2020-2021 Academic Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions


Courses at Furman are typically identified by codes separated into three distinct parts. The first segment designates the academic subject of the course, the second component relates to the level of instruction, and the final element (when displayed) assists with the identification of the meeting times and location for individual course sections.

Credit bearing undergraduate courses typically are numbered between 100 and 599, graduate instruction is typically numbered between 600 and 999, while zero credit experiences frequently have numbers between 001 and 099. Undergraduates can further expect courses numbers to reflect:

100-299 introductory courses, geared to freshmen and sophomores
300-499 advanced courses, designed for majors and other students with appropriate background and/or prerequisites
500-599 individualized instruction, including internships, research, independent study, and music performance studies
 

Music

  
  • MUS-531 Trumpet


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-532 Horn


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-533 Trombone


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-534 Euphonium


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-535 Tuba


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-540 Woodwind Performance Topics


    Concurrent enrollment in appropriate performance studies instruction required.
    Enhancement of private studio study. Systematic exposure to a wide gamut of technical and artistic musical performance issues. Concurrent enrollment in appropriate performance studies instruction required. Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-541 Flute


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-542 Oboe


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-543 Clarinet


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-544 Bassoon


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-545 Saxophone


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-546 Contra-Bassoon


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-547 Bass Clarinet


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-548 Piccolo


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-549 English Horn


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-550 Percussion Performance Topics


    Concurrent enrollment in appropriate performance studies instruction required.
    Enhancement of private studio study. Systematic exposure to a wide gamut of technical and artistic musical performance issues. Concurrent enrollment in appropriate performance studies instruction required. Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-551 Percussion


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-552 Drum Set


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-560 Keyboard Performance Topics


    Concurrent enrollment in appropriate performance studies instruction required.
    Enhancement of private studio study. Systematic exposure to a wide gamut of technical and artistic musical performance issues. Concurrent enrollment in appropriate performance studies instruction required. Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-561 Piano


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-562 Organ


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-563 Harpsichord


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-564 Advanced Collaborative Piano


    The study and performance of chamber music literature involving the piano. Works of various style periods and instrumentations will be studied, with specific repertoire chosen to fit the particular strengths and interests of the students enrolled. Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-565 Chamber Ensemble Piano


    Study and performance of chamber music literature involving the piano. Repertoire to be studied will be chosen from the standard chamber music literature, subject to the approval of the instructor, and will be coached during the student’s weekly lesson. Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-566 Organ Pedagogy


    Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-567 Service Playing


    Techniques and repertory of organ service playing. Topics include: hymn playing, registration, accompanying of vocal and instrumental repertory, conducting from the console, improvisation, and occasional services. Variable credit.
  
  • MUS-569 Jazz Piano


    Variable credit.

Neuroscience

  
  • NSC-401 Current Topics in Neuroscience


    Prerequisite: instructor permission
    Year long capstone course for neuroscience majors that will provide students with knowledge of current research practice and implications. Discussions of seminal or innovative research papers in a seminar format, and of individual research experiences in the context of progress in the field as a whole. 4 credits.
  
  • NSC-450 Methods in Behavorial Neuroscience Research


    Prerequisite: PSY-320  
    Preparation for independent research. Topics such as ethics, conducting advanced literature searches, handling and injecting rodents, mixing drugs, how to make scientific presentations, writing for publication, and advanced statistics are covered. Students complete a literature review or research proposal and oral presentation. May Experience ONLY. 2 credits.
  
  • NSC-502 Research


    Prerequisite: instructor permission
    Original and independent research. Working through the Neuroscience Major Advisory Committee, the student poses a question of significance in neuroscience, devises an experimental protocol, and collects data to evaluate the question. Projects may be performed either on campus or at other locations. Presentation of the research in the context of NS-401 is required. Variable credit.

