Apr 05, 2025  
2016-2017 Catalog 
    
Catalog Navigation
Catalog Home

Academic Calendar
Academic Programs
Course Descriptions

General Education
School of Engineering
School of Natural Sciences
School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts
Graduate Studies
Research at UC Merced

About UC Merced
Academic Policies
Undergraduate Admissions
Fees and Expenses
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Directions and Map
Directory
My Catalog
2016-2017 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Physics, Atomic/Molecular/Optical/Condensed Matter Emphasis, B.S.

Requirements for the Physics Major

Physics Requirements (79-82 units): To receive the B.S. in Physics, students must adhere to General Education  and School of Natural Sciences Requirements . The Physics major consists of 21 courses (11 lower division and 13 upper division) designed to give all students a common foundation of core knowledge specific to the discipline.

Lower Division Major Requirements [41-42 Units]

Upper Division Core Physics Courses [28 Units]

Senior Thesis Research [4 Units]

All students are required to complete a senior thesis consisting of independent research performed under the tutelage of a faculty advisor. Typically, this research is the culmination of a student’s emphasis track (see below). The 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.

Atomic/Molecular/Optical/Condensed Matter (AMO/CM) Physics Emphasis

Additional Upper Division Physics

Complete three of the following courses:

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:

Additional Information

Applicants must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.8 in transferable courses. Any outstanding General Education and Major preparation coursework will be completed at UC Merced. Students should also consult the Information for Prospective Students link on the School of Natural Sciences website naturalsciences.ucmerced.edu for more information.