Although a minor is not necessary, students in the B.S. in Physics program have the opportunity to construct their own minor course of study in the highly flexible physics program or to choose a minor from the diverse disciplines offered at the University of Rhode Island.

For those choosing minors, 18 credits in the minor field are required. Examples of courses recommended for various minors are listed below. Other courses, either already in existence or being developed, may be included with approval of the department—and minors other than those listed below may be fashioned to suit students’ individual interests.

In any minor listed below, students may take up to 12 credits of special problems in physics. Required courses in other departments my also be used for credit toward a minor when it is appropriate. Laboratory and Research Problems in Physics (3 credits) is also sometimes used for credit toward a minor.

Examples of minors in the general area of physical sciences include:

ACOUSTICS

• Acoustics (3)
• Vibrations (3)
• Underwater Acoustics (3)
• Intro to Geophysics (3)

ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS

• Introductory Astronomy (3)
• Optics (3)
• Intro to Astrophysics (3)

OPTICS

• Optics (3)
• Lasers, Optical Systems, andCommunications (3)
• Fiber Optic Sensors (3)
• Advanced Engineering Mathematics (6)

GEOPHYSICS

• General Oceanography (3)
• Physical Oceanography (3)
• Geological Oceanography (3)
• Intro to Geophysics (3)
• Advanced Interpretation in Applied Geophysics (3)

MATHEMATICS

• Matrix Analysis
• Partial Differential Equations
• Advanced calculus (6)
• Methods of Applied Mathematics(3)
• Functions of a Complex Variable (3)
• Methods of Applied Mathematics (3)

COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS

• Introduction to Linear Algebra (3)
• Introduction to Numerical Analysis (6)
• Computational Physics (3)
• Methods of Applied Mathematics (3)

CHEMISTRY

• General Chemistry I (3) Lab (1)
• General Chemistry II (3) Lab (1)
• Quantitative Analysis (4)
• Organic Chemistry I (3) Lab (1)
• Organic Chemistry II Lab (1)
• Physical Chemistry I (3)