Physics: Engineering Physics Option (B.S.)

Total hours to degree: 90 (total does not include completion of required engineering degree elsewhere)

Minimum Semester Hours required for the Physics: Engineering Physics Option: 59 semester hours

(See also "Pre-Engineering Program" and "Engineering")

This cooperative degree program requires about three years of work at EIU followed by two years of work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). This program is designed to combine studies in Physics and Engineering, producing workers with greater versatility and broader skills, making them more attractive to employers of scientists and engineers. Upon completion of the program, the student receives a Bachelor of Science in Physics: Option in Engineering Physics, from EIU and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree from UIUC. With approval of the Engineering Advisor and the Chair of the Physics Department, the Physics: Engineering Physics Option can be awarded upon completion of a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) as an alternative. Interested students should consult with the Pre-Engineering Coordinator for detailed requirements of the program.

After completing 60 semester hours in this curriculum, a student may apply to the EIU Pre-Engineering Coordinator for admission as an Engineering Physics candidate. The requirements for admission as an Engineering Physics candidate are a minimum grade point average of 3.00 and approval by the committee. Continuation as an engineering candidate includes meeting the transfer requirements of the College of Engineering at UIUC.

A student who transfers into this curriculum from another college or university must be in residence at EIU for at least one semester before he/she becomes eligible for admission as an Engineering Physics candidate.

Core Requirements

Total: 89-96 semester hours with elective credit to bring the total to 90 semester hours.

CHM 1310

General Chemistry I. (3 credits)

CHM 1315

General Chemistry Laboratory I. (1 credits)

CSM 2170

Computer Science I. (4 credits)

MAT 1441

Calculus and Analytic Geometry I. (5 credits)

MAT 2442

Calculus and Analytic Geometry II. (5 credits)

MAT 2443

Calculus and Analytic Geometry III. (4 credits)

MAT 3501

Differential Equations I. (3 credits)

PHY 1001

Introduction to Physics and Engineering. (1 credits)

PHY 1351

General Physics I. (3 credits)

or PHY 1391G

PHY 1352

General Physics I Laboratory. (1 credits)

or PHY 1392G

PHY 1361

General Physics II. (3 credits)

PHY 1362

General Physics II Laboratory. (1 credits)

PHY 1371

General Physics III. (3 credits)

PHY 1372

General Physics III Laboratory. (1 credits)

PHY 2390

Statics. (3 credits)

PHY 2450

Classical Dynamics. (3 credits)

PHY 4000

Seminar in Physics. (1 credits)

PHY 4711

Experimental Physics I. (1 credits)

PHY 4712

Experimental Physics II. (1 credits)

12 Semester Hours From Category A+B+C:

Category A: At least one of:

PHY 3415

Electricity and Magnetism I with Lab. (4 credits)

PHY 4855

Quantum Mechanics. (3 credits)

Category B: At least one of:

PHY 3350

Introduction to Solid State Physics. (3 credits)

PHY 4320

Computational Physics. (4 credits)

PHY 4470

Optics. (4 credits)

PHY 4750

Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics. (3 credits)

PHY 4780

Introduction to Plasma Physics. (3 credits)

Category C:

PHY 3150

Electronics. (4 credits)

PHY 3270

Introduction to Circuit Analysis. (4 credits)

PHY 3420

Electricity and Magnetism II. (4 credits)

PHY 4100

Astrophysics. (3 credits)

PHY 4444

Honors Independent Study A. (3 credits)

or PHY 4444B or PHY 4444D

(See Footnote 2)

PHY 4555

Honors Research. (3 credits)

(See Footnote 2)

PHY 4601

Research in Physics 1A.B,D,E,F,H,J,K,L,M (1 credits)

or PHY 4601B or PHY 4601D or PHY 4601E

(See Footnote 2)

PHY 4602

Research in Physics 2A.B,D,E,F,H,J,K,L,M (2 credits)

or PHY 4602B or PHY 4602D or PHY 4602E

(See Footnote 2)

PHY 4603

Research in Physics 3A.B,D,E,F,H,J,K,L,M (3 credits)

or PHY 4603B or PHY 4603D or PHY 4603E

(See Footnote 2)

PHY 4644

Honors Thesis. (3 credits)

(See Footnote 2)

PHY 4800

Advanced Independent Study. (1 to 6 credits)

*Course Numbers: PHY 4800A, B, D-F, H-M, O-R, T-Y

(See Footnote 2)

PHY 4865

Advanced Quantum Mechanics. (3 credits)

Courses Recommended

These courses may be required by certain Engineering programs. (See footnote 1)

CHM 1410

General Chemistry II. (3 credits)

CHM 1415

General Chemistry Laboratory II. (1 credits)

ECN 2801

Principles of Macroeconomics. (3 credits)

EEN 1100

Introduction to Logic Design. (3 credits)

EEN 1101

Introduction to Logic Design Laboratory. (1 credits)

EGT 2043

Computer-Aided Engineering Drawing. (3 credits)

Footnotes:

(Major GPA based on all EIU courses in chemistry, engineering technology, mathematics, and physics taken from the list above.)

Students completing cooperative degree programs, i.e., Engineering and Clinical Laboratory Sciences, will not be required to take a senior seminar.

¹These courses should be selected in consultation with the Pre-Engineering Coordinator to ensure that Eastern's General Education requirements and UIUC requirements are both fulfilled. ECN 2801G is highly recommended in the Social and Behavioral Sciences since it is required in some UIUC and SIUC Engineering Programs.

² A limit of 3 hours of Physics 4444*, 4555, 4601*, 4602*, 4603*, 4644, or 4800* may be counted toward the degree.

Information sourced from the 2026-2027 EIU Undergraduate Catalog.

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