Physics B.S.

Here we provide information on course requirements, course descriptions and an Academic Rhode Map for each program, a semester-by-semester plan to help you toward graduation in four years.

Course Requirements

Course Descriptions – Physics

Course Descriptions – Physical Science

Academic Rhode Map

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to demonstrate:

• Field knowledge. A thorough knowledge, both descriptive and quantitative, of the principles and methods of the field, including an understanding of the questions addressed by the discipline, 欣赏该领域的历史发展，并了解其研究中固有的局限性.
• Problem-solving skills. 运用现有的或新的技术解释和解决理论和应用问题的能力.
• Lab skills. The acquisition of a complete set of laboratory skills, 包括使用各种仪器和计算技术收集和分析数据的能力, 理解每种技术对特定问题的适用性的能力，以及与同伴合作的能力.
• Research skills. The ability to plan and carry out research using proper methods, including the use of scientific literature to obtain information.
• Communication skills. 能够以口头和书面形式清晰、正确地交流科学成果和概念.
• Safety skills. The ability to use proper safety measures, to recognize and avoid hazards and to recognize, handle and properly dispose of hazardous materials.
• Ethics. Understand the ethical responsibilities of a physicist/chemist, 包括诚实在所有科学努力中的重要性，以及考虑其领域的社会和环境影响.​

In what ways is writing important to your profession?

Writing is critical in both chemistry and physics, 无论是在研究过程本身，还是向更广泛的受众传播科学发现. 在整个研究过程中，写作很重要，可以准确记录研究动机, design, results and conclusions of an experiment. After the experiment is complete, it is critical that the findings be communicated to the wider community. 这可能意味着与其他科学家交流，他们将以这些发现为基础, 政府或私人雇主将利用它们来指导政策或设计技术，或帮助公众在科学问题上做出明智的决定.

哪些课程被指定为满足学科写作(WID)要求? Why these courses?

PHYS 313: Junior Lab
PHYS 413: Senior lab

In these courses, 你将参与一系列的实验，并要求保持准确的实验笔记. In Junior Lab, 你将会被介绍到正式实验报告的各个部分，并了解每个部分应该包含哪些信息. 在高级实验中，你将学习把所有的部分放在一起，以产生一个完整的正式的实验报告.

你将在WID课程中学习和练习什么形式或类型的写作? Why these genres?​

You will focus primarily on two genres of writing. 这些体裁与物理和化学写作的两个目的有关:记录研究过程和向更广泛的读者传播科学发现.

For the first purpose, you will focus on keeping a lab notebook. 实验笔记不仅是数据的汇编，而且是对整个实验的叙述. It is not only a document kept for personal use but can also have legal, financial and ethical implications. 保存一份格式准确的实验笔记是科学家的一项关键技能.

For the second purpose, you will focus on the formal lab report. 这种格式在许多方面与物理和化学的专业期刊文章相似. 这些类型的文章是科学家向更广泛的科学界传播他们的发现的主要方式. 

What kinds of teaching practices will you encounter in your WID courses?

你将得到关于如何保存实验笔记本和写正式实验报告的明确指导和反馈. 这包括这些体裁的正确格式以及如何使用科学文献作为资源, 如何正确呈现结果和得出结论，如何正确引用科学文献. For the formal lab reports, 你将制作多个报告草稿，并从你的导师和同行评审中获得反馈.

当你符合部门的WID要求时，你应该能够:

保存准确、格式正确的实验笔记，并撰写格式正确的正式实验报告. 这包括了解报告(摘要)每个部分的目的, introduction, experimental methods, etc.); using data to support scientific conclusions; and communicating to other scientists in the discipline as well as to a broader audience.