Philosophy

  
  • PHL-101 Introduction to Philosophy


    GER: UQ (Ultimate Questions)
    Introduction to some of the classic problems of philosophy, with emphasis on understanding the nature of philosophical reflection and reasoning. Includes epistemology, ethics, metaphysics and other major branches of philosophy. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-170 Whitness in America: Constructions Past Present


    An examination and ethical consideration of whiteness as it is used to refer to a race of people; the meaning of the concept of racial whiteness; how the concept arose, developed and changed in history; how whiteness is experienced by people deemed white or non-white; what effects the concept has had and currently has as a construct and idea in 21st Century America. Throughout the course we will attempt both to understand the history of the construction of an idea, and to interrogate the morality of that construction. May Experience ONLY. 2 credits.
  
  • PHL-200 Logic


    Formal analysis of arguments with emphasis on symbolic logic. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-208 Ethics


    GER: TA (Critical, Analytical Interpretation of Texts)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101  
    The nature of morality, the grounds of moral obligation, and the principles of moral decision-making according to classical philosophers. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-210 Ancient Philosophy


    GER: TA (Critical, Analytical Interpretation of Texts)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101 
    Consideration of the beginnings of the Western philosophical tradition focusing primarily on Plato and Aristotle. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-211 Modern Philosophy


    GER: TA (Critical, Analytical Interpretation of Texts)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101 
    The growth and development of philosophical thought from Descartes through Kant. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-212 Philosophy of Gender


    Examination of competing feminist theories. For example, liberal feminism, socialist or Marxist feminism, radical feminism and others. Analysis of the philosophical assumptions concerning women and women146s situations that underlie each view, to examine the philosophical traditions from which each theory is developed and the philosophical theories in opposition. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-215 Philosophy of Religion


    Prerequisite: PHL-101 
    Investigation of the central philosophical issues relating to religious belief and practice. Topics include: arguments for and against the existence of God, the problem of evil, the nature and significance of religious experience, and the relationship between the different world religions. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-220 Realizing Bodymind


    GER: MB (Mind and Body) and WC (World Cultures)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101 
    Survey of “Wholeness Concepts” which promote lifetime fitness and healthy lifestyle habits. Topics include: the philosophical and corporeal cultural traditions of South Asia, East Asia, and Northeast Asia. Introduction to the martial art of Aikido as well as additional disciplines (including meditation) that promote the experience mind and body unification. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-225 Ki-Aikido: Five Disciplines


    The five types of training that characterize the practice of Ki-Aikido. These include Aikido arts, Ki-Breathing, Ki-Meditation, Kiatsu, and Sokushin no Gyo. The course involves practice in these disciplines and critical examination of the way in which these disciplines are grounded in a philosophical worldview that emphasizes the interconnected nature of reality. May Experience ONLY. 2 credits.
  
  • PHL-227 Garden, Temple, Dojo: Japanese Arts and Culture


    Examining the cultural and philosophical context of the Japanese Arts. Students have a chance to learn about an experience a variety of arts and explore the connections between these arts and the Japanese religious traditions of Zen Buddhism and Shinto. An introduction to, and practice of, the disciplines of Ki-Aikido, which include Aikido arts, meditation, and Kiatsu. Opportunities to experience tea ceremony and Japanese calligraphy. Students travel to visit significant temples and shrines in Tokyo, Nikko,Kamakura, Kyoto, and Nara. May Experience ONLY. 2 credits.
  
  • PHL-230 Indian Philosophy


    GER: WC (World Cultures)
    A survey of six orthodox schools of Indian philosophy including Vedanta, Yoga, Samkya, Mimamsa, Nyaya, Vaisesika, and three heterodox schools such as Early Buddhism, Jainism, and Ajivika Materialism. Some texts we will be examining include the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Early Buddhist Scriptures, and Jain Sutras. 4 credits
  
  • PHL-240 Chinese Philosophy


    GER: WC (World Cultures)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101  
    Survey of the development of Classical Chinese Philosophy with emphasis upon Confucian, Daoist, and Neo-Confucian traditions. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-245 Environmental Ethics


