PHY 108 - Introduction to Engineering/Physics

3 semester hours, 2 hours lecture and 2 hours recitation per week. An introductory course on engineering/physics analysis with practice in analyzing and solving problems in physics and engineering. Includes use of computational devices and methods.

EGR 111 - Foundations in Engineering I

Introduction to the engineering profession, ethics and disciplines; development of skills in teamwork, problem solving, logic processing, algorithm development, estimation, design and drawing; emphasis on computer applications and design. Software used: Windows 95, Office 97, AutoCAD and the Internet.

EGR 112 - Foundations in Engineering II

Development of skills in problem solving, design, analysis, estimation and teamwork; utilization of computer tools for documentation and presentation; introduction to logic processing and computer programming; introduction to accounting and conservation principles in engineering. Software used: Windows 95, Office 97, AutoCAD and the Internet.

EGR 215 - Principles of Electrical Engineering

Basic AC, DC, and digital circuits and their applications in instrumentation. Lecture and laboratory grades are computed into one grade and the same grade is recorded for both lecture and lab. Prerequisite: EGR 112 or PHY 242 and MTH 233. Co-requisite: EGR 215L.

PHY 241 - Technical Physics I

A presentation of the principles of mechanics and heat. Lecture and laboratory grades are computed into one grade, and the grade is recorded for both lecture and lab. Co-requisite: MTH 233, PHY 241L.

PHY 241L - Technical Physics I Laboratory

(PHYS 2125) 1 semester hour, 3 hours lab per week. Co-requisite: PHYS 241. Lab fee $10.

PHY 242 - Technical Physics II

(PHYS 2326) A presentation of the principles of sound, electricity, magnetism, and optics. Lecture and laboratory grades are computed into one grade, and the same grade is recorded for both lecture and lab. Prerequisite: MTH 233, PHY 241. Co-requisite: PHY 242L.

PHY 242L - Technical Physics II Laboratory

(PHYS 2126) 1 semester hour, 3 hours lab per week. Co-requisite: PHY 242. Lab fee $10.

EGR 250 - Engineering Statics

4 semester hours, 3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab per week. Prerequisite: MTH 234 and PHY 241.

EGR 321 - Engineering Dynamics

4 semester hours, 3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab per week. Prerequisite: PHY 250.

EGR 343 - Digital Systems

Boolean algebra and logic gates; combinational logic; sequential logic and synchronous sequential logic systems; design of logic circuits. Microcontroller architecture, programming and interfacing. Special emphasis will be placed on hardware-software interactions, programming techniques, and control of real-time hardware. Two hours of lecture and one three-hour lab per week.

 

Course Syllabi

PHY 101 - General Physics I

A presentation with a minimum of mathematics of the basic concepts of mechanics, light and sound. This course may not be used to meet graduation requirements by students majoring in the College of Sciences and Mathematics. Lecture and laboratory grades are computed into one grade, and the same grade is recorded for both lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: One year of high school algebra. Co-requisite: PHY 101L.

PHY 101L - General Physics I Laboratory

1 semester hour, 2 hours lab per week. Co-requisite: PHY 101. Lab fee $10.

PHY 102 - General Physics II

A continuation of PHY 101 presenting with a minimum of mathematics the basic concepts of heat, electricity, magnetism, and certain aspects of modern physics. The course may not be used to meet graduation requirements by students majoring in the College of Sciences and Mathematics. Lecture and laboratory grades are computed into one grade, and the same grade is recorded for both lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: PHY 101. Co-requisite: PHY 102L.

PHY 102L - General Physics II Laboratory

1 semester hour, 2 hours lab per week. Co-requisite: PHY 102. Lab fee $10.

PHY 108 - Introduction to Engineering/Physics

3 semester hours, 2 hours lecture and 2 hours recitation per week. An introductory course on engineering/physics analysis with practice in analyzing and solving problems in physics and engineering. Includes use of computational devices and methods.

