College of Arts and Sciences: Physics
Physics Programs
Applied Physics Major, with Natural Sciences Concentration
Xavier's Natural Sciences/Applied Physics program offers an alternative to the Natural Sciences major that allows students to study physics while preparing for medical school. This program may also be of interest to students who wish to pursue careers in biophysics, medical physics, radiological physics, and other health physics programs.
The Natural Sciences program combines courses in physics, mathematics, and computer science with the chemistry and biology courses needed to fulfill the requirements for the Natural Sciences minor.
Freshman Year
| First Semester | Semester Hours | Second Semester | Semester Hours |
| PHYSICS 170 University Physics I |
3 | PHYSICS 172 University Physics II |
3 |
| PHYSICS 171 Explorations in Physics |
1 | PHYSICS 173 Explorations in Physics II |
1 |
| BIOLOGY 160 General Biology I |
3 | MATH 171 Calculus II |
4 |
| BIOLOGY 161 General Biology I Lab |
2 | BIOLOGY 162 General Biology II |
3 |
| THEOLOGY 111 Theological Foundations |
3 | BIOLOGY 163 General Biology II Lab |
2 |
| MATH 170 Calculus I |
4 | ENGLISH 101 or 115 English Composition or Rhetoric |
3 |
| Total | 16 | Total | 16 |
Sophomore Year
| First Semester | Semester Hours | Second Semester | Semester Hours |
| CHEMISTRY 160 General Chemistry I |
3 | PHYSICS 340 Modern Physics II |
3 |
| CHEMISTRY 161 General Chemistry I Lab |
1 | PHYSICS 341 Modern Physics II Lab |
1 |
| PHYSICS 330 Modern Physics I |
3 |
PHILOSPHY 100 |
3 |
| PHYSICS 331 Modern Physics I Lab |
1 | MATH 230 Differential Equations |
3 |
| MATH 220 Calculus III |
4 | CHEMISTRY 162 General Chemistry II |
3 |
| FOREIGN LANGUAGE Elective |
3 | CHEMISTRY 163 General Chemistry II Lab |
2 |
| COMPUTER SCIENCE (CSCI) Elective |
3 | FOREIGN LANGUAGE Elective |
3 |
| Total | 18 | Total | 18 |
Junior Year
| First Semester | Semester Hours | Second Semester | Semester Hours |
| PHYSICS 242 Electronics I |
3 | CHEMISTRY 242 Organic Chemistry II |
3 |
| PHYSICS 243 Electronics I Lab |
1 | CHEMISTRY 243 Organic Chemistry II Lab |
1 |
| PHYSICS 350 Theoretical Mechanics |
3 | PHILOSOPHY 290 Theory of Knowledge |
3 |
| CHEMISTRY 240 Organic Chemistry I |
3 | LITERATURE Elective |
3 |
| CHEMISTRY 241 Organic Chemistry I Lab |
1 | THEOLOGY Scrip/Hist or Christ Sys Elective |
3 |
| FINE ARTS Elective |
3 | ENGLISH / CLAS / SPAN 205 Literature & Moral Imagination |
3 |
| CULTURAL DIVERSITY Elective |
1 | ||
| Total | 15 | Total | 16 |
*Not required but strongly recommended for those who plan to attend graduate school.
Senior Year
| First Semester | Semester Hours | Second Semester | Semester Hours |
| PHYSICS 360 Electromagnetism I |
3 | PHYSICS 364 Physical Optics |
3 |
| PHYSICS 395 Physics Research |
1 | PHYSICS 365 Physical Optics Lab |
1 |
| PSYCHOLOGY 101 General Phychology |
3 | PHYSICS 398 Physics Thesis |
1 |
| HISTORY Elective I |
3 | HISTORY Elective II |
3 |
| PHILOSOPHY Elective |
3 | SOCIAL SCIENCE Elective |
3 |
| E/RS FOCUS Elective |
3 | ||
| THEOLOGY Ethics or Rel/Cult Elective |
3 | ||
| Total | 13 | Total | 17 |