Eight Semester Plan
This eight-semester plan (see important details) is intended to guide students through a four-year undergraduate career, with completion of an academic major and all college-wide degree requirements. The plan is designed as an advising tool – a starting point for careful discussions between students and their academic advisors. In consultation, a student and advisor will adjust the plan to accommodate the student’s prerequisite needs, transferred credits, and other such variables.
The plan below reflects General Education (GE4) requirements in effect as of Fall 2019. Students who matriculated prior to that date will find the previous plan associated with their majors here. For a summary of GE4 requirements, see New Paltz General Education Requirements.
Students are responsible for reviewing their Progress Reports each semester to track their own progress toward degree requirements.
Physics
Year 1
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester |
|---|
| Course | Credits |
|---|
| SEE NOTE 1 | 0 | | Gen Ed: Basic Communication | 4 | | MAT251 Calculus I (Mathematics) | 4 | | CHE201 General Chemistry I (Natural Science Lecture) | 3 | | CHE211 General Chemistry I Lab (Natural Science Lab) | 1 | | Gen Ed: Foreign Language 1 | 3 | | Physics/Astronomy Seminar (not required, highly recommended) | 1 | | Total | 16 |
| | Course | Credits |
|---|
| SEE NOTE 1 | 0 | | MAT252 Calculus II | 4 | | CHE202 General Chemistry II (Natural Science Lecture) | 3 | | CHE212 General Chemistry II Lab (Natural Science Lab) | 1 | | PHY201 General Physics 1 (Natural Science Lecture) | 3 | | PHY211 Physics 1 Laboratory (Natural Science Lab) | 1 | | Gen Ed: Foreign Language 2, if needed | 3 | | Total | 15 |
|
Year 2
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester |
|---|
| Course | Credits |
|---|
| MAT341 Applied Mathematics I | 3 | | MAT353 Calculus III | 4 | | PHY202 General Physics 2 (Natural Science Lecture) | 3 | | PHY212 General Physics 2 Lab (Natural Science Lab) | 1 | | General Education course | 3 | | Total | 14 |
| | Course | Credits |
|---|
| MAT342 Applied Mathematics II | 3 | | Elective: CPS210 Computer Science I (SEE NOTE 2) | 4 | | PHY308 Modern Physics I | 3 | | General Education courses (2) | 6 | | Total | 16 |
|
Year 3
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester |
|---|
| Course | Credits |
|---|
| PHY306 Mechanics 1 | 3 | | PHY422 Thermal Physics | 3 | | Diversity course | 3 | | General Education courses (2) | 6 | | Total | 15 |
| | Course | Credits |
|---|
| PHY322 Optics | 3 | | PHY310 Modern Physics Lab or PHY323 Optics Laboratory | 1 | | PHY309 Modern Physics II | 3 | | General Education course | 3 | | Elective (upper division) | 4 | | Total | 14 |
|
Year 4
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester |
|---|
| Course | Credits |
|---|
| PHY307 Mechanics 2 | 3 | | PHY313 Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | | PHY331 Quantum Physics | 3 | | Electives | 6 | | Total | 15 |
| | Course | Credits |
|---|
| PHY491 Physics Senior Project | 3 | | PHY305 Computational Physics | 3 | | Elective, by advisement: PHY424 Advanced Physics Lab (WI) | 3 | | Electives | 6 | | Total | 15 |
|
Notes
1 - The sequence of courses for the Physics major depends primarily on "calc readiness" - the Math Placement Level required for enrollment in MAT251 Calculus I. Students who enter New Paltz with MPL 5 may follow the sequence presented here, taking MAT251 in Year 1, Semester 1. For the sequence that starts with MAT181 Precalculus, please refer to the 8-semester plan posted in the Undergraduate Catalog under Physics & Astronomy (https://www.newpaltz.edu/ugc/science/physics).
2- Computer Science I is suggested for students with no programming experience prior to PHY305 Computational Physics.
Total Credits: 120
