The Bachelor of Science with a major in physics requires a minimum of 120 semester hours, including at least 58 semester hours of work for the major. Students must maintain a grade-point average of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major. A cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.00 is required for graduation. Students must also complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core.
Students must complete several required mathematics courses in addition to their required physics core. The department offers a wide range of upper-level electives and students are encouraged to explore different research areas. All students are strongly encouraged to get involved with research.
Listed below are the general categories of coursework required to earn the degree; for more specific information on courses, curriculum, and requirements of the Bachelor of Science in physics, visit the UI General Catalog.
Requirements and program planning
Plan of study
The plan of study below lists only the core courses required for a BS in Physics. This does not include required GE CLAS Core courses, which may be found here, and electives. Undergraduates are also strongly encouraged to be active participants in research within the department.
A pdf outlining this sample plan may be found here.
| requirement | courses |
|---|---|
| Lab Coursee | Must take one of: |
| Elective Coursesf | Must take two of:
|
GE This course satisfies a General Education requirement.
a Enrollment in math courses requires completion of a placement exam.
b Students who choose PHYS:3850 (Electronics)as one of their upper-level elective courses are advised to take it before they take PHYS:3756 (Intermediate Laboratory).
c PHYS:3850 is offered in the spring semester only. Check MyUI for course availability since offerings are subject to change.
d These courses are offered every other year - ASTR:3771 [even-years only], ASTR:3772 and ASTR:4850 [odd-years only]. Check MyUI for course availability since offerings are subject to change.
e The course taken to select the Lab Course portion of this requirement may not also be used to satisfy part of the Elective Courses requirement. A total of three courses must be taken from the list.
f Electronics, Advanced Lab, and Observational Techniques in Astronomy may each only be taken once even though they are listed in both categories.
GE CLAS core requirements
The GE CLAS Core has 11 required areas, grouped into three categories. Students must fulfill the requirements in each GE CLAS Core area. The requirements below are for students who entered the University of Iowa during Summer 2023 or after. Students who entered during a previous semester are held to different requirements as indicated on a student's degree audit.
| clas core category | Core area | requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Communication and Literacy | Diversity and Inclusion | Minimum of 3 sh |
| Interpretation of Literature | Minimum of 3 sh | |
| Rhetoric | Minimum of 4 sh | |
| World Languages | Requirements vary by language (0 sh - 20 sh) | |
| Sustainability | Sustainability a | Minimum of one course from the next two categories that integrates sustainability (0 sh) |
| Natural, Quantitative and Social Sciences | Natural Sciences b | Minimum of 7 sh; must include one lab |
| Quantitative or Formal Reasoning c | Minimum of 3 sh | |
| Social Sciences | Minimum of 3 sh | |
| Culture, Society, and the Arts | Historical Perspectives | Minimum of 3 sh |
| International and Global Issues | Minimum of 3 sh | |
| Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts | Minimum of 3 sh | |
| Values and Culture | Minimum of 3 sh |
a A single course may satisfy both the Sustainability requirement as well as another Core Category - either Natural, Quantitative, and Social Sciences or Culture, Society, and the Arts.
b The Natural Sciences GE requirements are met by taking PHYS:1701 and PHYS:1702 (Physics I and II) or ASTR:1771 and ASTR:1772 (Intro Astronomy I and II).
c The Quantitative or Formal Reasoning GE requirements are fulfilled by taking MATH:1850 (Calculus I).
Degree requirements
Below is a summary of the total semester hour requirements to earn a Bachelor of Science in Physics.
| Title | Hours |
|---|---|
| Mathematics Courses | 16 |
| Introductory Physics Courses | 8-12 |
| Physics Core Courses | 25 |
| Upper-Level Elective Physics Courses | 9-11 |
| GE CLAS Core Courses | 25-45 a |
| Elective Courses | 11-37 |
| Total Hours | 58-64 |
a This is the total hours to satisfy all of the GE CLAS Core requirements without including the Natural Science or Quantitative Formal Reasoning requirements, both of which are met with required courses in the major.
Undergraduate Student Resources/Forms
Create your academic path
You'll find degree overviews, requirements, course lists, academic plans, and more to help you plan your education and explore your possibilities.
Current course list
The MyUI Schedule displays registered courses for a particular session and is available to enrolled students. The list view includes course instructors, time and location, and features to drop courses or change sections.
Teacher Licensure
Students interested in teaching in elementary and/or secondary schools should seek admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP) in the College of Education.
To qualify for licensure in secondary teaching, students in the TEP complete a degree in education as well as a related College of Liberal Arts and Sciences degree. See Teacher Education Program Application and Admission on the College of Education website for details on requirements and deadlines for applying to the College of Education and about TEP choices of majors leading to licensure.