    GER: NE (Humans and the Natural Environment)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101 
    Examination and evaluation of various approaches to moral problem solving with reference to environmental and ecological issues. Topics include: Animal Liberation, the Land Ethic, Biocentrism or Reverence for Life, Ecofeminism, Deep Ecology, and Environmental Justice. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-250 Japanese Philosophy


    GER: WC (World Cultures)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101  
    The development of Japanese Philosophy from the classical period to modern times with a focus upon Buddhist philosophy and its intersection with the West. Analysis includes Early Buddhism, Kukai’s Shingon Buddhism, and Dogen’s Soto Zen Buddhism. The encounter of Japanese Philosophy with the West is studied through modern figures such as Nishida Kitaro, Watsuji Tetsuro, and Yuasa Yasuo. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-260 Latin American Philosophy


    GER: WC (World Cultures)
    Latin American philosophical reflection from 4 key eras of the region’s history: Pre-Conquest; arguments for/against the Conquest; the 19th century struggle for independence; and exciting currents in 20th century thought (liberation and feminist philosophies). 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-265 Philosophy and Hip-Hop


    Hip-Hop is one of the most significant American cultural movements of the past several decades. Students will philosophically consider hip-hop as a helpful resource for thinking about identity, social justice, and religion. May Experience ONLY. 2 credits.
  
  • PHL-266 God, Death, and the Meaning of Life


    GER: TA (Critical, Analytical Interpretation of Texts)
    Exploration of some of the main thematic issues associated with an existential approach to philosophy. It will ask the “big questions” that characterize existential philosophical engagement from Plato to Shakespeare, and from Pascal to Beauvoir. Specific figures and readings will vary, but the focus will be on what it means to live, act, and be as beings defined by the human condition. 4 credits
  
  • PHL-266 God, Death, and the Meaning of Life


    Analysis of Texts (TA)
    This course will be an exploration of some of the main thematic issues associated with an existential approach to philosophy. it will ask the “big questions” that characterize existential philosophical engagement from Plato to Shakespeare, and from Pascal to Beauvoir. Specific figures and readings will vary, but the focus will be on what it means to live, act, and be as beings defined by the human condition. 4
  
  • PHL-270 Africana Philosophies


    GER: WC (World Cultures)
    Philosophical themes in sub-Saharan Africa and the African Diaspora in the Caribbean and the United States. Topics include: what counts as Africana philosophy; race; colonialism; gender; and slavery. Ontological, ethical and socio-political questions considered. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-275 Aesthetics


    GER: TA (Critical, Analytical Interpretation of Texts)
    A study of the nature of art and beauty, what counts as art, contemporary debates about fiction and emotion, sentimentalism, fakes and forgeries, popular music and culture, the nature of appreciation, photography and representation. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-276 Philosophy of Food


    GER: TA (Critical, Analytical Interpretation of Texts)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101 
    Examination of the philosophical aspects of food from historical, ethical and aesthetic perspectives. The role of food in Plato’s Republic and Aristotle’s Ethics and throughout the history of philosophy. The construction of ethical systems in regard to growing food, consuming food, animal rights, and resource management. An examination of aesthetic pleasure and disgust, as well as a consideration of “taste”. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-280 Philosophy of Horror


    Analysis of Texts (TA)
    A philosophical investigation of horror in literature and other media, this course will examine the concepts of evil, monstrosity, abjection, and the uncanny, asking centrally: what is horror, and why do we like it? 4
  
  • PHL-302 Clinical Medical Ethics


    GER: UQ (Ultimate Questions)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101  and instructor permission Course must be enrolled with IDS-301  and SOC-234 .
    Intersection of major moral theories with health care delivery systems. Topics addressed include refusal of life-saving treatment, autonomy and paternalism in health care, and allocation of scarce medical resources. Course requires participation in clinical rotations at several health care facilities. Course must be enrolled with IDS-301 and SOC-234. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-304 Ethics of Globalization


    GER: NE (Humans and the Natural Environment)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101  or POL-103 
    Consideration of how to make an ethical assessment of globalization’s economic, environmental, political aspects. Topics include: the benefits/costs of globalization, who is benefiting and possible alternatives to globalization. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-305 Bioethics


