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Apr 10, 2026
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2026-2027 Catalog
Physics, Custom Emphasis, B.S.
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Requirements for the Physics Major
To receive the B.S. in Physics, students must adhere to General Education and School of Natural Sciences Requirements . The Physics program is designed to give all students a common foundation of core knowledge specific to the discipline, plus breadth in an application area. Lower Division Major Requirements [39 Units]
Chemistry Requirement [5 units]
Complete the following courses: Computer Science Requirement [4 units]
Complete one of the following courses: Mathematics Requirement [16 units]
Complete the following five mathematics courses: Physics Requirement [14 units]
Complete the following lower division physics courses. Note that registration in PHYS 008 and PHYS 009 also requires registration in a corresponding Lab and Discussion. Upper Division Core Physics Courses [28 Units]
Complete all of the following courses: Senior Thesis Requirement [4-5 Units]
All students are required to complete either a senior thesis or Engineering Capstone Design. The senior thesis is based on independent research, usually performed under the tutelage of a faculty advisor. The research can also be conducted through external research programs with the writing supervised by a UC Merced faculty member. The senior thesis advisor may be a faculty member in either physics or another discipline, allowing for the possibility of cross-disciplinary research projects. To complete the thesis, a student must take (at least) 2 units of PHYS 195 and 2 units of PHYS 196 , typically in the fall and spring, respectively, of the senior year. Note that PHYS 196 can only be taken once, and PHYS 195 can be repeated. Students may choose to complete this requirement with the Engineering Capstone Design Courses where the student will work in multidisciplinary teams on completing design projects presented by industrial partners. Requirements for Custom Emphasis [12 Units Minimum]
A customized track must consist of at least 12 units. Typically, the track includes the three upper division physics electives and culminates with the student’s senior thesis. Other upper division courses may be substituted for the three physics electives if they are deemed appropriate to the track. Any customized emphasis track must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor at least two semesters prior to completion of the degree. Transfer Students
To be admitted to the Physics major transfer students must meet the following requirements: Applicants will, at the time of admission have completed at minimum each of the following courses (or their equivalent) with a “C-” or better: |
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