Contact Information
Department of Physics525 Northwestern Avenue
West Lafayette, IN
47907-2036
Map and Directions
Telephone:
(765) 494-2970
Fax:
(765) 494-0706
Applied Physics and Honors Applied Physics Majors
The applied physics plan of study is especially geared toward providing the physics major with specific expertise in preparation for immediate employment in the corporate research world or in government laboratories, or in further graduate study. Students obtain a solid physics background plus significant experience in one or more specialties of their own choosing, selected from a wide range of choices from Purdue's Colleges of Science and Engineering.
Requirements:
Applied physics elective courses totaling 30 credit hours are required in addition to other required courses. The basic plan of study combines about 31 - 37 credit hours of physics with 30 credit hours of applied electives. These courses must be approved and signed by the advisor. Each student is required to have a major concentration in one specialty (14 credit hours or more), or a minor concentration in two specialties (9 credit hours or more each). Four of the elective courses must involve laboratory work.
A Bachelor of Science degree with a major in applied physics with honors can be obtained by replacing several required courses in the regular applied physics program with the corresponding honors courses. All other applied physics requirements must still be met. In addition, grades of "A" or "B" must be maintained in all physics and mathematics courses.
A number of recommended specialties and SUGGESTED COURSES for applied physics major are available at SPECIALTIES: (pdf).
New combinations are also possible in consultation with the Applied Honors Committee. The specialties under the applied physics curriculum can range from different areas in engineering including nanotechnology and biomedical engineering, in science including nano-science, biology, biophysics, chemical physics, geophysics, medical physics, computer science, computational physics, quantum physics, and special areas such as forensic science.
NOTE:
Individually tailored specialties may be chosen by the student in consultation with an advisor. Courses may also be substituted in consultation with specified department.Examples of Plans of Study of some programs.
Applied Physics in Geophysics
EAS 111 and EAS 243 are mandatory. For other elective courses, refer to SPECIALTIES: (pdf). Coordinator – Prof. Laura Pyrak-Nolte.
Honors Applied Physics in Geophysics
EAS 111 and EAS 243 are mandatory. For other courses, refer to SPECIALTIES: (pdf). Coordinator – Prof. Laura Pyrak-Nolte.
Applied Physics in Atmospheric Sciences
EAS 225, EAS 320, EAS 421, EAS 532, EAS 422, EAS 423 are mandatory. For other elective courses, refer to SPECIALTIES: (pdf). Coordinator – Prof. Laura Pyrak-Nolte.
Applied Physics in Astrophysics
ASTR 363, ASTR 364, ASTR 370 are mandatory. For other elective courses, refer to SPECIALTIES: (pdf). Coordinator – Prof. Matthew Lister.
Applied Physics in Computational Physics
CS 314, CS 478, CS 501, CS 590V, PHYS 580, PHYS 570A (computational bio-molecular physics) are mandatory. For other elective courses, refer to SPECIALTIES: (pdf). Coordinator – Prof. Nicholas Giordano.
Applied Physics in Nuclear Physics
MSE 235, NUCL 200, NUCL 205, NUCL 300, NUCL 310, NUCL 305, PHYS 556, NUCL 497, two additional applied electives recommended by Coordinator. Coordinator – Prof. David Koltick.
Applied Physics in Material Science & Engineering
MSE 230, MSE 235, MSE 240, MSE 335, MSE 340, MSE 367, MSE 350, MSE 370, two additional applied electives recommended by Coordinator. Coordinator – Prof. Stephen Durbin.
For the following programs, and others, see the corresponding courses at SPECIALTIES: (pdf)
Applied Physics in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering - Coordinator: Prof. Ephraim Fischbach
Medical Physics – Coordinator: Prof. Andrew Hirsch
Nano-Physics - Coordinator: Prof. Ron Reifenberger
Applied Physics in Mechanical Engineering - Coordinator - Prof. Ron Reifenberger
Applied Physics in Industrial Engineering
Applied Physics in Computer Engineering
Applied Physics in Electrical Engineering
Applied Physics in Chemical Engineering
Applied Physics in Food Process Engineering