    A philosophical analysis of contemporary moral problems in biomedical ethics. Topics discussed will include eugenics, human experimentation, research involving vulnerable populations, and the role of autonomy in healthcare. Students will be asked to consider case studies, films, and texts related to moral questions arising from medical practice. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-310 Social and Political Philosophy


    GER: TA (Critical, Analytical Interpretation of Texts)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101  or POL-103 
    Central issues in social and political philosophy. Topics vary, but may include: the philosophical foundations of the state, the basis and limits of individual freedom, the place of religion in a democracy, the justification of punishment, the requirements of distributive justice, and the treatment of cultural, racial, and gender diversity. Readings typically include works by both classical and contemporary philosophers. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-315 Nineteenth Century Philosophy


    GER: TA (Critical, Analytical Interpretation of Texts)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101 
    Important figures and themes of nineteenth century philosophy. Readings chosen from Hegel, Schelling, Schopenhauer, Feuerbach, Marx, Kierkegaard, Darwin, and Nietzsche. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-317 Twentieth Century Philosophy


    GER: TA (Critical, Analytical Interpretation of Texts)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101 
    Introduction to the important figures and themes of twentieth century philosophy. Attention given to material from both the analytic and phenomenological traditions. Postmodern responses to these traditions also examined. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-318 Philosophy of Law


    WR (Writing/Research Intensive)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101  or POL-103  
    Investigation of philosophical questions relating to law. Topics include the question of what law is, the responsibility of the individual faced with unjust law, and the relation between philosophical understandings of the law and the resolution of legal issues. Readings include philosophical treatments of law and texts of legal opinions from courts. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-320 Critical Philosophy of Race


    GER: TA (Critical, Analytical Interpretation of Texts)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101  
    Epistemological and geneological investigation of the idea of race and racism in modern Western thought and philosophy. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-321 Philosophy of Psychology


    Prerequisite: PHL-101  
    An examination of mental health, mental illness, and moral psychology. Course will consider the various conceptions of the self, personhood, and human nature at the root of traditional theories of psychology. Topics discussed will include: personal identity, freedom, decision-making, and autonomy. Course will consider ways in which persons are categorized as mentally healthy or ill and evaluate approaches to the treatment of mentally ill persons. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-325 Confucian Philosophy


    GER: WC (World Cultures)
    Prerequisite: PHL-101 
    A comprehensive survey of Confucian philosophy including Early Confucianism (Confucius and Mencius), the Daoxue or Neo-Confucianism of the Song (960-1276) and the Ming (1368-1644) Dynasties (Zhu Xi and Wang Yangming), and the 20th Century New Confucian Movement (Mou Zongsan and Tang Junyi). 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-333 Philosophy of Taste


    GER: WR (Writing-Research Intensive)
    Prequisite: PHL-101  
    Examination of the philosophical concept of taste. We will consider the cultivation of taste in art and food, how taste develops and changes, whether or not we can judge others’ tastes, and how we might develop a standard of taste. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-370 Philosophers, Movements and Problems


    Prerequisite: PHL-101  
    Further investigation into a particular philosopher, movement or problem. Topics vary. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-372 German Idealism: Mind, Nature and Spirit


    Analysis of Texts (TA)
    PHL 101
    This course is an exploration of the German Idealist movement from the late eighteenth century to the early nineteenth century. German Idealism began as a response to Immanuel Kant’s transcendental idealism and critique of the European Enlightenment. The course highlights the critiques of Kant’s idealism and the innovations in idealism offered by major figures such as Jacobi, Reinhold, Fichte, Schelling, Schiller, Goethe, and Hölderlin. Although we will acknowledge the various transformations in epistemology and metaphysics during this post-Kantian era, the course will focus on these historical figures’ philosophical debates and resolutions on the meaning of Nature, human consciousness, Spirit, the role of art and poetry in moral development, romanticism, and reason versus faith. 4
  
