Physics
Bachelor of Science
The University
Illinois State University was founded in 1857 as the first public
institution of higher learning in Illinois. The University has a proud
heritage; the documents establishing the pioneer educational undertaking
were drafted by Abraham Lincoln. Illinois State occupies an attractive
850 acre campus in Normal/Bloomington--twin cities with a population
of 100,000. The University has an enrollment of 20,000 and a faculty
of more the 1,000 among its Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Applied
Science and Technology, Business, Fine Arts, Nursing, and Education.
Milner Library's research facilities include on-line data search capabilities
and over 3 million books, journals, and special collections. Along
with its academic achievements, the University takes pride in its
cultural and athletic programs. Weekly music recitals, theater productions
and art shows are but a few of the activities which join men's and
women's sports in creating an exciting college atmosphere.
What Is Physics?
The laws of physics describe nature ranging from the tiniest subatomic
particles to the largest celestial objects in the universe. Many
physicists strive to extend these laws to understand and explain
the unknown. Other physicists and engineers use the known laws of
physics to develop innvative products and technologies capable of
improving the general quality of life.
Why Illinois State?
In the Physics Department, all courses are taught by professors,
not graduate students. We concentrate exclusively on undergraduates.
Our 10:1 student faculty ratio and supportive environment ensure
that majors have all the faculty attention they need. The Program
also has an exceptionally modern thrust. For example, the Undergraduate
Computational Science Laboratory was established with the generous
support of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and was recieved
two recent awards from the U.S. Department of Energy for making
"superior contributions to the field of computational science education."
The department is also an innovator in undergraduate research,
offering many forefront research opportunities for students to
learn how science and engineering are done in the real world,
not just in the the classroom. Experiences such as these
are among many opportunities our graduates have to gain a competitive
edge in the job market. To download
an updated Physics Major brochure, please
click here.
Faculty and Students
Members of the faculty hold Ph.D.'s from many of the nation's leading
universities. Each is a dedicated teacher and scholar, publishing
their results in the nation's top physics journals.
The Department serves nearly 120 majors in its physics, computer
physics, physics teaching, and engineering physics programs. More
than half are from the top quarter of their high school class. The
mean ACT composite score is above27.
The Physics Sequence at a Glance
This is a four-year program designed for students planning graduate
study in physics, graduate study in an allied field such as engineering,
industrial/business employment, and other professional schools.
Majors complete a well- balanced curriculum, concentrating on theoretical
and experimental physics, computational physics and mathematics.
A special advantage which distinguishes the ISU program from other
public universities is the small size of the Department's classes.
None of the physics courses listed below has more than 50 students
and most have 25 or fewer students, allowing ample opportunity for
individualized attention. All lectures are given by professors,
and undergraduate instruction is their primary professional responsibility.
A typical course sequence for physics majors is listed below. A
brief description of each course is provided in the Illinois State
University catalog. Potential minors include mathematics, chemistry,
computer science, and business administration.
Sample Course Sequence: Calculus I Track
Freshman Year
| Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
| MAT 145 (Calculus I) |
4 |
MAT 146 (Calculus II) |
4 |
| PHY 110 (Physics I) |
4 |
PHY 111 (Physics II) |
4 |
| PHY 107 (Frontiers in Physics) |
2 |
ITK 165 (Scientific Programming) |
4 |
| ENG 101 (IC) |
3 |
COM 110 (IC) |
3 |
| Gen Ed MC |
3 |
|
|
| TOTAL Fall |
16 |
TOTAL Spring |
15 |
Sophomore Year
| Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
| MAT 147 (Calculus III) |
4 |
MAT 175 (Linear Algebra) |
4 |
| PHY 112 (Physics III) |
4 |
PHY 217 (Methods Theo. Phys.) |
3 |
| CHE 140 (Chem I) |
4 |
CHE 141 (Chem II) |
4 |
| Gen Ed (MC/OC) |
3 |
Gen Ed (MC/OC) |
3-6 |
| TOTAL Fall |
