Bachelor of Science Physics with a Major in Physics and Electrical Engineering (BS, BSEE)
The dual degree program in physics and electrical engineering is a five-year program. Students will receive a BS degree and a BSEE degree upon graduation. The dual degree program provides the highest level of preparation for both graduate school and positions in industry.
Requirements
Lower-Division General Education
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Written Communication | 6 | |
| Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Language and Culture | 0-6 | |
| Information Literacy and Research | 3 | |
| Human Behavior | 3 | |
| Human Creativity | 3 | |
| Interpreting the Past | 3 | |
| Literature | 3 | |
| Philosophy and Ethics | 3 | |
| The Nature of Science | 8 | |
| Impact of Technology | 3 | |
General education requirements for mathematics, nature of science, information literacy and research, impact of technology, and philosophy and ethics are met through the major. Additional information can be found in the Electrical and Computer Engineering section of the College of Engineering and Technology.
Upper-Division General Education
The Upper-Division General Education requirement is met by the dual degree requirements.
Requirements for Graduation
All majors for the BS degree in physics require completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours (150 credit hours for the dual degree in physics and electrical engineering and the dual degree in physics and the Master of Business Administration), which must include both a minimum of 30 credit hours overall and 12 credit hours in upper-level courses in the major program from Old Dominion University, completion of ENGL 110C, ENGL 211C or ENGL 231C, and the writing intensive (W) course in the major with a grade of C or better, and Senior Assessment. Additionally, physics majors require completion of the Physics Exit Exam with a minimum score of 20th percentile, and the astrophysics major requires completion of the Astrophysics Exit Exam with a minimum score of 20th percentile. Additional hours may be required to meet the foreign language requirement. All majors require a minimum grade of C in PHYS 261N-PHYS 262N, PHYS 231N-PHYS 232N, or PHYS 226N-PHYS 227N. Except for the secondary physics education major, physics majors require a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 overall and in the major. The secondary physics education major requires a minimum 2.75 grade point average overall, in the major, and in the professional education core, with no grade less than a C- in the major and professional education core. The professional education core satisfies the upper-level general education requirement.
Dual Degree in Physics and Electrical Engineering
Students in this major must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | ||
| Complete lower-division requirements | 21-27 | |
| Complete upper-division requirements (met by dual degree requirements) | ||
| Physics and Electrical Engineering | ||
| Common Course Requirements | ||
| CHEM 121N & CHEM 122N | Foundations of Chemistry I Lecture and Foundations of Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| MATH 211 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH 212 | Calculus II | 4 |
| MATH 312 | Calculus III | 4 |
| or MATH 285 | Transfer Credit for Calculus III | |
| MATH 307 | Ordinary Differential Equations | 3 |
| or MATH 280 | Transfer Credit for Ordinary Differential Equations | |
| ENGN 122 | Computer Programming for Engineering | 4 |
| PHYS 261N | Advanced University Physics I | 4 |
| or PHYS 231N | University Physics I | |
| or PHYS 226N | Honors: University Physics I | |
| PHYS 262N | Advanced University Physics II | 4 |
| or PHYS 232N | University Physics II | |
| or PHYS 227N | Honors: University Physics II | |
| Physics Course Requirements | ||
| CHEM 123N & CHEM 124N | Foundations of Chemistry II Lecture and Foundations of Chemistry II Laboratory | 4 |
| PHYS 319 | Analytical Mechanics | 3 |
| PHYS 323 | Modern Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 355 | Mathematical Methods of Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 413 | Methods of Experimental Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 420 | Introductory Computational Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 425 | Electromagnetism I | 3 |
| PHYS 452 | Introduction to Quantum Mechanics | 3 |
| PHYS 453 | Electromagnetism II | 3 |
| or ECE 323 | Electromagnetics | |
| PHYS 454 | Thermal and Statistical Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 456 | Intermediate Quantum Mechanics | 3 |
| PHYS 499W | Senior Thesis * | 3 |
| or PHYS 489W & PHYS 490W | Senior Thesis I and Senior Thesis II | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Atomic Physics | ||
| Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics | ||
| Introduction to Solid State Physics | ||
| Introduction to Particle Accelerator Physics | ||
| Engineering Course Requirements | ||
| ENGN 121 | Introduction to Engineering and Technology | 4 |
| ECE 201 | Circuit Analysis I | 3 |
| ECE 202 | Circuit Analysis II | 3 |
| ECE 241 | Fundamentals of Computer Engineering | 4 |
| ECE 287 | Fundamental Electric Circuit Laboratory | 2 |
| ECE 302 | Linear System Analysis | 3 |
| ECE 303 | Introduction to Electrical Power | 3 |
| ECE 304 | Probability, Statistics, and Reliability | 3 |
| ECE 313 | Electronic Circuits | 4 |
| ECE 332 | Microelectronic Materials and Processes | 3 |
| ECE 381 | Introduction to Discrete-time Signal Processing | 3 |
| ECE 451 | Communication Systems | 3 |
| ECE 461 | Automatic Control Systems | 3 |
| ECE 481W | Preparatory ECE Senior Design | 3 |
| ECE 482 | ECE Senior Design | 3 |
| ECE Tech Elective I, II, III, IV | 12 | |
| ENMA 480 | Ethics and Philosophy in Engineering Applications (meets philosophy and ethics requirement) | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 154-160 | |
BS Degree with Honors
Qualified students may receive the BS degree with honors (to be noted on their diplomas) by completing specified additional requirements. At the time of application for this designation, a student must have a GPA of 3.50 or higher in physics, a GPA of 3.25 or higher overall, must have completed two contract honors courses, and must have completed 60 credit hours (of which at least 54 must be in grade-point graded courses) at Old Dominion University. (Contract honors courses are specialized courses of individual study under the direct supervision of a professor. Permission to take these courses is granted jointly by the Department of Physics and the Honors College.)