  • PHL-400 Seminar in Philosophy


    Prerequisite: PHL-101 
    Reading, research, and writing course for majors, normally in their senior year, covering a specific topic in philosophy. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-410 Knowledge, Truth and Power


    Prerequisite: PHL-101 
    Introduction of philosophical reflection about knowledge. How should knowledge be defined, why knowledge is good to have, whether there are good responses to skepticism, how we should understand the relationship between knowledge and rational justification, what is the correct understanding of how beliefs come to be rationally justified, how we should understand such notions as “truth” and “objectivity,” and whether knowledge is relative to particular conceptual schemes or cultures. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-415 Philosophy of Sex and Love


    Exploring a number of broad philosophical questions about sex and love such as: What acts count as sexual? What different forms does love take? What general moral principles should govern our sexual activities? To what extent should the law regulate our intimate lives? Will also investigate a number of more specific topics such as marriage (including same-sex marriage), casual sex, cohabitation, pornography, prostitution, consent to sex, sexual assault, polyamory, and polygamy. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-420 Metaphysics: Reality, Identity and Possible Worlds


    Prerequisite: PHL-101 
    Investigation into the nature, constitution, and structure of reality. Categorization of all things and articulation of the special relations that obtain between those categories. Topics may include universals and particulars, personal identity, freedom and determinism, modality, causation, and time. Examination of central issues and problems of metaphysics through discussions and reading works by both classical and contemporary philosophers. 4 credits.
  
  • PHL-501 Independent Study


    Prerequisite: PHL-101  and instructor permission. Students must have a 3.00 grade point average in a minimum of three philosophy courses and an overall grade point average of 2.70 to register.
    Either a research project or a reading program. Students must have a 3.00 grade point average in a minimum of three philosophy courses and an overall grade point average of 2.70 to register. Variable credit.
  
  • PHL-506 Senior Honor Thesis I


    Prerequisite: PHL-101  and instructor permission
    An independent study course for eligible students who choose to write a senior thesis as a capstone experience. Solely devoted to researching and writing the student’s thesis. Typically completed in the senior year in tandem with PHL-507. Variable credit.
  
  • PHL-507 Senior Honor Thesis II


    Prerequisite: PHL-101  and instructor permission
    An independent study course for eligible students who choose to write a senior thesis as a capstone experience. Solely devoted to researching and writing the student’s thesis. Typically completed in the senior year in tandem with PHL-506. Variable credit.

Physics

  
  • PHY-101 Physics for Non-Science Majors


    GER: NW (Empirical Study of the Natural World)
    A philosophic and conceptual examination of selected fundamental principles of physics. No prior knowledge of physics is assumed. Some historical and biographical material is included. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-104 Energy: Man, Creation and Calories


    GER: NW (Empirical Study of the Natural World) and NE (Humans and the Natural Environment)
    The concept of energy treated from the broadest possible perspective. Emphasis on the four laws of thermodynamics and the four black-hole analogs. With this foundation the various thermodynamic aspects of energy are treated as they relate to a variety of areas, including the impact of energy on environmental aspects of human life. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-105 Descriptive Astronomy


    GER: NWL (Empirical Study of the Natural World with laboratory)
    Prerequisite: high school algebra
    Apparent motion of the Sun, Moon and planets; the birth of modern astronomy; properties of light and its detection; the Sun and the Solar System; the structure, properties and evolution of stars; galaxies and cosmology. PHY-105 may not be enrolled after successful completion of either PHY-106 or 107. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-106 The Solar System


    GER: NWL (Empirical Study of the Natural World with laboratory)
    The Celestial Sphere; apparent motion of the Sun, Moon, and planets; the birth of modern astronomy; properties of light and its detection, the Sun, Solar System, and its exploration; formation of the Solar System and the discovery of exoplanets. PHY-106 may not be enrolled after successful completion of either PHY-105. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-107 Stars & Galaxies


