The undergraduate program in physics gives you an opportunity to explore how modern science is unraveling some of the mysteries that have held mankind in awe since the earliest of times. It is designed to acquaint you with the fundamental aspects of our description of nature and to develop analytic and laboratory skills. A well planned degree with a major in physics gives you a solid background in the art of modern day science and prepares you for a wide array of opportunities. For example, our graduates go on to practice their science skills in industrial and government laboratories, enter into a teaching career, enter into the rapidly growing fields of Information Technology and Financial Services, and further study at the graduate and professional level, whether in physics or in some diverse field like business or medicine.
Duke University offers programs with a major in physics leading to the A.B. or the B.S. degree and a minor in physics. Students planning to attend graduate school in physics or related scientific fields, such as mathematics or electrical engineering, generally pursue the B.S. degree. Those planning careers in less closely related scientific fields, or in medicine, law or business, may find the A.B. or minor program more compatible with their other course requirements. In recent years the number of graduating physics majors and minors has been about sixteen. About 30% of our graduates enter a graduate or professional school, either immediately or after a few years of employment or military service. In the past few years, several graduates have chosen careers in Information Technology and the Financial Services Industry.
The following sections describe the usual curriculum for both majors, assuming that study begins in the freshman year. Detailed descriptions of individual courses are available on the University Course Synopsis page.
See the specific requirements for the A.B. and B.S. degrees and the minor for additional detailed information.
For the first two years the minor A.B. and the B.S. programs have the same physics and mathematics courses. It is highly advantageous (but not necessary) to begin introductory physics in the freshman year, and Physics 41, 42 is the sequence designed for freshmen considering a major in physics. Several majors enter into the program each year through the PHY 61L/62L and PHY 53L/54L sequence. A description is available.
Students without any advanced placement credit will need to take five courses per semester during any two semesters in order to fulfill the 34-course graduation requirement; the present arrangement of physics offerings places the least demands on students in the first semester of thesophomore year.
Students who decide to major in physics after taking Physics 61, 62 (or 53, 54) are not at a particular disadvantage, except that their schedule may becrowded in later years if these courses are not completed in the freshman year. Students who decide to major in physics but who only complete Physics52 in the fall term of their sophomore year would take Physics 181 in the spring term of the sophomore year and Physics 143 in the fall term of thejunior year.
Typical schedules for various entry situations are available.
The scheduling of courses for the minor has greater flexibility since only five courses are required.
In the first year students are introduced to classical mechanics, classical electricity and magnetism, and Einstein's special relativity. In this terminology, "classical" refers to concepts that can be described without involving quantum mechanics, i.e., without concern about the wave characteristics of matter, the quantization of the electromagnetic field, and quantized (discrete) energy states of systems. These topics are covered in the "Introductory Physics" courses: PHY 41L/61L/53L and PHY 42L/62L/54L.
In the first semester of the second year students study wave phenomena, including optical phenomena, in detail (Optics and Modern PHysics, PHY 143L). This leads to introducing observations that can not be explained by Newton's laws and classical electricity and magnetism, or, as physicists say, to introducing some of the intriguing puzzles of "modern physics". Basic concepts of non-relativistic wave mechanics (such as penetration of barriers, uncertainty principle and atomic structure) are introduced in the quantum mechanics framework of the Schroedinger Wave Equation. There are laboratory exercises associated with each of the first three semesters of courses.
By the beginning of the fourth semester students have developed the mathematical foundation for dealing with complicated mechanics problems, like forced, coupled and nonlinear oscillators, fictitious forces and chaos. In this fourth physics course (Intermediate Classical Mechanics, PHY 181), solutions are approached through the use of "advanced" classical techniques of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics.
During this semester students also have an option of electing to take another physics courses. Advanced students are encouraged to do so.
