Physics Pathway Guide

Preparation for Transfer as a Physics Major

The following sequences are suggested courses to take in your semesters prior to transferring to SMU as a physics major. For students attending a Texas public community college or university, Texas Common Course Numbers (TCCNS) are listed. If you are transferring from a college or university outside of Texas, click on the SMU course for a course description which may be used to select/compare courses at your current institution.

CC listings refer to SMU’s Common Curriculum, which all undergraduates are required to complete. Refer to the Common Curriculum Transfer Guide  for a list of courses satisfying CC components. Interactive equivalency guides organized by transfer institution are available on the Transfer and Transition Services’ website.

Save all of your course syllabi! 

Please note: These plans assume students are ready to take calculus. If you are not “calculus ready,” take math courses to prepare you for calculus so that you advance to calculus as soon as possible. Also, if you are planning a minor, typically only one or two transfer courses will be applied.

The Physics Department

Physics is the study of space, time, energy and matter. It tries to ask and answer, in a verifiable and reproducible way, the deepest questions about the origin, nature and fate of the universe.

The Department of Physics  at SMU offers both Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees, including a specialization in cosmology and astrophysics, as well as a minor in physics. In addition to participating in research and leading experiments, students are given the opportunity to join leadership and organizational activities such as the local chapter of the Society of Physics Students.

Research Program

The SMU Department of Physics research programs are concentrated in experimental and theoretical particle physics, astrophysics, and astronomy. The general aim of the research programs are to establish the properties of the most fundamental constituents of matter and the laws governing their behavior as well as the properties, behaviors, and histories of stars, galaxies, and the cosmos. SMU particle physicists work on the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, the NOvA and DUNE experiments based at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois, and nuclear collider programs at Jefferson National Accelerator Laboratory and the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Astrophysics and particle physics intersect in the SuperCDMS SNOLAB program at the SNOLAB underground science facility in Canada. The astrophysics and astronomy programs employ a range of satellite- and ground-based telescopes studying the Cosmic Microwave Background, galactic-scale phenomena (including supermassive black holes), and individual stars. All of these areas touch on leading questions that challenge modern physics, such as the origin of the elementary particle properties, the apparent asymmetry between matter and anti-matter in the universe, the nature of dark matter and dark energy, and the birth of the cosmos.

Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate students are strongly encouraged to engage in research projects to supplement their curriculum. SMU’s undergraduate research program covers particle physics, applied physics, astrophysics, astronomy, cosmology, and physics pedagogy. Students are invited to attend the Physics Department Speaker Series every Monday at 4pm to hear nationally acclaimed physicists speak on their successes in the field and new discoveries.

Outreach

There are several ways students can connect further with the physics department. These include a department newsletter and a free monthly podcast, which features research discussions and interviews with faculty and guests.

Majoring or Minoring in Physics

Two majors and one minor are offered by the department:

B.S. in Physics  - 40 hours in physics, 15 hours in mathematics, and three hours in computer science and engineering. This major is for students planning careers in industry, laboratories or academia. 

B.A. in Physics  - 30 hours in physics and 15 hours in mathematics. This major is for students pursuing careers in medicine, teaching, business and government. 

Minor in Physics  - 17 hours in physics and nine hours of advanced coursework.

The physics department also offers an integrated curriculum that enables a student to obtain both a B.S.E.E. or B.S.M.E degree with a B.S. in physics. For more in-depth information on those majors, visit the Physics Department website.

SMU Degree

A degree from SMU is typically comprised of a minimum of 120 hours, 60 of which must be completed through SMU, 42 of which must be in courses at the 3000 and higher levels. Components of the degree include:

• Courses in your major.
• Courses required for the Common Curriculum (CC) .
• Elective courses. These electives may be used to add a second major or minor.

The Common Curriculum (CC)

The Common Curriculum is required of all undergraduate students and consists of three main components: 

1. Foundations - 6 hours of Writing courses, 3 hours of Quantitative Reasoning courses, proficiency in a second language. 
2. Breadth - 7 Breadth courses which may double count with majors and minors.
3. Proficiencies and Experiences - 8 Proficiencies and Experiences requirements, met through coursework or approved, noncredit activities.

NOTE: If you transfer with 23 or fewer credit hours and/or transfer in your first year out of high school, transfer work earned prior to high school graduation (dual/concurrent credit) will not satisfy CC requirements.

Apply Now!

Click here for more information about transferring to SMU.