    GER: NWL (Empirical Study of the Natural World with laboratory)
    Star Formation and the properties of stars; the evolution of low and high mass stars; the structure and dynamics of the Milky Way galaxy; normal and active galaxies; dark matter; the Big Bang, cosmology and dark energy. PHY-107 may not be enrolled after successful completion of either PHY-105. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-111 General Physics I


    GER: NWL (Empirical Study of the Natural World with laboratory)
    Prerequisite: high school calculus. MTH-150  strongly recommended
    The basic concepts and laws of classical mechanics. Measurement and units, vectors, kinematics, Newton’s laws of motion, work and energy, systems of particles, collisions, rotational kinematics, torque and angular momentum, rigid body statics and dynamics, simple harmonic motion, gravitation, and mechanics of solids and fluids. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-112 General Physics II


    GER: NWL (Empirical Study of the Natural World with laboratory)
    Prerequisite: PHY-111  and MTH-150 . MTH-151  strongly recommended
    The basic concepts and laws of classical electricity and magnetism. Electrostatic and magnetostatic forces and fields. Gauss’ law, electric circuits, Amperee’s law, Faraday’s law, electric and magnetic properties of matter, time-varying fields, Maxwell’s equations and electromagnetic waves, and geometrical optics. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-113 General Physics III


    Prerequisite: PHY-111 
    Introduction to thermodynamics and wave motion. Temperature, The First Law, kinetic theory, The Second Law, sound, electromagnetic waves, super-position, interference, diffraction and polarization. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-119 Physics of Music


    Prerequisite: PHY-111 
    Fundamentals of simple harmonic motion and waves. Physics of strings and vibrating air columns will be studied in detail. Lab activities will include the study of wave motion and the Fourier analysis of sounds. May Experience ONLY. 2 credits.
  
  • PHY-232 Experimental Methods


    Prerequisite: PHY-241  
    Introduction to modern sensors, optical devices an instruments and their applications in the field of experimential science. Experiments designed to give practice in the art of making precise measurements and the processing of experimental data. Hands-on experience in insttumentation and experimentation in optics, electronics and a number of other areas in applied physics and engineering. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-241 Introduction to Modern Physics


    Prerequisite: PHY-112  Must be enrolled with MTH-160 .
    Special theory of relativity, particle nature of electromagnetic radiation, waves and wave nature of matter, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, historical models of the atom, Schroedinger146s equation and its application to one-dimensional systems, quantum theory of the hydrogen atom, electron spin, many-electron atoms, and introduction to nuclear physics. Should be enrolled with MTH-160. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-311 Classical Mechanics I


    Prerequisite: MTH-160  and PHY-112 . MTH-250  and MTH-255  are recommended.
    Kinematics and dynamics of particles and systems of particles, oscillations, introduction to Lagrangian and Hamiltonian dynamics, central force motion, motion in non-inertial reference frames, and dynamics of rigid bodies. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-312 Classical Mechanics II


    Prerequisite: PHY-311 
    An advanced treatment of topics studied in PHY-311, plus gravitation, coupled oscillations, mechanics of continuous media, the one-dimensional wave equation, and relativistic kinematics and dynamics. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-321 Electromagnetic Theory I


    Prerequisite: MTH-160  and PHY-112 . MTH-250  and MTH-255  are recommended.
    Development of the Maxwell equations. Electrostatic forces and fields, potential theory, magnetostatic forces and fields, time-varying fields. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-322 Electromagnetic Theory II


    Prerequisite: PHY-321 
    A continuation of the first course on electromagnetic theory. Application of Maxwell?s equations to radiating systems, systems and properties of electromagnetic waves in vacuum and matter. Radiation theory and relativistic electrodynamics. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-331 Thermodynamics


    Prerequisite: PHY-112 . PHY-241  is recommended
    Laws of heat and thermodynamics, kinetic theory of gases, introduction to statistical mechanics. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-421 Optics


