The American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers publish nationally accepted standards that the PSU Physics Department takes as “best practice” for our BS Degree in Physics. These have been incorporated into our student learning outcomes.
- Goal 1: All physics graduates must have broad factual knowledge and thorough competency in the fundamentals of physics and the skills necessary to construct basic scientific knowledge of material phenomena. They must:
- Objective 1(a): Demonstrate a depth of understanding in the fundamentals kinematics, dynamics, energy and momentum conservation, waves, heat and thermodynamics. Focus: PHYS 100, 104, 130, 510, 699.
- Objective 1(b): Demonstrate a depth of understanding in the fundamentals of electricity, magnetism, optics, special relativity, atomic structure, and properties of radiation. Focus: PHYS 101, 105, 131, 512, 516, 612, 699.
- Objective 1(c): Demonstrate the ability to collect, analyze and interpret scientific data. Focus: PHYS 130, 131, & 530.
- Goal 2: All physics graduates must have the ability to communicate effectively. They must:
- Objective 2(a): Be able to write a well-organized, logical, scientifically-sound research paper or laboratory report. Focus: PHYS 130, 131, 530, 691.
- Objective 2(b): Be able to present a well-organized, logical, scientifically-sound, and audience- appropriate oral report on a scientific topic. Focus: PHYS 691.
Program Guide (PDF)
The American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers publish nationally accepted standards that the PSU Physics Department takes as “best practice” for our BS Degree in Physics. These have been incorporated into our student learning outcomes.
- Goal 1: All physics graduates must have broad factual knowledge and thorough competency in the fundamentals of physics and the skills necessary to construct basic scientific knowledge of material phenomena. They must:
- Objective 1(a): Demonstrate a depth of understanding in the fundamentals kinematics, dynamics, energy and momentum conservation, waves, heat and thermodynamics. Focus: PHYS 100, 104, 130, 510, 699.
- Objective 1(b): Demonstrate a depth of understanding in the fundamentals of electricity, magnetism, optics, special relativity, atomic structure, and properties of radiation. Focus: PHYS 101, 105, 131, 512, 516, 612, 699.
- Objective 1(c): Demonstrate the ability to collect, analyze and interpret scientific data. Focus: PHYS 130, 131, & 530.
- Goal 2: All physics graduates must have the ability to communicate effectively. They must:
- Objective 2(a): Be able to write a well-organized, logical, scientifically-sound research paper or laboratory report. Focus: PHYS 130, 131, 530, 691.
- Objective 2(b): Be able to present a well-organized, logical, scientifically-sound, and audience- appropriate oral report on a scientific topic. Focus: PHYS 691.
- Goal 3: All pre-service physics teachers must demonstrate their ability to set-up and introduce a physics laboratory exercise and be able to effectively tutor students to complete the exercise in a formal setting.
Program Guide (PDF)
- Goal 1: To produce graduates with factual knowledge and mathematical skills necessary to solve complex physics problems.
- Objective 1(a): Demonstrate deep understanding and solve fundamental problems in Electricity and Magnetism using Maxwell’s Equations including (Focus: PHYS 812):
- 1(a).1 electric field, potential and charge density calculations
- 1(a).2 method of images
- 1(a).3 solutions of Laplace’s equation in different coordinate systems with specified boundary conditions
- 1(a).4 multi-pole expansion
- 1(a).5 Green's function expansion
- 1(a).6 dielectric medium and displacement field
- 1(a).7 magnetic field calculations
- Objective 1 (b): Demonstrate deep understanding and solve fundamental problems in quantum mechanics using (Focus: PHYS 816):
- 1(b).1 matrix theory to solve spin and simple harmonic oscillator problems
- 1(b).2 techniques with angular momentum, spherical harmonics, and tensors
- 1(b).3 perturbation methods
- Objective 1(c): Demonstrate deep understanding of the principles analytical mechanics using (Focus: PHYS 810):
- 1(c).1 Newton’s 2nd Law and conservation theorems applied to multiple-body problems,
- 1(c).2 Lagrange’s equations as applied the two-body problem and constraint problems,
- 1(c).3 Hamilton’s equations as applied to conservative systems, and
- 1(c).4 Canonical Transformations and Hamilton-Jacobi Theory.
- Goal 2: All physics graduates must engage in scientific research and have the ability to communicate the process and results of the research effectively.
- Objective 2(a): Be able to write a well-organized logical, scientifically sound research paper, scientific report, or grant proposal. Focus: PHYS 890, 891, 893.
- Objective 2(b): Be able to present effectively a well-organized, logical, scientifically sound, and audience-appropriate oral report on a scientific topic. Focus: PHYS 890, 891, 832.
- Goal 3: All physics graduates with an Option II – Teaching emphasis will broaden and deepen their science background and be able to effectively guide others in learning science.
- Objective 3(a): Be able to guide and encourage secondary school students in research projects in the physical sciences. Focus: PHYS 882.
- Objective 3(b): Be able to summarize and compare central issues and debates of philosophers of science. Focus: PHYS 760.
Program Guide (PDF)
- Goal 1: To produce graduates with in-depth knowledge of materials science, which involves connections between the underlying structure of a material and its physical and chemical properties.
- Objective 1(a): Demonstrate understanding and solve problems in Nanophysics and Thin Films which deal with physical and electronic properties in reduced dimensions, film deposition techniques, and characterizations.
- Objective 1(b): Demonstrate understanding and solve problems in Solid State Physics and Electronics which involve physical and electronics properties of crystals and semiconductors, including crystal structure, bonding, doping, and electronic properties semiconductors.
- Objective 1(c): Write computer programs in Python for modeling and predicting materials behavior without doing the actual experiments.
- Objective 1(d): Demonstrate understanding and problem-solving skills in the physical chemistry of polymers, mechanics of composite materials, and testing.
- Objective 1(e): Learn working principles and hands-on experience on many state-of-an-art instruments such as scanning electron microscope, x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, thermal analyzer, electrochemistry, and many more.
- Goal 2: All materials science graduate students must engage in research, follow new developments in their field via attending colloquiums/conferences, have the ability to design and communicate the process and results of the research effectively.
- Objective 2(a): Write a well-organized, logical, scientific report or thesis based on original research performed
- Objective 2(b): Present a well-organized, logical, report or thesis on original research performed
- Objective 2(c): Develop skills to design and perform new experiments
- Objective 2(d): Learn basics of instruments and hands-on experience on many state-of-the-art instruments
- Objective 2(e): Learn industrial standards for materials testing
- Objective 2(f): Get experience on industrially/state/federal funded projects
Program Guide (PDF)