11.11 Physics and Physical Oceanography

www.mun.ca/physics

The following undergraduate programs are available in the Department:

  1. Applied Mathematics and Physics Joint Honours

  2. Applied Mathematics and Physics Joint Major

  3. Chemistry and Physics Joint Honours

  4. Computer Science and Physics Joint Honours

  5. Computer Science and Physics Joint Major

  6. Earth Sciences and Physics Joint Honours

  7. Earth Sciences and Physics Joint Major

  8. Geophysics and Physical Oceanography Joint Honours

  9. Human Biosciences and Physics Joint Honours

  10. Honours in Environmental Physics

  11. Honours in Ocean Physics

  12. Honours in Physics

  13. Major in Environmental Physics

  14. Major in Ocean Physics

  15. Major in Physics

  16. Minor in Applied Science - Electrical Engineering for Majors and Honours (see Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science)

  17. Minor in Physics

Details of Joint Major and Joint Honours programs are given under Joint Program Regulations. Other joint programs may be arranged in consultation with the departments concerned.

Physics and Physical Oceanography course descriptions are found at the end of the Faculty of Science section under Course Descriptions, Physics and Physical Oceanography.

Notes:

  1. The attention of students intending to follow any one of the programs listed above is drawn to the University Regulations (Undergraduate), General Academic Regulations (Undergraduate), governing the appropriate degree. Additional Departmental requirements are given below.

  2. Faculty advisors are available to provide advice to students who are registered in, or who are considering registering in, any of the programs. Students are urged to consult with these advisors at their earliest opportunity in order to ensure that they select appropriate courses and programs. Students with credits in Physics courses which are not listed in this calendar should consult with the Department.

  3. The six course stream consisting of Physics 1050, 1051, 2053, 2055, 2750, and 2820 or alternatively the seven course stream of Physics 1020, 1021, 1051, 2053, 2055, 2750, and 2820 is intended to provide a cohesive overview of Physics for potential Physics majors. Students who receive a grade of greater than 70% in Physics 1020 may proceed directly into Physics 1051 without taking Physics 1021.

  4. Physics 1050 is recommended for students who have completed Level II Physics, Level III Physics and Level III Advanced Mathematics. Mathematics 1000 must be taken at the same time as, or be successfully completed prior to, taking Physics 1050. Students who have successfully completed Mathematics 1000 and Physics 1050 are required to register for or successfully complete Mathematics 1001 before registering for Physics 1051.

  5. Physics 1020 is intended for students who have no background in Physics or who are pursuing degree programs which do not require Physics 1050. Students who successfully complete Physics 1020 (with a grade of at least 70%) and Mathematics 1000 are eligible for admission to Physics 1051. Students may receive credit for only one of Physics 1050 and 1020.

  6. Students who have successfully completed Advanced Placement courses in both Physics and Mathematics will normally be eligible for direct entry into Physics 1051, which can be taken concurrently with Physics 2053 and 2750. Eligible students are advised to consult the Department.

  7. Where circumstances warrant, any prerequisites listed below may be waived by the Head of the Department.

11.11.1 Minor in Physics

A minor in Physics will consist of 24 credit hours in Physics courses which must include Physics 1050 (or 1020), 1051, 2053, 2055, 2750, 2820. Only 6 credit hours at the 1000 level can be used to fulfill the 24 credit hours. For those students whose major is Chemistry or Human Biosciences, the 24 credit hours in Physics will not include 2053.

For Computer Engineering and Electrical Engineering students, 24 credit hours in Physics which must include Physics 1050 (or 1020), 1051, 2750, and 3000, with an additional 12 credit hours selected from Physics 2820, 3600, 3750, 3751, 3800, 4000, 4220, 4600 or other 3000 or 4000 level courses subject to approval by the Head of the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography and the Head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

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11.11.2 Major in Physics

As a component of the Degree Regulations for the General Degree of Bachelor of Science, a student shall successfully complete the following requirements:

  1. Six credit hours in Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) courses, including at least 3 credit hours in English courses.

  2. Chemistry 1050 and 1051 or (1200 and 1001).

  3. Mathematics 1000 and 1001.

  4. Computer Science 1510 or 1001.

  5. Mathematics 2000, 2050, 2260, and 3202.

  6. Physics 1050 (or 1020) and 1051.

  7. Physics 2053, 2055, 2750, 2820, 3220, 3400, 3500, 3750, 3820 and 3900.

  8. An additional 9 credit hours in physics courses numbered 3000 or higher which shall include at least 6 credit hours selected from the courses numbered 4000 or higher (excluding 490A/B).

