Physics

Courses

PHYS 501 Mathematical Physics I 3.0 Credits

Covers various topics in mathematical physics and their numerical implementations, including calculus of residues and further applications of complex variables; vector spaces, Fourier series, and generalized functions; integral transforms; theory and application of ordinary and partial differential equations; special functions; boundary value and initial value problems; Green's function theory and applications; and integral equations.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 502 Mathematical Physics II 3.0 Credits

Continues PHYS 501.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 506 Dynamics I 3.0 Credits

Covers Lagrangian-Hamiltonian formulations, variational principles, particle kinematics and dynamics, and small oscillations and normal modes.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 511 Electromagnetic Theory I 3.0 Credits

Covers electrostatics, magnetostatics, electromagnetic waves, boundary value problems of electromagnetic theory, theory of Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction, classical electrodynamics, special relativity, waveguides, and radiation theory.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 512 Electromagnetic Theory II 3.0 Credits

Continues PHYS 511.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 516 Quantum Mechanics I 3.0 Credits

Covers axioms of quantum mechanics and the basic mathematical tools, one-dimensional Schrodinger equation, spin and general two-level systems, harmonic oscillator, general theory of angular momentum, hydrogen atom, elements of atomic spectroscopy, quantum theory of scattering, electron spin, addition of angular momenta, stationary and time-dependent perturbation theory, fine and hyperfine structure of the hydrogen atom, interaction of light and matter, and Dirac Equation.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 517 Quantum Mechanics II 3.0 Credits

Continues PHYS 516.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 518 Quantum Mechanics III 3.0 Credits

Continues PHYS 517.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 521 Statistical Mechanics I 3.0 Credits

Covers thermodynamics; probability theory; Gibbs-Boltzmann formulation; relation between density of states and entropy; partition functions; ensembles; Maxwell-Boltzmann, Bose-Einstein, Fermi-Dirac, phonon, photon, and electron systems; and phase transitions.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 522 Statistical Mechanics II 3.0 Credits

Continues PHYS 521.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 531 Galactic Astrophysics 3.0 Credits

The goal of this course is to present an introduction to the processes responsible for the formation, structure, evolution, and present-day appearance of the Milky Way and other galaxies. Using the Milky Way Galaxy as a guide, we will develop analytical and numerical tools to help us understand the properties of these magnificent objects, near and far. For the most part, these tools will be based on familiar concepts in classical mechanics and thermodynamics.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 532 Cosmology 3.0 Credits

Covers cosmological models, age and distance scales in the universe, the hot big bang, primordial nucleosynthesis, inflation, baryonic and non-baryonic matter, galaxy formation and evolution, dynamics of structure formation, statistics of cosmological density fields, and cosmic background fluctuations.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 540 Big Data Physics 3.0 Credits

This course provides the framework for physics students at all levels to begin interacting with large data sets in physics. Data analysis will be done using Python tools, including standard libraries for machine learning. Practical application of classification and regression techniques for both unsupervised and supervised data are emphasized, in addition to dimensionality reduction techniques and time-domain analysis. An introduction to statistical methods, Bayesian inference, and Markov-chain Monte Carlo methods provide a foundation for application of machine learning tools.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 553 Nanoscience 3.0 Credits

Physical basis of nanoscale materials and systems including discussion of low-dimensional structures and their physical properties, the self-assembly of nanostructures, applications in various fields of science and technology, and techniques for fabrication and characterization on the nanoscale.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 554 Quantum Technology 3.0 Credits

The course provides an applied physics/engineering treatise of the fundamental building blocks of quantum computers. The topics include the physics of quantum computing, different quantum bit (qubit) technologies (ion trap/ superconducting/ semiconductor spin qubits), full hardware and system level aspects, the state-of-the-art, challenges, and near future outlook of the paradigm.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 558 Quantum Information 3.0 Credits

Introduction to the principles of quantum information and quantum information processing. Covers the basic postulates of quantum physics (e.g. superposition, entanglement, measurement) necessary for quantum computing and examines the way in which quantum information is stored and processed (e.g. quantum bits, quantum gates, quantum algorithms).

