laboratory Credit Hour(s): 1
PHY 2400R - General Physics I Recitation Credit Hour(s): 0
PHY 2410 - General Physics II Credit Hour(s): 4
PHY 2410L - General Physics II Laboratory Credit Hour(s): 1
PHY 2410R - General Physics II Recitation Credit Hour(s): 0

Additional Core Courses: 4 Credit Hours

Students will select up to 4 additional credit hours from Elements A-E from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements to reach the 36 minimum hours required in the Core. Unless specified by the student’s major, these are selected by the student. When a major has required courses in this area, the specific Core course(s) required will be listed below.

Required:

MTH 2310 - Calculus II Credit Hour(s): 4

Additional Core Requirements

Within the 36 credit hours of the Wright State Core students must successfully complete the following:

One Global Inquiry (GI) course

Two Inclusive Excellence (IE) courses

One to two Integrated Writing (IW) courses. To meet degree requirements all students must complete a minimum of 3 IW courses by choosing either (a) 1 in the Core and 2 in the major or (b) 2 in the Core and 1 in the major. Students should check their major program requirements for courses that fulfill Integrated Writing.

Students who do not make choices within the 36 required hours of the Core to fulfill the GI, IE, and IW requirements will take additional Core hours beyond the minimum of 36.

II. Major Core Requirements: 38 Credit Hours

PHY 1024 - Connected Physics Lab I: “Harnessing IoT Instrumentation” Credit Hour(s): 2
PHY 2048 - Connected Physics Lab II: “Mastering IoT Instrumentation” Credit Hour(s): 2
PHY 2420 - Introduction to Modern Physics Credit Hour(s): 3
PHY 3220 - Applied Optics Credit Hour(s): 3
PHY 3500 - Advanced Physics Laboratory I Credit Hour(s): 2
PHY 3510 - Advanced Physics Laboratory II Credit Hour(s): 2
PHY 3710 - Analytical Mechanics Credit Hour(s): 3
PHY 4500 - Electricity and Magnetism I Credit Hour(s): 3
PHY 4510 - Electricity and Magnetism II Credit Hour(s): 3
PHY 4600 - Introduction to Quantum Mechanics I Credit Hour(s): 3
PHY 4610 - Introduction to Quantum Mechanics II Credit Hour(s): 3
PHY 4830 - Statistical Mechanics Credit Hour(s): 3
PHY 4940 - Senior Project Credit Hour(s): 3
PHY-4940 Senior Project must be taken twice for a total of 6 Credit Hours.

III. Major Electives: 9 Credit Hours

Students will select 9 credit hours from the following:

PHY 3300 - Intro to Astrophysics Credit Hour(s): 3
PHY 4200 - Microfabrication Sciences Credit Hour(s): 2 to 4
PHY 4320 - Lasers Credit Hour(s): 3
PHY 4620 - Nuclear and Particle Physics Credit Hour(s): 3
PHY 4630 - Introduction to Solid State Physics Credit Hour(s): 3
PHY 4730 - Mathematical Physics Credit Hour(s): 3
PHY 4800 - Classical Mechanics Credit Hour(s): 3

IV. Related Course Requirements: 24-26 Credit Hours

CHM 1210 - General Chemistry I Credit Hour(s): 3
CHM 1210L - General Chemistry Lab I Credit Hour(s): 2
CHM 1210R - General Chemistry Lab I Recitation Credit Hour(s): 0
CHM 1220 - General Chemistry II Credit Hour(s): 3
CHM 1220L - General Chemistry Lab II Credit Hour(s): 2
CHM 1220R - General Chemistry Lab II Recitation Credit Hour(s): 0
MTH 2320 - Calculus III Credit Hour(s): 4
MTH 3320 - Complex Variables Credit Hour(s): 3
MTH 3330 - Partial Differential Equations Credit Hour(s): 3
MTH 2350 - Differential Equations with Matrix Algebra Credit Hour(s): 4
OR
MTH 2330 - Differential Equations Credit Hour(s): 3
AND
MTH 2530 - Elementary Linear Algebra Credit Hour(s): 3

V. General Electives: 10-12 Credit Hours

Students must earn a minimum of 120 credit hours for a baccalaureate degree. If the total number of credit hours in the WSU Core (general education program) and the major requirements do not total at least 120 credits, students will choose additional courses (general electives) to meet the minimum required 120 credit hours. Students may choose from any undergraduate course in the Academic Catalog for which they meet the course prerequisites and for which they do not already have earned credit.

Total: 120 Credit Hours

Graduation Planning Strategy

A Graduation Planning Strategy (GPS), also known as a four-year guide, is an academic tool showing one example of how a program can be completed in a certain amount of time. All Wright State undergraduate majors can be completed in four years with careful planning. Some programs may require summer coursework. Time to degree is dependent on many factors including student placement in mathematics and writing courses, CCP and AP coursework, transfer coursework, and other variables.

These guides are valid for this year’s Academic Catalog only and are subject to change. These guides are a recommendation only and your actual program may vary. Students should consult with their academic advisor on a regular basis and create a personalized plan to degree completion.