  9. Forty-two credit hours in applicable elective courses to form a total of 120 credit hours.

Mathematics 1001, 2000 and 2050 are prerequisites to many Physics courses and should be successfully completed by the end of second year. Mathematics 2260 is co-requisite to Physics 3220 and is recommended to be successfully completed before the Winter semester of the third year. Those who intend to make a career in Physics should note that additional Physics courses are strongly recommended and interested students should consult the academic program officer.

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11.11.3 Honours in Physics

As a component of the Degree Regulations for the Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science, students shall successfully complete the following requirements:

  1. Six credit hours in Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) courses, including at least 3 credit hours in English courses.

  2. Chemistry 1050 and 1051 (or 1200 and 1001).

  3. Mathematics 1000 and 1001.

  4. Computer Science 1510 or 1001.

  5. Mathematics 2000, 2050, 2260, 3202.

  6. Physics 1050 (or 1020) and 1051.

  7. Physics 2053, 2055, 2750, 2820, 3220, 3230, 3400, 3500, 3750, 3820, 3900, 4500, 4820, 4850, 490A/B.

  8. Physics 3800 or 4900.

  9. An additional 12 credit hours in physics courses numbered 3000 or higher which shall include at least 6 credit hours selected from physics courses numbered 4000 or higher. Students are encouraged to consider Physics 3800, 4400 and 4900, and other courses depending on the focus of their thesis research.

  10. Eighteen credit hours in applicable elective courses to form a total of 120 credit hours.

Notes:

Certain graduate courses may be taken in the final year of the Honours Program with the permission of the Head of the Department.

Only 6 credit hours at the 1000 level in each of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics can be used to fulfil the 120 credit hours required for the Honours program. The inclusion of Mathematics 1090 (or 109A/B) or the sequence of Physics 1020, 1021, and 1051 will each increase the number of credit hours required for the Honours Physics program by three.

An Honours thesis is to be presented on work undertaken by the candidate under the guidance of a Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography faculty member. The thesis comprises the 6 credit hour course Physics 490A/B. Students should seek departmental advice regarding a thesis project no later than the winter preceding the semester in which the project will be started.

For specific courses and recommendations about electives, consultation with a faculty advisor in the Department is suggested.

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11.11.4 Major in Environmental Physics

As a component of the Degree Regulations for the General Degree of Bachelor of Science, students shall successfully complete the following requirements:

  1. Six credit hours in Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) courses, including at least 3 credit hours in English courses.

  2. Chemistry 1050 and 1051 (or Chemistry 1010, the former 1011, and the former 1031)

  3. Mathematics 1000 and 1001

  4. Mathematics 2000, 2050, 2260, 3202

  5. Physics 1050 (or 1020) and 1051

  6. Physics 2053, 2055, 2300, 2820, 3220, 3300, 3340, 3820 (or Earth Sciences 3179), 3900

  7. Earth Sciences 1000, 1002, 2502, 3600

  8. Geography 2102, 2195, 3120

  9. Biology 2120, 2600

  10. Plus 30 additional credit hours from elective courses for a total of 120 credit hours.

The Major degree offers students a fair degree of latitude in choosing electives, students are encouraged to take Physics 2750 as well as electives from Geography and Earth Sciences: of particular merit would be any of Earth Sciences 3611, 3170, 3172 or 4105.

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11.11.5 Honours in Environmental Physics

As a component of the Degree Regulations for the Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science, students shall successfully complete the following requirements:

  1. Six credit hours in Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) courses, including at least 3 credit hours in English courses

  2. Chemistry 1050 and 1051 (or Chemistry 1010, the former 1011, and the former 1031)

  3. Mathematics 1000 and 1001

  4. Mathematics 2000, 2050, 2260, 3202

  5. Physics 1050 (or 1020) and 1051

  6. Physics 2053, 2055, 2300, 2820, 3220, 3300, 3340, 3820 (or Earth Sciences 3179), 3900, 4205, 4300, 4340, 490A/B

  7. Earth Sciences 1000, 1002, 2502, 3600

  8. Geography 2102, 2195, 3120

  9. Biology 2120, 2600

  10. Plus 15 additional credit hours from elective courses for a total of 120 credit hours.

Students are encouraged to take Physics 2750 as well as electives from Geography and Earth Sciences: of particular merit would be any of Earth Sciences 3611, 3170, 3172 or 4105.

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11.11.6 Major in Ocean Physics

As a component of the Degree Regulations for the General Degree of Bachelor of Science, students shall successfully complete the following requirements:

  1. Six credit hours in Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) courses, including at least 3 credit hours in English courses.