The third year pulls together most of the previous material in a way that exudes a higher level of sophistication and appreciation. In this year physics majors are exposed to the fundamentals of quantum mechanics (PHY 211) at a more complex physics and mathematics level than previously. It is required that A.B. students enroll in the first semester course (PHY 211, Fundamentals of Q.M.). It is a requirement that B.S. students take Fundamentals of Q.M. (PHY 211) and that they take the second semester course (PHY 212, Applications of Q.M.). A course in advanced concepts in electricity and magnetism is also required of B.S. students and is often taken in the fall of the third year (PHY 182, Electricity and Magnetism). Finally, students are highly encouraged to study thermal properties of matter, such as changes of state, entropy, chaos and radiation in the spring of the junior year (PHY 176, Thermal Physics).
With a basic foundation in physics and the associated mathematical skills, there are many options for advanced courses and independent study projects in the fourth year. Nearly all of the physics faculty are actively involved with fundamental research projects and all are involved with the education of Ph.D. graduate students. This aspect of the department opens up an array of possible individual research experiences for the undergraduate majors. The faculty also offer a variety of specialized graduate courses that are open to qualified seniors. Fields of research interest and specialized courses include the physics of: atoms, nuclei, elementary particles, lasers, optics, electron accelerators, condensed matter, nonlinear phenomena, electronic devices, strings, and relativity.
Freshmen officially receive advising through the pre-major advising center. The Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) in Physics is also available for consultation regarding physics as a major. We strongly suggest that you contact the DUS as soon as possible if you have any interest at all in becoming a physics major or minor so we can add your name to our electronic mailing list for undergraduate majors and minors. At some point between the second and fourth semester students declare a major. Those sold on physics are encouraged to declare as soon as possible, at which point the DUS becomes the official advisor and Dean Kay Singer in room 303 in the Union West becomes the administration contact. After declaring to be a physics major, each student is requested to schedule an advising meeting with the DUS at least once each semester.
Many physics students also major in a second subject. It is natural from the degree requirements that the most common second major is mathematics. Beyond that subject, there is no clear pattern. Recent or current students also majored in German, English, philosophy, biomedical, mechanical and electrical engineering, economics, history, biology and computer science. Advanced placement in mathematics and other subjects provides greater flexibility in designing the double major. Advanced placement in physics permits even more options. The Director of Undergraduate Studies in physics should be consulted as soon as possible, e.g., during freshman orientation, in order to avoid unnecessary complications.
Those B.S. students who plan to take a semester abroad ideally should arrange to be away during one of the semesters of their junior year.
If you are contemplating on going on to physics graduate school, you should take Math 103 and 111 in your freshman year and Phy 143, 181 and one additional course in the sophomore year. (Of course, this schedule assumes that you have advanced placement credit for Calculus 31, 32.) Without this arrangement, it is not possible to be well prepared for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) required by most admission committees of graduate schools. It is important to take the course Fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics (Phy 211) at Duke in the first semester of the junior year or an equivalent course abroad during the junior year, since many of the specialized 200-level courses available in the senior year require familiarity with this subject. At many of the universities abroad it is possible to find courses "equivalent" to those at Duke, so students need not fall out of step.
If you are not contemplating on going on to physics graduate school, it is often possible to fit many of the physics courses into your senior year if many of your distribution requirements are taken care of while abroad.
We are currently investigating the possibility of coordinating our efforts with several universities abroad so that you can continue your physics education abroad following a pre-approved program. Stay tuned for more information!
In all cases, it is important to discuss and plan the essential components of a complete Bachelor program as soon as possible with the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Physics.
The National Society of Physics Students is represented by a chapter at Duke. (In fact, the history is that Duke was the second chapter of this large organization, which was originally called Sigma Pi Sigma Honor Society, so only upon Duke's entrance did this organization become "national".) This group sponsors biweekly open meetings that entail presentations by students, faculty and visitors or tours of local and regional facilities. The department encourages students to become actively involved in this extracurricular activity. SPS have their own pages here.
Further information and advice about the undergraduate program in physics can be obtained by contacting the Director of Undergraduate Studies.