Requirements

Requirements for the The Physics Major

The Physics program provides a firm foundation for work in a variety of areas, and is flexible enough to allow a student to prepare for graduate study in physics, professional schools (such as business or law), or employment in the public or private sector. The majority of recent graduates have pursued advanced degrees in physics or engineering, but other recent graduates are working in fields such as technical support, computers, finance, and secondary education.

Most students take the core sequence as listed below, but a particular curriculum is fashioned to reflect each student's interests and level of preparation. Beyond the core courses, each student chooses a number of Physics and Divisional electives according to her or his focus of study. Physics students follow the standard Divisional procedure for Moderation and must fulfill the college-wide distribution and First-Year Seminar requirements, as well as completing a Senior Project.

Required Courses

The specifically required courses work are:

Introductory Courses
The introductory physics and calculus sequences are: PHYS 141 and PHYS 142 ; MATH 141, MATH 142, MATH 211, and MATH 212.

PHYS 141 and PHYS 142 (Introduction to Physics I and II) are offered as a one-year sequence, and most Physics majors would take both in the first year of classes. Students with advanced preparation might skip one or both of these courses. If a student does not start in the introductory sequence until the sophomore year, completing a physics major is still possible in four years at Bard, but the number of possible upper college physics classes one could take would be limited.

In the first year, most students start with MATH 141 (Calculus I), MATH 142 (Calculus II), or MATH 212 (Calculus III), depending on their level of preparation. These courses and MATH 211 (Ordinary Differential Equations) are normally taken before moderation.

Intermediate Physics Courses
The intermediate-level core physics courses PHYS 303 (Mechanics), PHYS 312 (Electricity and Magnetism), PHYS 314 (Thermal Physics), PHYS 321 (Modern Physics), are offered on a two year cycle. Most Physics students will have take at least two of these courses before moderation.

Students interested in experimental work generally take PHYS 210 (Introduction to Electronics) and PHYS 211 (Introduction to Digital Electronics).

Students often supplement their study of the intermediate-level core courses by concurrently taking the courses on 2-credit mathematical methods matched to these courses, PHYS 323 (Methods of Theoretical Physics) and PHYS 325 (Methods of Mathematical Physics).

Advanced Courses
Students generally take a number of courses and tutorials at the advanced level. PHYS 403 (Quantum Mechanics), is offered as a course or a tutorial each year. Other recent advanced courses and tutorials have included General Relativity, Solid State Physics, Nuclear and Particle Physics, and Scientific Programming.

Additional Course Work
Students are encouraged to take intermediate and advanced courses throughout the Division, depending on their interests and what their post-Bard plans are. In consultation with one's advisor and moderation board, courses such as MATH 242, (Elementary Linear Algebra), or courses in Computer Science or Chemistry would be recommended for Physics students.

Moderation

To enter into the upper college and moderate in Physics, a student writes two short papers, one describing the work the student has done in the lower college and the other describing the plans the student has for the upper college and beyond. The student then meets with a moderation board of three faculty (two from Physics) for an in-depth discussion of the work the student has done so and to develop the student's best curriculum for work in the upper college.

Senior Project

All physics majors must complete a Senior Project. This is generally an experimental or theoretical study on a topic of the student's choice. By working closely with the faculty advisor, the student chooses a Senior Project topic is based on her or his interests and background.

Engineering Combined Plan Options

In affiliation with the Schools of Engineering at Columbia University, Washington University in St. Louis, and Dartmouth College, Bard offers programs of study leading to degrees in engineering. Under the 3-2 program, a student transfers to the school of engineering at the end of the junior year at Bard and, on completing that two-year program, qualifies for both a B.A. degree from Bard and a B.S. degree in engineering from the other school. A student in the 3-3 program spends an additional year at the engineering school and qualifies for the Bard B.A. and an M.S. degree in engineering. A Senior Project is not required for either of these programs. Under the alternative 2-1-1-1 program at Dartmouth (two years at Bard, then one at Dartmouth, one at Bard, and one at Dartmouth), the student spends the senior year at Bard, and therefore does a Senior Project. Under the 4-2 program, the student completes the entire four-year program at Bard and two years of graduate study at the other school to qualify for B.A. and M.S. degrees. Admission to any of these programs is contingent on fulfillment of Bard distribution requirements and the specific course requirements for each engineering program, achievement of a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, and recommendation of the Bard faculty liaison, Professor Burton Brody. Applicants need not be science majors. Interested students should consult with Professor Brody early in their Bard careers.