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Academic Program Guide


Physics & Astrophysics


ACADEMIC MAP (Effective Summer 2024 and after)

*Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is available ONLY at the main campus in Tallahassee, FL. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning.*

This map is a term-by-term sample course schedule. The milestones listed to the right of each term are designed to keep you on course to graduate in four years. The Sample Schedule serves as a general guideline to help you build a full schedule each term. The General Education and Elective courses must be selected to satisfy all area and diversity requirements unless your program meets these requirements with major courses. Milestones are courses and special requirements necessary for timely progress to complete a major. Missing milestones will result in one of two types of map registration stops. The first level (Degree Map Off-track) is placed following grade posting if the student has missed a milestone (course and/or GPA) for the first time in the major. If a student is in non-compliance with milestones for two (2) consecutive semesters (excluding summers), a Major Change Required stop is placed on the student's registration.

This schedule assumes that you have credit for MAC1114 Analytic Trigonometry and MAC1140 Pre-Calculus. The required math courses are sufficient to obtain a minor in Mathematics.

Mapping Coordinator: Shellie Camp
Email: scamp@fsu.edu

Sample Schedule and Required Milestones by Term

Sample Schedule: Term 1 hrs
ENC1101 Freshman Composition3
MAC2311 Calculus with Analytic Geometry I 4
GE Core or Foreign Language3-4
PHZ 1140C Computational Physics Lab3
Required Milestones: Term 1
Complete ENC1101 ( ≥ C minus )
Complete MAC2311 ( ≥ C minus )
Sample Schedule: Term 2 hrs
ENC2135 Research, Genre, and Context 3
MAC2312 Calculus with Analytic Geometry II4
PHY2048C General Physics A5
GE Core or Foreign Language3-4
PHY1090 Discovering Physics 1
Required Milestones: Term 2
Complete ENC2135 ( ≥ C minus )
Complete MAC2312 ( ≥ C minus )
Complete PHY2048C ( ≥ C minus )
Summer hrs
MAC2313 Calculus with Analytic Geometry III5
PHY2049C General Physics B5
Sample Schedule: Term 3 hrs
AST4211 Introduction to Astrophysics3
PHY3101 Intermediate Modern Physics 3
PHY3045 Physics Problem Solving 3
MAP 2302 Ordinary Differential Equations 3
GE Course or Foreign Language3-4
Required Milestones: Term 3
Complete PHY2049C ( ≥ C minus )
Sample Schedule: Term 4 hrs
AST 4419 Extragalactic Astro or AST4277 Observational Techniques 3
PHY3221 Mechanics I3
PHZ3113 Mathematical Physics I3
GE Course or Foreign Language3-4
Required Milestones: Term 4
Complete PHY3101 ( ≥ C minus )
Complete PHY3221 ( ≥ C minus )
Complete PHZ3113 ( ≥ C minus )
Complete PHY3045 ( ≥ C minus )
Complete MAC2313 ( ≥ C minus )
Complete MAP2302 ( ≥ C minus )
Complete PHY1090 ( ≥ C minus )
Sample Schedule: Term 5 hrs
PHY4604 Quantum Theory of Matter A3
PHY4222 Mechanics II 3
Oral Communication Competency3
Astro Elective or GE Elective3
GE Course or Foreign Language3-4
Required Milestones: Term 5
Complete AST4211 ( ≥ C minus )
Civic Literacy requirement
Sample Schedule: Term 6 hrs
PHY4323 Electricity and Magnetism I3
PHY4605 Quantum Theory of Matter B or Elective3
PHY3802L Intermediate Laboratory or AST3721L Astrophysics Laboratory 2
AST4722 Observational Techniques or AST4419 Extragalactic Astro 3
GE Ethics or Foreign Language3-4
Required Milestones: Term 6
Complete Scholarship in Practice course
Sample Schedule: Term 7 hrs
AST4218r Astrophysics Seminar 1
PHY3802L Intermediate Laboratory or AST3721L Astrophysics Laboratory2
Astrophysics Elective3
Optional Astro/Physics courses or Foreign Language or Elective6-7
Required Milestones: Term 7
Complete a Pre-Graduation Check
Sample Schedule: Term 8 hrs
AST4218r Astrophysics Seminar 1
PHY4513 Thermal and Statistical Physics3
PHZ4151C Computational Physics Laboratory 3
Optional Astro/Physics courses or Foreign Language or Elective 3-4
Required Milestones: Term 8
Apply for graduation in 1st two weeks

Employment Information
Representative Job Titles Related to this Major at the Baccalaureate level: Consultant, Data Analyst / Data Scientist, High School Teacher, Instrumental Technician, Medical Physics Technician, Physicist Technician, Quantitative Analyst, Software Developer/Engineer, Technical Writer. With additional education: Astrophysicist, Biophysicist, College Professor, Experimental Physicist, Geophysicist, Laser Physicist, Low Temperature Physicist, Nuclear Physicist, Solid State Physicist, Stress Analyst, Theoretical Physicist.

Representative Employers: Banks / Financial Institutions, Chemical Companies, College and Universities, Community Colleges, Electronics Firms, Engineering Firms, Governmental Agencies, Insurance Companies, Laboratories, Manufacturers, Pharmaceutical Companies, Research/Development Firms, School Boards, Software Companies, Technology Companies.

International Opportunities: International study is available for all students and may include opportunities for internships or taking course work towards various majors and minors. International study may have an impact on the MAP; therefore, it is important to consult with the academic advisor before participating. Interested students can find information about international study, research, internships, and service opportunities at: global.fsu.edu/undergraduate-students/going-abroad.

This Map is not a contract, either expressed or implied, between the University and the student, but represents a flexible program of the current curriculum which may be altered from time to time to carry out the academic objectives of the University. The University specifically reserves the right to change, delete or add to any Map at any time within the student’s period of study at the University.



View Physics & Astrophysics Program Guide