Physics Advisor:

General Advising Information:

I recognize that it may not be convenient for us to meet face to face. Contact me by e-mail or by phone and I will tell you what I will need to see. We may be able to do most of the advising by phone or e-mail. If you contact me by phone please leave a number where you can be reached during the day and a number where you can be reached during the evening. I will not respond to a pager.
 
 

The goals of the program are to:

2. develop skills which enable students to enter careers in business, teaching, research, and technology;

Special emphasis is placed on students acquiring as much laboratory experience as possible, together with facility in computer programming. Also, a series of courses are offered in such areas as electronics and materials science where students are introduced to present-day applications of physics to technology.

Laboratory facilities available to students include analog and digital computers, a scanning tunneling microscope, a wide array of sophisticated electronic, nuclear, and optical instruments, a Mossbauer effect apparatus, a fully equipped cryogenics laboratory, a fully equipped optics laboratory including a Spiricon Laser Beam Analyzer, a vacuum laboratory, a 14" reflecting telescope, and a machine shop. Students are encouraged to undertake independent projects of their own choosing.

Qualified undergraduate majors and minors are eligible to apply for a limited number of tuition waivers, scholarships, and part-time jobs offered. Contact the Physics Coordinator for information and application forms.

Physics Major Program Requirements:

Required core courses

Any four of the following: 12-13 cr.

Any two of the following: 8 cr.

                                                          Total 38-39 cr.

Please note that 15 or more credits from the above must be taken at Northeastern.

Required Courses in Related Field:

CHEM-211 General Chemistry I                       5 cr.
CHEM-212General Chemistry II                       4 cr.
MATH-106 Pre-Calculus Mathematics               4 cr.
MATH-107Calculus I                                      4 cr.
MATH-202Calculus II                                      4 cr.
MATH-203Calculusill                                       4cr.
MATH-301 Ordinary Differential Equations        3 cr.

                                                               Total 28 cr.

* An equivalent course may be substituted

It is recommended that the above courses be taken in the following sequence:

Freshman Year: FALL: MATH-106; SPRING: MATH-107 and, if high school preparation is inadequate, PHYS-201.

Sophomore Year: FALL: MATH-202, PHYS-206, PHYS-203; SPRING: MATH-203, PHYS-207, PHYS-204; SUMMER: PHYS-215.

Junior Year: FALL: MATH-301, PHYS-308, PHYS-309; SPRING: PHYS-311, PHYS-321, PHYS-330, PHYS-332; SUMMER: Electives.

Senior Year: FALL: PHYS-336, Elective; SPRING: PHYS-338, Elective.
 
 

I am available to help you plan your program of courses to best meet both the program and your personal requirements. Please feel free to call me at (773) 442-5793, or e-mail at R-Stehman@neiu.edu to arrange an appointment.

A11 300-level courses in Physics are offered in the evening. Go to the Physics Future Course offerings to find out what courses will be offered in future years.
 

I strongly encourage you to take the required 200-level physics courses, as well as MATH 107 (Calculus I) and MATH 202 (Calculus II) as early as possible, since these are prerequisites for almost all of the 300-level physics courses.

Other University Requirements:

Every Schedule of Classes lists the University requirements for graduation. Please contact me if you have any questions on these requirements.
 

1. General Education Program. The requirements for General Education are listed in every Schedule of Classes.  Be sure to choose classes from the limited list.  It is easy to misinterpret these rules.  See me to make sure you understand the General Education Program so you can graduate.  As a Physics major, you do not have to take any General Education courses in the Natural Science distribution area.

Pay attention to the Improving Human Relations Requirement (5 listed below) when choosing General Education courses.

2. English 101 or equivalent.

3. Mathematics Competency Requirement. Physics majors automatically satisfy the Mathematics Competency Requirement.

4. Computer/Information Literacy Requirement. There are three components to this requirement:

a. You must demonstrate that you can use a word processor. This can be satisfied by doing a lab report using a word processor. You should retain a copy of the lab report to show to the physics advisor.

b. You must demonstrate that you can use the computer to perform calculations. This requirement can be satisfied by using a spreadsheet to carry out calculations for a lab report or for a homework assignment. You may also satisfy this requirement by writing a computer program in a common programming language such as FORTRAN, C, or Pascal.

Taking and passing PHYS 309, FORTRAN and Numerical Analysis for Scientists and Engineers, satisfies both requirement 1 and 2.

c. You must be able to access online materials using the Web.

5. Improving Human Relations (House Bill 0094). In the Schedule of Classes under Graduation Requirements is a list of courses and minors that will satisfy this requirement. Be sure to take one of these courses when planning your General Education Program.

6. Declaring a Major/Minor or second major if applicable. To declare a Physics major or minor see the departmental advisor. Physics majors are exempted from having to declare a minor, since they are required to take a number of related courses in Math and Chemistry.

7. English Competency Exam. The Schedule of Classes has information on how to register for this exam.

8. Major Program Requirements. See above for the Physics program requirements. Every student must declare a major or a pre-major after completing 45 credit hours of University credit.

9. Minor Program Requirements. Physics majors are exempted from having to declare a minor, since they are required to take a number of related courses in Math and Chemistry.

10. Constitution Requirement. You can satisfy this requirement by taking PSCI 216 SB or by taking a test. Information on the test is listed in the Schedule of Classes.

11. 42 credit hours of upper division. You must take at least 42 hours of 300-level classes. These classes can be taken in any department. A Physics major will have completed at least 29 hours of 300-level classes. You will need to take an additional 13 hours, which may be chosen from any courses for which you have the prerequisites.

12. 30 credit hours residency requirement.

13. Filing for Graduation. The bottom line of why you are here! Go to the Admissions and Records office and ask for a graduation packet. You will also need to have me fill out a Major Program form. I will need your Evaluation of Transfer Credits if you have transferred in any Physics courses from another school (see the note below on transfer credit).

14. Successful completion of at least 120 semester hours.

15. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above. Remember that you need a grade of C or better in all Physics courses.

Transfer credit information:

The College of Arts and Sciences has a rule that states only 9 hours of Physics transfer credits can be applied towards an Physics minor. Remember that the University requires a grade of C or better in any course applied toward the major or minor.