15 |
TOTAL Spring |
14-17 |
Junior Year
| Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
| MAT 340 (Diff. Eqs.) |
3 |
PHY 284 (Quantum I) |
3 |
| PHY 220 (Mechanics I) |
3 |
PHY 270 (Adv. Lab) |
1 |
| PHY 240 (E&M I) |
3 |
PHY 340 (E&M II) |
1 |
| Gen Ed (MC/OC) or minor |
6 |
Gen Ed (MC/OC) or minor |
9 |
| TOTAL Fall |
15 |
TOTAL Spring |
16 |
Senior Year
| Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
| PHY 325 (Thermal Phys.) |
3 |
PHY 375 (Electronics) |
3 |
| PHY 270 (Adv. Lab) |
1 |
PHY 384 (Quantum II) |
3 |
| PHY 3xx (senior elective) |
3 |
PHY 3xx (senior elective) |
3 |
| Gen Ed (OC) or minor |
9 |
PHY 3xx (senior elective) |
3 |
| |
|
Gen Ed (OC) or minor |
3 |
| TOTAL Fall |
16 |
TOTAL Spring |
15 |
Sample Course Sequence: Pre-Calculus Track
Freshman Year
| Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
| MAT 144 (Pre-Calculus) |
4 |
MAT 145 (Calculus I) |
4 |
| CHE 140 (Chemisrty I) |
4 |
PHY 110 (Physics I) |
4 |
| PHY 107 (Frontiers in Physics) |
2 |
ITK 165 (Scientific Programming) |
4 |
| ENG 101 (IC) |
3 |
COM 110 (IC) |
3 |
| Gen Ed MC |
3 |
|
|
| TOTAL Fall |
16 |
TOTAL Spring |
15 |
| Summer Semester |
Hours |
| MAT 146 (Calculus II) |
4 |
| TOTAL Summer |
4 |
Sophomore Year
| Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
| MAT 147 (Calculus III) |
4 |
MAT 175 (Linear Algebra) |
4 |
| PHY 111 (Physics II) |
4 |
PHY 112 (Physics III) |
3 |
| CHE 141 (Chem II) |
4 |
PHY 217 (Methods Theo. Phys.) |
4 |
| Gen Ed (MC/OC) |
3 |
Gen Ed (MC/OC) |
3-6 |
| TOTAL Fall |
15 |
TOTAL Spring |
14-17 |
Junior Year
| Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
| MAT 340 (Diff. Eqs.) |
3 |
PHY 284 (Quantum I) |
3 |
| PHY 220 (Mechanics I) |
3 |
PHY 270 (Adv. Lab) |
1 |
| PHY 240 (E&M I) |
3 |
PHY 340 (E&M II) |
1 |
| Gen Ed (MC/OC) or minor |
6 |
Gen Ed (MC/OC) or minor |
9 |
| TOTAL Fall |
15 |
TOTAL Spring |
16 |
Senior Year
| Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
| PHY 325 (Thermal Phys.) |
3 |
PHY 375 (Electronics) |
3 |
| PHY 270 (Adv. Lab) |
1 |
PHY 384 (Quantum II) |
3 |
| PHY 3xx (senior elective) |
3 |
PHY 3xx (senior elective) |
3 |
| Gen Ed (OC) or minor |
9 |
PHY 3xx (senior elective) |
3 |
| |
|
Gen Ed (OC) or minor |
3 |
| TOTAL Fall |
16 |
TOTAL Spring |
15 |
The actual sequence chosen by each student depends upon his or her academic
background, goals and interests. Additional sequences leading to an engineering
degree from the University of Illinois or to State of Illinois teacher certification
are also available.
Our Facilities
Majors have the benefit of excellent computational facilities in
the Physics Department. Students make extensive use of the system
from three computer labs reserved exclusively for physics majors.
Our scientific visulaization lab allows state-of-the-art
three-dimensional stereo visualization of large data sets and supports
our undergradaute research students working on projects ranging
from large-scale computer simulations, to spacecraft and laboratory
data analysis. A cluster of unix-based workstations from SGI, IBM,
HP, and Apple give physics students access to all the computer power
they need for courses and projects.
The Department is also proud of its experimental facilities. Well-equipped
laboratories and a high degree of individualized instruction make
the electronics and experimental physics courses an exciting component
of the degree program. Advance lab (PHY 270) students regularly
design and build their own experiments with assistance from the
physic sdepartment shop. We also have five experimental research
labs which involve students in projects in materials science and
nanotechnology, fundamental atomic measurements, bio-optical engieering,
and studies of nonlinear chaotic systems.
Research Opportunities
Undergraduates are currently making valuable contributions to faculty
research programs in quantum optics, atomic and molecular physics,
condensed matter and materials science, space science and astrophysics,
and biophysics. In addition to the excitement of doing research,
students may also receive paid stipends for their work. These collaborations
often lead to presentations at professional conferences and coauthorship
on publications.
For Further Information, Contact:
Dr. Richard F. Martin, Professor and Chairperson
Department of Physics
Illinois State University
Campus Box 4560
Normal, IL 61790-4560
Phone: (309) 438-8756
Fax: (309) 438-5413
email: info -at- phy.ilstu.edu
Web: http://www.phy.ilstu.edu
page last updated 8/9/07
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action University
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