Physics Department
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Degrees & Requirements
Two tracks of study are offered in the Physics Department in which either the B.A. or B.S. degree may be earned.
- The B.S. program teaches basic physics to prepare you for graduate school or engineering school, offering mathematics and research experiences integrated with physics concepts.
- The B.A. degree program provides background in basic physics, emphasizing laboratory skills and knowledge that you will need in industrial or government employment, providing knowledge of the computer, and stressing mathematical skills.
- Either a B.A. or B.S. degree may be earned in physics with support work in education to meet Virginia requirements for licensure to teach physics, and under certain circumstances, other related subjects.
- Either a B.A. or B.S. degree may be earned in physics with support work in the sciences, pre-professional, or business programs. This concentration provides career-oriented skills based on the offerings of other departments.
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Physics (B.A.)
PHYS 201 General Physics I (4)
PHYS 202 General Physics II (4)
PHYS 311 Modern Physics (4)
Five additional courses in Physics* (15-20)
One course from: (3-6)
PHYS 460 Independent Study (3-4)
PHYS 470 Internship (3-6)
Total 30-38
Additional Requirements:
MATH 151 Calculus I (4)
MATH 152 Calculus II (4)
MATH 253 Calculus III (4)
MATH 353 Differential Equations (3)*Chosen in consultation with the advisor.
The senior project is completed as part of a 460 or 470 course (at least three semester hours credit) within the required courses.
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Physics (B.S.)
PHYS 201 General Physics I (4)
PHYS 202 General Physics II (4)
PHYS 311 Modern Physics (4)
PHYS 321 Intermediate Mechanics (3)
PHYS 411 Electricity and Magnetism (3)
PHYS 421 Quantum Mechanics (3)
Three additional upper-division courses in Physics* (9-12)
Total 30-33
Additional Requirements:
MATH 151 Calculus I (4)
MATH 152 Calculus II (4)
MATH 253 Calculus III (4)
MATH 353 Differential Equations (3)
Contextual and Support courses:
CHEM 111 General Chemistry I (4)
CHEM 111L General Chemistry I Lab (0)
CHEM 112 General Chemistry II (4)
CHEM 112L General Chemistry II Lab (0)
CHEM 312 Physical Chemistry I (3)
Two courses from: (6-8)
CHEM 211 Organic Chemistry I (4)
CHEM 212 Organic Chemistry II (4)
CHEM 221 Analytical Chemistry (4)
CHEM 313 Physical Chemistry II (3)
CHEM 411 Inorganic Chemistry (4)
CHEM 422 Instrumental Analysis (3)
MATH 321 Linear Algebra (3)
MATH 360 Mathematical Probability and Statistics (3)
MATH 440 Mathematical Modeling (3)
MATH 451 Real Variable Theory (3)
MATH 473 Numerical Analysis (3)*Chosen in consultation with the advisor.
The senior project may consist of satisfactory performance on the Advanced Physics section of the Graduate Record Examination, successful completion of an internship or a sponsored Research Experience for Undergraduates, or a comprehensive examination given during the first term of the senior year.
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Teacher Preparation--6-12 Secondary (B.A. or B.S.)
Departmental requirements:
Except for the senior project and the contextual and support courses, teacher preparation students should complete the above requirements for the B.A. or the B.S. degree.Licensure Requirements:
EDUC 114 Introduction to Education (1)
EDUC 115 Early Field Experience (.5)
EDUC 115 Early Field Experience (.5)
EDUC 305 Human Growth and Development (3)
EDUC 320 Technology and Instructional Design (3)
EDUC 370 Survey of Exceptional Children (3)
EDUC 440 Seminar: Teaching in Secondary School (2)
EDUC 441 Supervised Teaching in Secondary School (10)
EDUC 445 Foundations of Education (3)
EDUC 449 Reading, Writing and Instruction in Content Areas (3)
EDUC 450 Curriculum and Instruction in Secondary School (3)
Total 32
Additional Requirements:
One course from: (3)
HIST 111 American History to 1861*
HIST 112 American History since 1862*Laboratory Science* (4)
STAT 161 Introduction to Statistics** (4)
Recommended
One course from: (3)
HHP 231 Personal Health
HHP 232 School and Community Health
HHP 251 Safety Education
For middle school endorsement:
EDUC 401 Practicum in Education (2)The student should select core courses to meet state licensure requirements while fulfilling college graduation requirements.
*Met as Modes of Inquiry Core Requirements.
**Statistics 161 is required in addition to the mathematics requirement in the major.
Education 440, 441, and 450 are taken in the professional semester.
Student Teaching is the senior project for teacher preparation, but individual departments may have additional senior project requirements.
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Minor in Physics
A student may minor in physics by completing five courses or 18 semester hours as follows: 201, 202, 311, and two additional courses, both of which must be at the 300 or 400 level.