Degree Program Guide
The Degree Program Guide is a suggested curriculum to complete this degree program in four years. It is just one of several plans that will work and is presented only as broad guidance to students. Each student is strongly encouraged to develop a customized plan in consultation with their academic advisor. Additional information can also be found in Degree Works.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| ENGN 121 | Introduction to Engineering and Technology 1 | 4 |
| CHEM 121N | Foundations of Chemistry I Lecture | 3 |
| CHEM 122N | Foundations of Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 |
| MATH 211 | Calculus I (Grade of C or better required) | 4 |
| ENGL 110C | English Composition (Grade of C or better required) | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGN 122 | Computer Programming for Engineering | 4 |
| MATH 212 | Calculus II (Grade of C or better required) | 4 |
| PHYS 261N |
Advanced University Physics I or University Physics I or Honors: University Physics I |
4 |
| COMM 101R | Public Speaking | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| MATH 307 or MATH 280 |
Ordinary Differential Equations or Transfer Credit for Ordinary Differential Equations |
3 |
| CHEM 123N | Foundations of Chemistry II Lecture | 3 |
| CHEM 124N | Foundations of Chemistry II Laboratory | 1 |
| ECE 201 | Circuit Analysis I | 3 |
| ENGL 231C or ENGL 211C |
Writing, Rhetoric, and Research: Special Topics (Grade of C or better required) or Writing, Rhetoric, and Research |
3 |
| PHYS 262N |
Advanced University Physics II or University Physics II or Honors: University Physics II |
4 |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| ECE 202 | Circuit Analysis II | 3 |
| ECE 287 | Fundamental Electric Circuit Laboratory 2 | 2 |
| ECE 241 | Fundamentals of Computer Engineering | 4 |
| PHYS 319 | Analytical Mechanics | 3 |
| MATH 312 or MATH 285 |
Calculus III or Transfer Credit for Calculus III |
4 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| ECE 302 | Linear System Analysis | 3 |
| ECE 303 | Introduction to Electrical Power | 3 |
| PHYS 323 | Modern Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 355 | Mathematical Methods of Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 425 | Electromagnetism I 3 | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ECE 313 | Electronic Circuits | 4 |
| ECE 381 | Introduction to Discrete-time Signal Processing | 3 |
| ECE 323 or PHYS 453 |
Electromagnetics 4 or Electromagnetism II |
3 |
| PHYS 411 or PHYS 415 or PHYS 416 or PHYS 417 | 3 | |
| Literature Way of Knowing | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| ECE 304 | Probability, Statistics, and Reliability | 3 |
| ECE 461 | Automatic Control Systems | 3 |
| ECE Technical Elective I 5 | 3 | |
| PHYS 452 | Introduction to Quantum Mechanics | 3 |
| ENMA 480 | Ethics and Philosophy in Engineering Applications 6 | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ECE 451 | Communication Systems | 3 |
| PHYS 413 | Methods of Experimental Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 456 | Intermediate Quantum Mechanics 4 | 3 |
| PHYS 499W or PHYS 489W and PHYS 490W | 3 | |
| Human Behavior Way of Knowing | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Fifth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ECE 332 | Microelectronic Materials and Processes | 3 |
| ECE 481W | Preparatory ECE Senior Design (Grade of C or better required to meet the University Writing Intensive requirement) | 3 |
| ECE Technical Elective II 5 | 3 | |
| PHYS 420 | Introductory Computational Physics | 3 |
| Human Creativity Way of Knowing | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ECE 482 | ECE Senior Design | 3 |
| ECE Technical elective III 5 | 3 | |
| ECE Technical elective IV 5 | 3 | |
| PHYS 454 | Thermal and Statistical Physics | 3 |
| Interpreting the Past Way of Knowing | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 154 | |
- *
Does not include the University's General Education language and culture requirement. Additional hours may be required.
- 1
ENGN 121 satisfies both the Physics Approved Seminar requirement and the PHYS Information Literacy and Research requirement in the Physics curriculum.
- 2
ECE 287 satisfies the PHYS 303 requirement in the Physics curriculum.
- 3
PHYS 425 satisfies the Nonmajor Engineering Elective requirement in the Electrical Engineering curriculum.
- 4
- 5
Electrical Engineering students need four technical elective courses selected from one of two options: (1) four 400-level ECE technical elective courses; (2) three 400-level ECE technical elective courses and one 300-level ECE technical elective course or one approved 300- or 400-level CS/MATH/Engineering course.
- 6
ENMA 480 satisfies the PHYS Philosophy & Ethics requirement in the Physics curriculum.
The General Education requirements in information literacy and research, impact of technology, and philosophy and ethics are met through the Electrical Engineering major/degree. The upper-division General Education requirement is met through the completion of a second major/degree.
Electrical engineering majors must earn a grade of C or better in all 200-level ECE courses prior to taking the next course in the sequence.
Any ECE course registration issues are to be resolved with the ECE Academic Coordinator and Program Manager.