    Prerequisite: MTH-160  and PHY-112 . MTH-250  and MTH-255  are recommended.
    Geometrical optics, image formation by lenses and mirrors, optical instruments and aberrations, Fresnel equations, optical properties of materials, nonlinear optics and the modulation of light, interference and diffraction, Fourier optics, laser operation and properties. Laboratory activities include numerical simulations of lens aberrations, Brewster angle experiment, electro-optic effect, magneto-optic effect and the spatial light modulation. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-431 Electronics


    Prerequisite: PHY-112 
    Theory and applications of active and passive circuits containing resistors, capacitors, inductors, transistors and integrated circuits. Course is laboratory-oriented. Students build and analyze circuits involving these components in various applications, including active and passive filters, transistor amplifiers, operational amplifiers, power supplies and digital circuits. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-433 Introduction to Embedded Systems


    Prerequisite: PHY-111  and PHY-112  or instructor permission
    An exploration of the fundamentals of embedded systems for applications of physical computing. Using the Arduino open source microcontroller platform, students will learn how to connect sensors, actuators and indicators to create devices that interact with the physical world. Topics include digital and analog inputs and outputs, sensors, actuators, motors, serial communication, and control of external devices. Students will learn technical skills in electronics, programming and serial communication. May Experience ONLY. 2 credits. May Experience ONLY. 2 credits.
  
  • PHY-441 Quantum Mechanics I


    Prerequisite: MTH-160  and PHY-241 . Should be enrolled with MTH-255 . MTH-250  and MTH-255  are recommended.
    Introduction to quantum formalism, the simple harmonic oscillator, angular momentum, the hydrogen atom, spin and indistinguishable particles, and applications. Recommended to be enrolled with MTH-255. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-442 Quantum Mechanics II


    Prerequisite: PHY-441 
    Duality of matter and radiation, state functions, linear momentum, the Schroedinger equation, systems of particles, angular momentum and spin. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-451 Astrophysics


    WR (Writing/Research Intensive)
    Prerequisite: MTH-160 , PHY-241 , PHY-311 , and PHY-321 . PHY-441  is recommended.
    Survey course in introductory astronomy and astrophysics for science majors. Gravitation and orbital motion; evolution and structure of the solar system, galaxy, and universe; stellar classes, structure and evolution. Laboratory activities include numerical simulations of various cosmological and stellar models, the study of spectrographic data, and astronomical observations. Credit is not normally granted (except as approved by the Physics faculty) for both PHY-105 and 451. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-452 Atomic and Nuclear Physics


    Prerequisite: PHY-241 
    Atomic physics topics include solutions to the Schroedinger equation for the hydrogen atom, one dimensional square well, spin orbit coupling and the periodic table. Nuclear physics topics include stable nuclei, nuclear decay, the radial square well and a model for the deuteron, as well as the simple harmonic oscillator and the nuclear shell model. An introduction to elementary particles and accelerators is also included. 4 credits.
  
  • PHY-461 Teaching Methods and Materials


    Prerequisite: department permission.
    4 credits.
  
  • PHY-502 Research


    Guided experimentation or theoretical research on selected topics in physics. Working with a faculty sponsor, the student poses a question of interest for research, writes an agreement specifying work expectations, and conducts research to answer the question. A formal paper resulting from the research is required upon completion of the project that must be prepared and submitted to a journal. May be retaken for credit. Variable credit.
  
  • PHY-504 Directed Independent Study


    Study of a selected topic designed to instill deeper understanding of areas of physics beyond formal course work. Working with a faculty sponsor, the student selects a focused area for further study and writes an agreement specifying work expectations. A formal paper or portfolio of sufficient length and composition to demonstrate a scholarly review with a bibliography resulting from the study is required. Variable credit.

Politics and International Affairs: Introductory Courses

  
  • POL-101 Introduction to American Government


    GER: HB (Empirical Study of Human Behavior)
    The basic political science course focusing on American politics. Emphasis on the principles, institutions and politics of the federal government. Topics include: the U.S. Constitution, the presidency, Congress, the Supreme Court, political parties and interest groups, and the federal bureaucracy. 4 credits.
 

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