Physics

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Physics

Faculty Mentor
Student Testimonial
Recommended Courses for Freshmen and Sophomores
Major and Minor Requirements
NYUSH STEM Resources

Faculty Mentor
Moon, Pilkyung 1
Prof. Pilkyung Moon
Email: pilkyung.moon@nyu.edu | Profile

 

 Student Testimonial
Wu-Mei

“I choose physics as my major because I have interest in it and it can be applied to a broad range of fields such as biology, engineering, material science and economics. Now I am taking the course “Quantum Mechanics” which is challenging and super amazing. Even learning cool things that can’t be learned in other fields is worth your choice of the physics major, the same for other majors in FoS. ” – Mei Wu, Class of 2018

Recommended courses for Freshmen (Class of 2021) to take in Spring 2018

  1. Writing as Inquiry (4 credits)
  2. English for Academic Purpose (EAP) (2 credits)/Chinese (2 credits)
  3. Foundations of Physics II Honors (3 credits)
  4. Physics II Laboratory (2 credits)
  5. Foundations of Biology I (3 credits)
  6. Multivariable Calculus (4 credits)

Recommended courses for Sophomores (Class of 2020) to take in Spring 2018

  1. Foundations of Physics IV Honors (3 credits)
  2. Mathematical Physics (4 credits)
  3. Foundations of Chemistry II (3 credits)
  4. FoS Chemistry Laboratory (2 credits)
  5. English for Academic Purpose (EAP) (4 credits)/Chinese (2 or 4 credits)

Note that students are required to have completed Elementary Chinese II or 8 credits of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) before they are eligible to study away. Pre-med students should also consider taking Organic Chemistry II.

Degree Requirements – 2017-18 Bulletin

* = offered in Spring ’18 in Shanghai 

The requirements below are from the online version of the 2017-2018 bulletin. Please refer to the Pre-2016-17 Registrar’s All Majors Degree Requirements Record or 2016-17 Registrar’s All Majors Degree Requirements Record. Not every course listed is taught every semester, and in any given semester other courses may be offered that fulfill this requirement. Requirements may be met through equivalent courses in the Global Network with prior approval. 

PREREQUISITE COURSES
*BIOL-SHU 21 Foundations of Biology I (pre-req or co-req: MATH-SHU 121 Calculus or MATH-SHU 201 Honors Calculus)
  
BIOL-SHU 123 FoS Biology Laboratory (pre-reqs: MATH-SHU 121 Calculus or MATH-SHU 201 Honors Calculus AND BIOL-SHU 21 Foundations of Biology I)
  
CHEM-SHU 125 Foundations of Chemistry I (pre-req or co-req: MATH-SHU 121 Calculus or MATH-SHU 201 Honors Calculus)
*CHEM-SHU 126 Foundations of Chemistry II  (pre-req: CHEM-SHU 125 Foundations of Chemistry I AND pre-req or co-req: MATH-SHU 121 Calculus or MATH-SHU 201 Honors Calculus)
*
CHEM-SHU 127 FoS Chemistry Laboratory (pre-req or co-req: MATH-SHU 121 Calculus or MATH-SHU 201 Honors Calculus AND CHEM-SHU 126 Foundations of Chemistry II)
  PHYS-SHU 71 FoS Physics Laboratory (pre-req or co-req: PHYS-SHU 91 Foundations of Physics I Honors or PHYS-SHU 11 General Physics I
  PHYS-SHU 91 Foundations of Physics I Honors (pre-req or co-req: MATH-SHU 121 Calculus or MATH-SHU 201 Honors Calculus) or PHYS-SHU 11 General Physics I with a B+ or better grade
*PHYS-SHU 93 Foundations of Physics II Honors (pre-req: MATH-SHU 121 Calculus or MATH-SHU 201 Honors Calculus AND PHYS-SHU 91 Foundations of Physics I Honors) 
*PHYS-SHU 94 Physics II Laboratory (pre-req or co-req: PHYS-SHU 93 Foundations of Physics II Honors or PHYS-SHU 12 Genearl Physics II)
  PHYS-SHU 95 Foundations of Physics III Honors (pre-req: PHYS-SHU 93 Foundations of Physics II Honors)
*PHYS-SHU 96 Foundations of Physics IV Honors (pre-req: PHYS-SHU 95 Foundations of Physics III Honors)
Note that Physics majors are not required to take Foundations of Biology II.
ADDITIONAL REQUIRED COURSES
*MATH-SHU 123 Multivariable Calculus (pre-req: MATH-SHU 121 Calculus)
*MATH-SHU 235 Probability and Statistics (pre-reqs: MATH-SHU 121 Calculus AND MATH-SHU 140 Linear Algebra or MATH-SHU 123 Multivariable Calculus. Not open to students who took MATH-SHU 233 Theory of Probability)
*MATH-SHU 265 Linear Algebra and Differential Equations (pre-req: MATH-SHU 121 Calculus or MATH-SHU 201 Honors Calculus)
*PHYS-SHU 106 Mathematical Physics  (pre-req or co-req: MATH-SHU 265 Linear Algebra and Differential Equations and MATH-SHU 123 Multivariable Calculus)
*PHYS-SHU 251 Electricity and Magnetism (pre-req: MATH-SHU 95 Foundations of Physics III Honors and MATH-SHU 106 Mathematical Physics)
  PHYS-SHU 301 Quantum Mechanics (pre-req: PHYS-SHU 95 Foundations of Physics III Honors)
*PHYS-SHU 302 Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics (pre-req: PHYS-SHU 95 Foundations of Physics III Honors or PHYS-UA 95 Physics III)
*PHYS-SHU 303 Advanced Physics Laboratory (pre-req: PHYS-SHU 95 Foundations of Physics III Honors)
PHYSICS ELECTIVES: Choose Two
  PHYS-SHU 314 Astrophysics
  PHYS-SHU 255 Biophysics
  PHYS-SHU 210 Computational Physics
  PHYS-SHU 315 Nuclear and Particle Physics (pre-req: PHYS-SHU 301 Quantum Mechanics or PHYS-UA 123 Quantum Mechanics I)
  PHYS-SHU 252 Solid State Physics
*PHYS-SHU 997 Physics Independent Study: Please note that Independent Study must have a combined total of 4 credits. This can be done in 1 semester with a 4-credit load. Students can also fulfill this requirement over 2 semesters and take 2-credit loads each semester. Students should fill out the permission form after consulting with the DUS and Faculty Research Advisor for approval.)

Minor Requirements

Physics Minor
  PHYS-SHU 71 FoS Physics Laboratory (pre-req or co-req: PHYS-SHU 91 Foundations of Physics I Honors or PHYS-SHU 11 General Physics I)
  PHYS-SHU 91 Foundations of Physics I Honors (pre-req or co-req: MATH-SHU 121 Calculus) or PHYS-SHU 11 General Physics I 
*PHYS-SHU 93 Foundations of Physics II Honors (pre-req: PHYS-SHU 91 Foundations of Physics I Honors) 
*PHYS-SHU 94 Physics II Laboratory (pre-req or co-req: PHYS-SHU 93 Foundations of Physics II Honors)
Two Physics elective courses