Medical Physics, Emphasis
A course of study in physics, resulting in a B.S. degree in physics, prepares students for a wide variety of opportunities, such as engineering careers in the private sector, careers in the health professions, employment in industry and government laboratories, advanced technology jobs in science and technology related fields, and careers as science teachers. The B.S. degree program is also excellent preparation for advanced degrees in physics, astronomy, engineering, medicine, or law. Medical Physics is designed for those who are interested in going to the medical school, or working in a biochemical physics field.
The Core Curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking skills and introduce students to basic domains of thinking that transcend disciplines. The Core applies to all majors. Information on specific classes in the Core can be found at https://www.marshall.edu/gened/.
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | ||
| Core 1: Critical Thinking | ||
| FYS 100 | First Yr Sem Critical Thinking | 3 |
| MTH 229 | Calculus/Analytic Geom I (CT) | 5 |
| PSY 201 | Introductory Psychology (CT) | 3 |
| Core 2 | ||
| ENG 101 | Beginning Composition | 3 |
| ENG 201 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| Core II Communication | 3 | |
| Core II Mathematics | 5 | |
| Calculus/Analytic Geom I (CT) | ||
| Core II Humanities | 3 | |
also take as Writing Intensive | ||
| Core II Social Science | 3 | |
| Introductory Psychology (CT) | ||
| Core II Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Core II Natural Science | 4 | |
| University Physics I and General Physics I Laboratory | ||
| Additional University Requirements | ||
| Writing Intensive | 3 | |
| Writing Intensive | 3 | |
also take as Core II Humanities | ||
| Multicultural or International | 3 | |
| Understanding Society (CT) | ||
| Capstone | 2 | |
| Capstone | ||
| Capstone | ||
| Major-Specific | ||
| PHY 211 & PHY 202 | University Physics I and General Physics I Laboratory | 5 |
| PHY 213 & PHY 204 | University Physics II and General Physics 2 Laboratory | 5 |
| PHY 300 | Electricity & Magnetism | 3 |
| PHY 304 & PHY 405 | Optics and Optics Lab | 5 |
| PHY 320 & PHY 421 | Intro Modern Physics and Modern Physics Lab | 5 |
| PHY 330 | Mechanics | 3 |
| PHY 350 | Biological Physics | 3 |
| PHY 360 | Medical Physics | 3 |
| PHY 408 | Thermal Stat Physics | 3 |
| PHY 442 | Quantum Mechanics | 3 |
| PHY 445 | Math Methods of Physics | 3 |
| PHY 446 | Math Methods of Physics II | 3 |
| PHY 491 | Capstone (C) | 2 |
| or PHY 492 | Capstone | |
| CHM 211 & CHM 217 | Principles of Chemistry I and Principles of Chem Lab I | 5 |
| CHM 212 & CHM 218 | Principles Chemistry II and Principles of Chem Lab II | 5 |
| CHM 355 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHM 356 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHM 361 | Intro Organic Chm Lab | 3 |
| CHM 365 | Introductory Biochemistry | 3 |
| BSC 120 & BSC 120L | Principles of Biology I and Principles of Biology I Lab | 4 |
| BSC 121 & BSC 121L | Principles of Biology II and Prin of Biology II Lab | 4 |
| BSC 322 | Principles Cell Biology | 4 |
| BSC 417 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| or STA 225 | Introductory Statistics (CT) | |
| MTH 229 | Calculus/Analytic Geom I (CT) | 5 |
| MTH 230 | Calculus/Analytic Geom II | 4 |
| MTH 231 | Calculus/Analytic Geom III | 4 |
Major Information
- Students are required to know and track their degree requirements for graduation or for entrance to a professional school.
- In addition to the Core General Education requirements, the College of Science requires 3 hours of Calculus, and 40 hours of upper level credit.
- Coursework listed as “elective” may vary for each student. Students are encouraged to use elective hours toward a 2nd minor or toward prerequisites.
- Students are strongly encouraged to select courses that meet two or more Core or College requirements. For example, a writing intensive literature course could satisfy the Core II humanities requirement as well as the university writing intensive requirement.
- Course offerings and course attributes are subject to change each semester. Please consult each semester’s schedule of courses for availability and attributes.
- Math is based on an ACT Mathematics score of 27 or higher. Students with an ACT Mathematics score less than 27 will be placed in the appropriate prerequisite mathematics and science courses.
- In order to graduate, students must maintain a 2.00 Overall GPA and receive a grade of C or better in each course required for the major.
Semester Plan
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credit Hours | |
| PHY 211 | University Physics I | 4 |
| PHY 202 | General Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
| CHM 211 | Principles of Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHM 217 | Principles of Chem Lab I | 2 |
| MTH 229 | Calculus/Analytic Geom I (CT) | 5 |
| UNI 100 | Freshman First Class | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| PHY 213 | University Physics II | 4 |
| PHY 204 | General Physics 2 Laboratory | 1 |
| CHM 212 | Principles Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHM 218 | Principles of Chem Lab II | 2 |
| MTH 230 | Calculus/Analytic Geom II | 4 |
| FYS 100 | First Yr Sem Critical Thinking | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| PHY 320 | Intro Modern Physics | 3 |
| PHY 421 | Modern Physics Lab | 2 |
| BSC 120 | Principles of Biology I | 3 |
| BSC 120L | Principles of Biology I Lab | 1 |
| CHM 355 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| MTH 231 | Calculus/Analytic Geom III | 4 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| PHY 408 | Thermal Stat Physics | 3 |
| BSC 121 | Principles of Biology II | 3 |
| BSC 121L | Prin of Biology II Lab | 1 |
| CHM 356 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHM 361 | Intro Organic Chm Lab | 3 |
| PSY 201 | Introductory Psychology (CT) | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| PHY 304 | Optics | 3 |
| PHY 405 | Optics Lab | 2 |
| BSC 322 | Principles Cell Biology | 4 |
| CHM 365 | Introductory Biochemistry | 3 |
| SOC 200 | Understanding Society (CT) | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| PHY 300 | Electricity & Magnetism | 3 |
| PHY 350 | Biological Physics | 3 |
| PHY 445 | Math Methods of Physics | 3 |
| BSC 417 | Biostatistics or Introductory Statistics (CT) | 3 |
| ENG 101 | Beginning Composition | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| PHY 330 | Mechanics | 3 |
| PHY 360 | Medical Physics | 3 |
| PHY 446 | Math Methods of Physics II | 3 |
| ENG 201 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| PHY 442 | Quantum Mechanics | 3 |
| PHY 492 | Capstone or Capstone | 2 |
| Core 2 Communications | 3 | |
| Core 2 Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Core 2 Humanities and Writing Intensive | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 121 | |