Physics Minor

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Admission Criteria

Current UB students seeking admission to the Physics minor should complete the College of Arts and Sciences Major/Minor Change Request Form.

Course Requirements

Introductory Courses (17 credits)

MTH 141LR - College Calculus I Credits: 4
MTH 142LR - College Calculus 2 Credits: 4
PHY 107LR - General Physics I Credits: 4 OR
PHY 117LR - Honors Physics I Credits: 4
PHY 108LR - General Physics II Credits: 4 OR
PHY 118LR - Honors Physics II Credits: 4
PHY 158LAB - General Physics II Lab Credits: 1

Physics Core (16 credits)

PHY 207LR - General Physics III Credits: 4 (lab is not required)
PHY 208LEC - General Physics IV Credits: 3 (lab is not required)
PHY 301LEC - Intermediate Mechanics I Credits: 3
PHY 403LEC - Electricity and Magnetism I Credits: 3
One 300/400-level PHY elective course (excluding PHY 497 , PHY 498 , and PHY 499 ; PHY 401LEC - Quantum Mechanics I - Fundamentals is strongly recommended)

Total Credits Required for Minor: 33

Total Credit Hours Required represents the minimum credits needed to complete this program, and may vary based on a number of circumstances. This chart should not be used for financial aid purposes.

Academic Requirements

Minimum GPA of 2.500 in the following courses: PHY 107 , PHY 108 , PHY 117 , PHY 118 PHY 158 , MTH 141 , and MTH 142 .

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of all requirements, the student will have knowledge of:

The basic laws of physics, their corollaries, and comprehension of how they can be applied to explain specific natural phenomena
Critical thinking and problem solving skills in physics, related to hypothesis building, application of the scientific method, and mathematical methods to analyze physics theories and experiments, and devise solution strategies.
Contemporary areas of physics inquiry