PHY 110 - Fundamentals of Electronics

An introductory study of fundamental electrical components and circuits and their applications in AM, FM and TV transmission and reception. Lecture and laboratory grades are computed into one grade, and the same grade is recorded for both lecture and lab. Co-requisite: PHY 110L.

PHY 110L - Fundamentals of Electronics Laboratory

1 semester hour, 3 hours lab per week. Co-requisite: PHY 110. Lab fee $10.

PHY 118 - Musical Acoustics

Waves, resonance, frequency, pitch, waveform, hearing, intervals, scales, strings, air columns, rods, plates, vocal apparatus, instruments. Lecture and laboratory grades are computed into one grade, and the same grade is recorded for both lecture and lab. Prerequisite: Ability to read music. Co-requisite: PHY 118L

PHY 118L - Musical Acoustics Laboratory

1 semester hour, 2 hours lab per week. Co-requisite: PHY 118. Lab fee $10.

PHY 131 - Mechanics and Heat

(PHYS 1301) Fundamental principles of mechanics and heat. Lecture and laboratory grades are computed into one grade, and the same grade is recorded for both lecture and lab. Prerequisite: High school trigonometry. Co-requisite: PHY 131L.

PHY 131L - Mechanics and Heat Laboratory

(PHYS 1101) 1 semester hour, 3 hours lab per week. Co-requisite: PHY 131. Lab fee $10.

PHY 132 - Electricity, Sound, and Light

(PHYS 1302) Basic electrical and magnetic phenomena, wave motion, sound, and light. Lecture and laboratory grades are computed into one grade, and the same grade is recorded for both lecture and lab. Prerequisite: PHY 131. Co-requisite: PHY 132L.

PHY 132L - Electricity, Sound, and Light Laboratory

(PHYS 1102) 1 semester hour, 3 hours lab per week. Co-requisite: PHY 132. Lab fee $10.

PHY 241 - Technical Physics I

A presentation of the principles of mechanics and heat. Lecture and laboratory grades are computed into one grade, and the grade is recorded for both lecture and lab. Co-requisite: MTH 233, PHY 241L.

PHY 241L - Technical Physics I Laboratory

(PHYS 2125) 1 semester hour, 3 hours lab per week. Co-requisite: PHYS 241. Lab fee $10.

PHY 242 - Technical Physics II

(PHYS 2326) A presentation of the principles of sound, electricity, magnetism, and optics. Lecture and laboratory grades are computed into one grade, and the same grade is recorded for both lecture and lab. Prerequisite: MTH 233, PHY 241. Co-requisite: PHY 242L.

PHY 242L - Technical Physics II Laboratory

(PHYS 2126) 1 semester hour, 3 hours lab per week. Co-requisite: PHY 242. Lab fee $10.

PHY 250 - Engineering Statics

4 semester hours, 3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab per week. Prerequisite: MTH 234 and PHY 241.

PHY 262 - Electrical Circuits and Devices

Basic AC and DC circuits and their applications in instrumentation. Lecture and laboratory grades are computed into one grade and the same grade in recorded for both lecture and lab. Prerequisite: PHY 132 or equivalent and MTH 233. Co-requisite: PHY 262L.

PHY 262L - Electrical Circuits and Devices Laboratory

1 semester hour, 3 hours lab per week. Co-requisite: PHY 262. Lab fee $10.

PHY 301 - Mechanics and Optics for Teachers

3 semester hours, 2 hours lecture, and 2 hours lab per week. A study of the fundamentals of mechanics and optics designed for students preparing to become elementary or secondary teachers. Prerequisite: PHY 101 or equivalent. Lab fee $10.

PHY 304 - Electricity and Magnetism for Teachers

3 semester hours, 2 hours lecture and 2 hours lab per week. A study of the fundamentals of electricity and magnetism designed for students preparing to become elementary or secondary teachers. Prerequisite: PHY 101 or equivalent. Lab fee $10.

PHY 315A,B - Selected Topics

1-4 hours. Material to be covered will vary from semester to semester and will be announced. May be repeated for additional credit in a different topic. Prerequisites: Eight hours from any of the sciences, separately or in combination.