  2. Chemistry 1050 and 1051 (or Chemistry 1200 and 1001).

  3. Mathematics 1000 and 1001.

  4. Computer Science 1510 or 1001.

  5. Mathematics 2000, 2050, 2260, and 3202.

  6. Physics 1050 (or 1020) and 1051.

  7. One of Ocean Sciences 2000, 2100, or 2200.

  8. Ocean Sciences 2300 or Physics 2300.

  9. Physics 2053, 2055, 2750, 2820, 3220, 3400, 3500, 3820, and 3900.

  10. Physics 3300, 3340, and 4300.

  11. An additional 3 credit hours in physics courses numbered 3000 or higher. Students are encouraged to consider Physics 3150, 3750, 3800, 4205, or 4340.

  12. Thirty-six credit hours in applicable elective courses.

Mathematics 1001, 2000 and 2050 are prerequisites to many Physics courses and should be successfully completed by the end of second year. Note that Mathematics 2260 is co-requisite to Physics 3220 and is recommended to be successfully completed before the Winter term of the third year. Statistics 2550 is a recommended elective. Note that Ocean Sciences 1000 is a prerequisite for Ocean Sciences 2000 and Earth Sciences 1000 is a prerequisite for Ocean Sciences 2200 so that interested students need to consider this if they choose either of these options for clause 7 above.

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11.11.7 Honours in Ocean Physics

As a component of the Degree Regulations for the Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science, students shall successfully complete the following requirements:

  1. Six credit hours in Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) courses, including at least 3 credit hours in English courses.

  2. Chemistry 1050 and 1051 (or Chemistry 1200 and 1001).

  3. Mathematics 1000 and 1001.

  4. Computer Science 1510 or 1001.

  5. Mathematics 2000, 2050, 2260, and 3202.

  6. One of Ocean Sciences 2000, 2100, or 2200.

  7. Physics 1050 (or 1020) and 1051.

  8. Physics 2053, 2055, 2750, 2820, 3220, 3230, 3400, 3500, 3750, 3800, 3820, 3900, 4820, and 490A/B.

  9. Ocean Sciences 2300 or Physics 2300.

  10. Physics 3300, 3340, 4205, 4300, and 4340.

  11. Statistics 2550.

  12. Twelve credit hours in applicable elective courses.

Certain of the graduate courses may be taken in the final year of the Honours Program with the permission of the Head of the Department.

Only 6 credit hours at the 1000 level in each of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics can be used to fulfill the 120 credit hours required for the Honours program. The inclusion of Mathematics 1090, or the sequence of Physics 1020, 1021, and 1051, will each increase the number of credit hours required for the Honours Physics program by three.

Ocean Sciences 1000 is a prerequisite for Ocean Sciences 2000 and Earth Sciences 1000 is a prerequisite for Ocean Sciences 2200 so that interested students need to consider this if they choose either of these options for clause 6 above.

An Honours thesis is to be presented on work undertaken by the student under the guidance of a Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography faculty member. The thesis comprises the 6 credit hour course Physics 490A/B. Students should see departmental advice regarding a thesis project no later than the winter preceding the semester in which the project will be started.

For specific courses and recommendations about electives, consultation with a faculty advisor in the Department is suggested.

Not all courses are offered every year. Students should check with the Department prior to registration to plan programs.

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Credit Restrictions for Present Physics Courses with Former Courses Table
Present CourseFormer CoursePresent CourseFormer Course

1020

1200

1051

2050

1021

1201

1051

1061

1051

1052

3750

3700

2820

2200

3750

3850

2053

2450

490A/B

4990

2055 

2550 

1051 

2054 

2750 

2700 

1051 

2550 

3220 

3200 

4400 

3410 

3230 

2210 

4820 

3821 
   

4900 

3920 
Notes:
  1. Credit may be obtained for only one course from each of the pairs of courses listed in this table
  2. Physics 1021 and the former Physics 1201 will be considered equivalent for prerequisite purposes. Physics 1051 and 2820 will be considered equivalent to the former Physics 1054 and 2054 for prerequisite purposes. Physics 1051 and the former Physics 1052 and 2050 will be considered equivalent for prerequisite purposes.

The information on this site has been extracted from the Official 2023-2024 University Calendar. While every reasonable effort has been made to duplicate the information contained in the official University Calendar, if there are differences, the official Memorial University of Newfoundland Calendar will be considered the final and accurate authority.

Copyright © 2024 Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
calendar.editor@mun.ca