In addition to the core requirements, students must select one of the five sub-plans detailed below.

This sub-plan is ideal for those students who want the strongest possible grounding in physics. It is designed to suit the needs of students who are interested in fundamental physics or astrophysics, applying physics to the workplace, or who are planning on continuing their physics education in graduate school.

Technical electives must include at least one upper division physics elective (3-4 credits) and at least one upper division math elective (3-4 credits).

A physics elective is any course with a PHYS designator at the 3XXX-level or above. PHYS 4303 “Optics and Acoustics” is strongly recommended for those intending to pursue graduate study. A technical elective is any course in CSE or CBS at the 3XXX-level and above. The 1XXX-level CSCI programming courses in java and C++ are also accepted.

Students who are interested in the practical application of physics to the engineering fields, but who would like a less specialized education that they would find in an engineering department, will find that this degree track provides them with a solid education. In addition to the strong physics core curriculum, students can either focus on one area of engineering or explore a broad range of interests across a number of engineering fields. Students who are interested in moving directly into industry as well as those who want to pursue a graduate degree in either engineering or physics will find this program valuable.

Note that CHEM 1021, which is required for several of the engineering majors, is strongly recommended.

A technical elective is any course in CSE or CBS at the 3XXX-level and above. The 1XXX-level CSCI programming courses in java and C++ are also accepted. In filling the engineering portion of the technical electives, credits can be taken in a single area or distributed across several engineering fields, depending on student's interest.

Students who are interested in entering the biological sciences or medicine will find this degree an attractive option. Physics applies to biology at all levels, from the basics of biosystems to biomedical engineering. This degree can be very useful to students who want to pursue a career in biomedical industry. It also provides a strong foundation for students interested in pursuing an advanced degree in biophysics, molecular biology, physiology, medical physics, biomedical engineering, or medical school. Combined with physics core curriculum this biological emphasis gives students powerful tools to achieve their goals.

When choosing the appropriate courses for the biology requirement students should consult with faculty who have expertise in these areas. PHYS 5401 and PHYS 5402 “Physics for Biology and Medicine” might be of particular interest to students interested in the direct application of physics to biology.

It is strongly recommended that the technical electives include PHYS 4911 “Introduction to Biopolymer Physics”. These are in addition to the courses listed above.

For students who are interested in teaching secondary school physics, this program offers a versatile broad-based education. It is particularly useful to students who are planning on teaching in Minnesota, as it has be optimized to fit well with the new state licensure procedures. And, should a student's needs or plans change, this program combined with the physics core curriculum also prepares him or her for a variety of other career tracks, including graduate study in physics.