PHY 321 - Engineering Dynamics

4 semester hours, 3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab per week. Prerequisite: PHY 250.

PHY 333 - Modern Physics

An introduction to relativity, quantum phenomena, atomic and nuclear physics. Prerequisites: PHY 132 (or PHY 242) and MTH 233. Co-requisite: PHY 333L.

PHY 333L - Modern Physics Laboratory

1 semester hour, 3 hours lab per week. Co-requisite: PHY 333. Lab fee $10.

PHY 343 - Electronics

3 semester hours, 2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab per week. Design and integration of basic circuits into electronic instrumentation. Prerequisite: PHY 132 (or PHY242). Lab fee $10.

PHY 347 - Mathematical Applications in Physics I

Formulation and solution of physical problems using vector analysis, partial differential equations, complex variables and transforms. Prerequisites: PHY 132 (or PHY242) and MTH 234.

PHY 410 - Experimental Techniques of Physics

4 semester hours, 3 hours lecture and 2 hours lab per week. A presentation of the experimental techniques used to measure the physical observables associated with matter, mechanics, waves, sound, light, electricity and magnetism. Prerequisites: PHY 101 and either PHY 102 or AST 105. Lab fee $10.

PHY 430 - Thermodynamics

Includes the kinetic theory of gases, Maxwell-Boltzmann statics, Fermi-Dirac statistics, the Debye Approximation, magnetic cooling, and the theory of heat engines. Prerequisite: PHY 333.

PHY 431 - Introductory Quantum Mechanics

DeBroglie wave, Schroedinger formulation, step and barrier potentials, perturbation theory, harmonic oscillator, annihilation and creation operations, commutation relations, representations. Prerequisite: PHY 333.

PHY 440 - Introduction to Electricity and Magnetism

Electrical and magnetic field theory, properties of dielectrics and magnetic materials. Prerequisites: PHY 132 (or PHY242) and MTH 234.

PHY 441 - Optics

4 semester hours, 3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab per week. Fundamentals of physical and geometrical optics including polarization and diffraction. Prerequisite: PHY 440. Lab fee $10.

PHY 470A,B - Individual Instruction in Technical Presentations

1 semester hour. Individual instruction. May be repeated only once for additional credit. Prerequisite: Junior or senior major status.

PHY 475 - Special Problems

1-4 hours. For undergraduate credit only. Experimental or theoretical independent study in research. Prerequisite: 12 semester hours of physics.

PHY 476 - Special Problems

1-4 hours. For undergraduate credit only. A continuation of PHY 475. Prerequisite: PHY 475.

 

The astronomy minor has been developed for those students who have interests in astronomy beyond the introductory level. The course of study includes introductory physics, introductory astronomy, observational astronomy, and astrophysics. A student majoring in physics may minor in astronomy, but those courses that are applied to the minor cannot be applied to the major at the same time. The requirements for the minor in astronomy are PHY 131 (or 241), 132 (or 242), AST 105, 305, and 335. All minor programs must be approved on the degree plan by the Chair of the Department.

 

AST 105 - Classical and Modern Astronomy

(PHYS 1311) An introductory study of planetary astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology. Lecture and laboratory grades are computed into one grade, and the same grade is recorded for both lecture and laboratory. Co-requisite: AST 105L.

AST 105L - Classical and Modern Astronomy Laboratory

(PHYS 1111) 1 semester hour, 2 hours lab per week including night viewing sessions by arrangement. Co-requisite: AST 105. Lab fee $10.

AST 305 - Observational Astronomy

2 hours lecture and 3 hours lab per week. Fundamentals of practical sky observing including visual, photographic, and photometric techniques using the research telescopes at the SFA Observatory. Prerequisites: AST 105 and MTH 133, 138. Lab fee $10.

AST 335 - Astrophysics

Properties of light, stellar evolution, and galactic dynamics are treated in quantitative manner. Prerequisites: PHY 132 (or PHY242) and MTH 233.