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 561 Biophysics 3.0 Credits

A one-course introduction to Biophysics. Topics may include structure of biomolecules, protein stability, electron transfer, protein folding, protein substrates, allostery, and self-assembly. No biological background is assumed.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 562 Computational Biophysics 3.0 Credits

Covers mathematical applications of biological simulations. Using classical and statistical mechanics, we will cover topics including atomic scale simulations, statistical sampling, and models of molecular cellular systems and living processes.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 571 Nonlinear Dynamics 3.0 Credits

This course introduces the basic ideas of the new science of nonlinear dynamics and develops methods to carry out fundamental computations of fractal dimension, Lyapunov exponents, and topological invariants.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 576 Introduction to Particle Physics 3.0 Credits

This course provides an introduction to the physics of fundamental particles. Topics include the fundamental forces, quarks and leptons, Feynman diagrams, symmetries and conservation laws, relativistic kinematics, bound states, and experimental methods.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 601 Advanced Quantum Mechanics I 3.0 Credits

Relativistic one-particle quantum mechanics; Dirac theory radiation theory; free fields; interactions; quantum electrodynamics; introduction to elementary particle theory; quantum chromodynamics.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 626 Solid State Physics I 3.0 Credits

Crystal lattices; Bloch theorem; classical and quantum theory of lattice vibrations; phonons, electron states in solids; calculation of energy bands and Fermi surfaces; dynamics of electrons in metals; electron-electron interactions; plasmons; electron-phonon interactions; polarons; semiconductor and insulator crystals; transport properties of solids; thermal properties; optical properties; magnetism; magnons; superconductivity.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 627 Solid State Physics II 3.0 Credits

Crystal lattices; Bloch theorem; classical and quantum theory of lattice vibrations; phonons, electron states in solids; calculation of energy bands and Fermi surfaces; dynamics of electrons in metals; electron-electron interactions; plasmons; electron-phonon interactions; polarons; semiconductor and insulator crystals; transport properties of solids; thermal properties; optical properties; magnetism; magnons; superconductivity.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 631 Relativity Theory I 3.0 Credits

Covers particle and field dynamics in special relativity, tensor calculus for Riemannian space-time manifolds, Einstein's gravitational field equations and their principal solutions in general relativity, black holes, general relativistic variational principles, big bang cosmology, and quantization of general relativity.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 676 Nuclear Physics I 3.0 Credits

Review of systematics of experimental phenomena; nuclear structure theory, including shell model, interacting-boson model, Hartree-Fock approaches, and collective models; intermediate energy theory and experiment, including electron, nucleon, and pion scattering and reactions; group theoretical approaches; interfaces of quark-meson-nucleon coexistence.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 677 Nuclear Physics II 3.0 Credits

Review of systematics of experimental phenomena; nuclear structure theory, including shell model, interacting-boson model, Hartree-Fock approaches, and collective models; intermediate energy theory and experiment, including electron, nucleon, and pion scattering and reactions; group theoretical approaches; interfaces of quark-meson-nucleon coexistence.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 679 The Standard Model 3.0 Credits

This class will focus on classical fields in general, as well as the relationship between classical and quantum fields. It will include discussions of special relativity, group theory, and simple lie groups, as well as the theoretical development of electromagnetism, the weak, and strong forces. The course will develop electroweak unification in particular, and unified theories in general. It will conclude with a discussion of Grand Unified Theories.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit

PHYS 898 Master's Thesis 1.0-9.0 Credit

This course is open only to the students pursuing the MS degree in Physics, who are in the MS thesis track. Requires supervised research at the master's level.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 5 times for 54 credits

PHYS 997 Research 1.0-12.0 Credit

Research.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit

PHYS 998 Ph.D. Dissertation 1.0-12.0 Credit

Ph.D. dissertation.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit

PHYS I599 Independent Study in PHYS 0.0-12.0 Credits

Self-directed within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit

PHYS I699 Independent Study in PHYS 1.0-6.0 Credit

Self-directed within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 4 times for 12 credits

PHYS I799 Independent Study in PHYS 0.0-12.0 Credits

Self-directed within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit

PHYS I899 Independent Study in PHYS 0.0-12.0 Credits

Self-directed within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit

PHYS I999 Independent Study in PHYS 0.0-12.0 Credits

Self-directed within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit

PHYS T580 Special Topics in Physics 0.0-9.0 Credits

Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit

PHYS T680 Special Topics in Physics 0.0-9.0 Credits

Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit

PHYS T780 Special Topics in Physics 0.0-9.0 Credits

Assignment of readings and study in current topics of experimental and theoretical interest.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit

PHYS T880 Special Topics in Physics 0.0-9.0 Credits

Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit

PHYS T980 Special Topics in Physics 0.0-9.0 Credits

Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.

College/Department: College of Arts and Sciences
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit