College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Physics Major Program Information
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Box 70652
Johnson City, TN 37614
Phone: (423) 439-4231
Web Address: www.etsu.edu/cas/physics
The major program in physics provides the foundation for a broad spectrum of challenging careers in scientific and non-scientific fields. Baccalaureate physics majors find employment opportunities such as research associates in commercial and government laboratories, sales and engineering representatives for manufacturers of technical products, industrial management trainees, and teachers at the secondary school level. The total number of credits required for graduation is 120.
Students are also strongly encouraged to take mathematics at least through ordinary differential equations and such additional elective courses in physics, mathematics, and chemistry as their curriculum will permit.
All major programs in physics must be approved by the chair of the department.
To complete university graduation requirements, students must complete a minor in another subject area.
Transfer Students–Transfer students majoring in physics should contact the chair of the department for advising as soon as possible. This will ensure that the student’s previous work will be coordinated efficiently with ETSU requirements.
For general information about the department or courses, contact Dr. Donald Luttermoser, Chair (lutter@etsu.edu; (423)-439-7064).
For Student Advising for Physics Majors, contact Dr. Mark Giroux (girouxm@etsu.edu; (423)-439-8684) or Dr. Beverly Smith (smithbj@etsu.edu; (423)-439-8418).
For Student Advising for Pre-Engineering Students, contact Dr. Richard Ignace (ignace@etsu.edu; (423)-439-6904)
General Program Information
To earn a degree from ETSU, there are specific course requirements put forth by ETSU, by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), by each college, and by each department. All students must meet the degree requirements at each of these levels. Please follow the format below:
University-level Degree and Graduation Requirements
Total Credit Hours for Degree: 120
College of Arts and Sciences B.S. Degree Requirements
Students majoring in the College of Arts and Sciences must meet the following requirements for the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. Some requirements must be taken in addition to the General Education Core, whereas others specify which courses from the General Education Core must be taken.
TBR General Education Requirements: 42 Credit Hours
Below you will see the categories and courses specified under TBR General Education Requirements. Note that certain courses are required for this degree, specific to this major. Thus, these courses will satisfy both a TBR General Education requirement AND a requirement of this major. (Other majors may require different General Education courses.) Where specific courses are required for this major, we only list those courses under the category. If there are no specific major requirements for a category, all course options appear.
Communication
9 credits, consisting of 6 credits of written composition and 3 credits of oral communication.
Written Composition
Complete both of the following:
Humanities and Fine Arts
9 credits, consisting of 3 credits of literature, 3 credits of fine arts, and 3 credits of humanities electives.
Literature
Complete one of the following:
Fine Arts
Complete one of the following:
Humanities
Complete the following:
Social and Behavioral Sciences
6 credits, consisting of two of the following:
History
6 credits, consisting of both of the following:
Natural Sciences
8 credit hours from a single laboratory sequence.
Mathematics
Students eligible to enroll in this math course must do so during their first calendar year of enrollment or prior to accumulating 33 semester credits at ETSU.
Physics Major
A major in physics at the bachelor’s level requires a minimum of 37 credit hours of study in physics. These shall include the following courses.
Physics Major Requirements: 37 Credit Hours
Physics electives chosen from:
Choose a minimum of 6 credit hours from the list below:
Additional Requirements: 11 Credit Hours
Minor: 18-27 Credit Hours
Electives: 3-12 Credit Hours
Additional Information
Click here to view the Suggested Course Sequence for Physics B.S.
Teacher Education–Students interested in pursuing a teacher education program for certification as a physics teacher in grades 7-12 are asked to see the department chair in the Department of Physics and Astronomy AND the professional advisor in the Office of Student Services, 321 Warf-Pickel, College of Education.
Pre-Teacher Education–Declaration of Intent–All ETSU students desiring to complete a teacher education or other public school licensure program (for initial licensure, add-on endorsement, or advanced study in education) must file a Declaration of Intent in the Office of Student Services, 321 Warf-Pickel Hall. The Declaration of Intent should be filed before 30 credit hours of coursework have been completed or, in the case of transfer and post-baccalaureate students, in the first semester at ETSU. Delay or failure to file the Declaration of Intent may result in incomplete advisement. Students who have not filed the Declaration of Intent will not be considered for admission to teacher education and may be ineligible to enroll in many professional education courses.
Professional Education Requirements–There is a total of 36 credit hours required for professional education. Please refer to the Education Minor section in this catalog for a list of the required courses that must be taken with the professional semester.
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