This information is effective using the most recent Academic Catalog for more detailed course descriptions you can view the Academic Catalog here.
Meet Our Alumni
- <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/675-anne-driscoll"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,960,960/269_1912405_682582264006_8756799307793601402_n.rev.1496850332.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,960,960/269_1912405_682582264006_8756799307793601402_n.rev.1496850332.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,960,960/269_1912405_682582264006_8756799307793601402_n.rev.1496850332.jpg" alt="Anne Ryan Driscoll (right)." width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,960,960/269_1912405_682582264006_8756799307793601402_n.rev.1496850332.jpg 2x" data-max-w="960" data-max-h="960" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/675-anne-driscoll"><p> Anne Ryan Driscoll ’06 Honored for her Teaching and Research at Virginia Tech</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> A press release from Virginia Tech has announced the 2016 Dr. Carroll B. Shannon Excellence in Teaching Awards presented to faculty members in the College of Science and the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.</p><p> Emory & Henry’s Anne Ryan Driscoll (’06) was among the honorees for her work in the Department of Statistics.</p><p> Anne majored in Mathematics and Physics at Emory & Henry and played basketball and tennis as a student athlete, and did all this while maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. Anne was a 3-time ODAC All-Academic selection and a 2-time ITA Scholar Athlete. She and her tennis teammates finished 2nd in both the ODAC regular season and in the ODAC Championship tournament in her junior year, where she played #5 singles and #3 doubles. Anne was also a member of Kappa Phi Alpha sorority and Sigma Mu Honor Society.</p><p> After graduation, Anne went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Statistics and a Ph.D. in Statistics from Virginia Tech. She currently works as an Assistant Professor of Practice at Virginia Tech teaching both undergraduate and graduate level courses in research and statistics. Anne has received other professional awards at Tech that honor her Outstanding Departmental Citizenship and twice was selected for an Excellence in Teaching award. She has published numerous scholarly articles related to research methodology and statistics. Additionally, Anne has collaborated on projects for the Department of Defense and with NASA.</p><p> An excerpt from the press release is listed below, and you may read the entire press release at the Virginia Tech webpage <a href="http://vtnews.vt.edu/content/vtnews_vt_edu/en/articles/2016/08/science-shannonteachingaward.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.</p><p> August 3, 2016 – Four Virginia Tech faculty with the <a href="http://liberalarts.vt.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">College of Science and College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences</a> have received the 2016 Dr. Carroll B. Shannon Excellence in Teaching Award.</p><p> The awards were presented to: Anne Ryan Driscoll, an assistant professor of practice in the Department of Statistics; Michel Pleimling, a professor with the Department of Physics and director of the Academy of Integrated Science; and Gordon Yee, an associate professor with the Department of Chemistry, all in the College of Science; and Marian Mollin, an associate professor in the Department of History, part of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.</p><p><br/> The award is made possible by an endowment established by Peter and Carroll Shannon, of Wilmington, Delaware, and is given annually to College of Science and College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences faculty members who demonstrate outstanding teaching skills, innovative methods, and dedication to learning. The colleges once formed the College of Arts and Sciences, which split in 2002.</p><p><br/> “Virginia Tech gave me the opportunity to become someone who I would never have become if it had not been for the university,” said Peter Shannon, who graduated from Virginia Tech in 1969 with a general science degree and who named the award in honor of his wife, Carroll, an educator for her entire career.</p><p><br/> “Outstanding teachers have the opportunity to be change agents in the lives of students. They inspire a love of learning, encourage students to reach their potential and discover their career path,” said Carroll Shannon, who worked in education for the state of Delaware. “Most importantly, they guide students in becoming contributing members of society who will impact positively the lives of others.”</p><p><strong>Anne Driscoll</strong><br/> Since joining Virginia Tech’s faculty in 2011, Driscoll has taught eight courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the <a href="http://www.stat.vt.edu" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Department of Statistics</a>. She also has collaborated on projects for the U.S. Department of Defense and with NASA, and she chairs the department’s corporate partners program, which is a cooperative outreach venture that links the department with 11 different companies.</p><p> Of Driscoll’s nomination, the college committee said, “The committee was particularly impressed with the strength of your teaching’s impact on your students and their careers.” Her research focuses on statistical process control, health care surveillance, and industrial statistics.</p><p> She earned dual bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and physics from Emory & Henry College in 2006, followed by master’s and doctoral degrees in statistics from Virginia Tech in, respectively, 2007 and 2011. Her awards won at Virginia Tech include the Jesse C. Arnold Award for Excellence in Teaching, 2010-2011, and the Rose Costain Award for Outstanding Departmental Citizenship, 2010.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/675-anne-driscoll" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>