Fall 2025 Physics

PHYS 100

Preparatory Physics

3 hours. No credit toward the Major in Physics, BS in Physics, or Minor in Physics. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better or concurrent registration in MATH 121; and appropriate score on the department placement test.

PHYS 112

Astronomy and the Universe

4 hours. UIC GE Natural World Lab course. To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Laboratory and one Lecture.

PHYS 118

Physics in Modern Medicine

3 hours. Prerequisite(s): High school algebra, trigonometry, and biology. UIC GE Natural World No Lab course.

PHYS 131

Introductory Physics for Life Sciences I

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): High school algebra and trigonometry. Credit for PHYS 131 is not given if the student has credit for PHYS 105 or PHYS 141. To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Laboratory, one Lecture and one Discussion/Recitation. UIC GE Natural World Lab course.

PHYS 132

Introductory Physics for Life Sciences II

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in PHYS 105 and Grade of C or better in PHYS 106; or Grade of C or better in PHYS 131. Credit for PHYS 132 is not given if the student has credit for PHYS 107 or PHYS 142. To be properly registered, student must enroll in one Laboratory, one Discussion/Recitation and one Lecture. UIC GE Natural World Lab course.

PHYS 141

General Physics I (Mechanics)

4 hours. Students may obtain one additional hour of credit by concurrently registering in PHYS 144. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better or concurrent registration in MATH 180; or approval of the department ; and Grade of C or better in PHYS 100 or adequate performance on the departmental placement test. UIC GE Natural World Lab course. During the fall and spring terms, combined-section final exam will be held on Wednesday of finals week from 6 to 8 p.m. To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Laboratory and one Lecture-Discussion.

PHYS 142

General Physics II (Electricity and Magnetism)

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in PHYS 141; and Grade of C or better or concurrent registration in MATH 181.

PHYS 144

Problem-Solving Workshop for General Physics I (Mechanics)

1 hours. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. Must enroll concurrently in PHYS 141.

PHYS 145

Problem-Solving Workshop for General Physics II (Electricity and Magnetism)

1 hours. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. Requires concurrent registration in PHYS 142.

PHYS 215

Computational and Mathematical Methods for the Physical Sciences

4 hours. Extensive computer use required. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in PHYS 142; or Grade of B or better in PHYS 107 or Grade of B or better in PHYS 132; and Grade of C or better in MATH 181 and Grade of C or better or concurrent registration in MATH 210. To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Lecture and one Laboratory.

PHYS 230

Fundamentals of Relativity

3 hours. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in MATH 181; and Grade of C or better in PHYS 142; or Grade of B or better in PHYS 107 or Grade of B or better in PHYS 132.

PHYS 240

Fundamentals of Modern Quantum Theory

3 hours. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in MATH 181; and Grade of C or better in PHYS 142; or Grade of B or better in PHYS 107 or Grade of B or better in PHYS 132. Physics majors (BA and BS) are required to register concurrently for PHYS 241.

PHYS 241

Experiments in Modern Physics

1 hours. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in MATH 181; and Grade of C or better in PHYS 142; or Grade of B or better in PHYS 107 or Grade of B or better in PHYS 132. Requires concurrent registration in PHYS 240 or approval of the department.

Physics Lab Fee $40.00 Flat Fee.

PHYS 260

Introduction to Thermal Physics

2 hours. Extensive computer use required. Computer and internet access are required. This course does not satisfy the requirements for BA and BS degrees in physics. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in PHYS 141 and Grade of C or better in MATH 181. To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Lecture and one Discussion.

PHYS 391

Physics Seminar

1 hours. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated to a maximum of 4 hours. Prerequisite(s): Senior standing. Departmental Approval Required

PHYS 392

Physics Research

2 TO 4 hours. Prerequisite(s): Approval of the department. Departmental Approval Required This course counts toward the limited number of independent study hours accepted toward the degree and the major.

PHYS 393

Special Problems

2 TO 4 hours. Prerequisite(s): Approval of the department. This course counts toward the limited number of independent study hours accepted toward the degree and the major.

PHYS 401

Electromagnetism I

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): MATH 220; and Grade of C or better in PHYS 215; or approval of the department.

PHYS 411

Quantum Mechanics I

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in PHYS 215 and Grade of C or better in PHYS 240 and Grade of C or better in PHYS 245; or approval of the department. Recommended background: MATH 220.

PHYS 421

Modern Physics: Atoms and Molecules

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): Credit or concurrent registration in PHYS 411. Departmental Approval Required

PHYS 431

Modern Physics: Condensed Matter

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 411 and PHYS 461; or consent of the instructor.

PHYS 451

Modern Physics: Nuclei and Elementary Particles

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 411.

PHYS 461

Thermal and Statistical Physics

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in PHYS 245; or approval of the department.

PHYS 469

The Learning and Teaching of Physics

4 hours. 4 hours. Extensive computer use required. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 142; or PHYS 107 and PHYS 108; or approval of the department. To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Lecture-Discussion and one Laboratory.

PHYS 475

Learning and Teaching of Physical Sciences

3 hours. Same as CHEM 475. Prerequisite(s): Senior standing or above; or approval of the department. Recommended background: Knowledge of first-year college physics and chemistry. Class Schedule: To be properly registered students must enroll in one Lecture-Discussion and one Laboratory. Departmental Approval Required

PHYS 480

Elements of Machining Scientific Equipment

1 hours. Same as CHEM 480 and EAES 478. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing; and approval of the department.

PHYS 481

Modern Experimental Physics I

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in PHYS 240; or approval of the department. Must enroll concurrently in PHYS 499. To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Laboratory and one Lecture-Discussion.

PHYS 491

Special Topics in Physics

1 TO 4 hours. May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 215 and sophomore standing or above; or approval of the department.

PHYS 499

Survey of Physics Problems

1 hours. No graduation credit for graduate students. Grade of C or better required to graduate with an undergraduate degree in physics. Co-requisite(s):Concurrent registration in PHYS 481. Must enroll concurrently in PHYS 481.

PHYS 501

Electrodynamics

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): Upper-level undergraduate electrodynamics or approval of the department.

PHYS 511

Quantum Mechanics I

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 412 or approval of the department.

PHYS 515

Methods in Mathematical Physics

3 hours. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 215.

PHYS 532

Solid State Physics II

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 512 and PHYS 531 or approval of department.

PHYS 540

Physics of Semiconductor Devices

4 hours. Same as ECE 540. Prerequisite(s): ECE 346 or the equivalent.

PHYS 545

Introduction to General Relativity

3 hours. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 502 and PHYS 541 or approval of the department.

PHYS 551

Nuclear and Particle Physics I

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 513 or consent of the department.

PHYS 561

Statistical Mechanics I

4 hours. Prerequisite(s): Upper-level undergraduate course in thermal and statistical physics or consent of the department.

PHYS 571

Biological Physics I

4 hours. Same as BME 571. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 450 and upper-level undergraduate course in thermal and statistical physics or approval of the department.

PHYS 581

Advanced Experimental Physics

2 hours. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 431 or consent of the instructor.

PHYS 594

Special Topics in Modern Physics

1 TO 4 hours. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing; or approval of the department.

PHYS 595

Graduate Seminar

1 hours. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term.

PHYS 596

Individual Study

2 TO 4 hours. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Approval of the department.

PHYS 598

Master's Thesis Research

0 TO 16 hours. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. Prerequisite(s): Approval of the department.

PHYS 599

Thesis Research

0 TO 16 hours. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): Approval of the department.