Engineering Physics
At the Colorado School of Mines
|
|
PHYSICS AS A CAREER
By choosing a career in physics you will join a tradition dating back
to Galileo and Newton. This career track has attracted those who want to
understand nature at its most fundamental level. Today's physics frontier
stretches from inquiry about the makeup of matter at the elementary particle
level to investigation of the evolution of the universe and everything
in between. With every puzzle solved new ones emerge, a process which Vannevar
Bush called the "Endless Frontier". A professional physicist is motivated
primarily by curiosity and inspired by the complexity and beauty of the
world's mechanisms. Physicists, by working to understand nature in their
areas, add little pieces to the grand puzzle. In so doing they each contribute
to the advance of knowledge for all humanity. Can there be a more noble
career ambition?
Then there is the practical utility brought by a deep understanding
of physics. With a solid background in the fundamental laws of nature,
physicists are well-equipped to tackle problems that are of concern to
many different types of employers. Professional physicists work in a wide
variety of situations; from academic environments to industrial development
teams, from oil exploration firms to computer manufacturers, from start-up
high-tech firms to market analysis on Wall Street, from tiny companies
to multinational corporations. In each case, the insight and creativity
that a physicist brings to the tasks at hand are widely recognized as essential
components to meeting the organization's objectives.
Our everyday lives are continually influenced by discoveries and developments
provided by physicists. The computer revolution was born in the laboratories
of solid state physics five decades ago and the World Wide Web was created
by a physicist. If you want to know what the future holds, peek into the
physics laboratories of today. Fundamental research dealing with quantum
optics and nonlinear phenomena will make it possible not only for tomorrow's
communication to be carried by light but its computations as well. This
and many others in advanced technologies are being created and shaped by
professional physicists.
If you are intrigued by these prospects, take a closer look at the Engineering
Physics program at CSM!
Engineering Physics
The Engineering Physics degree combines the deep understanding of science
fundamentals with the practical knowledge and skills of engineering
practice and design.
When you graduate from CSM with a major in Engineering Physics you will
be ready to jump right into jobs that require a broad technical education.
Our graduates can be found at places like Texas Instruments, Amoco, IBM,
General Motors, and many many others. You will also be well-prepared to
continue specialization through graduate school, in physics or other related
technical fields. The analytic skills developed in the study of physics
are highly prized in other areas such as medicine or law. Those CSM physics
graduates who have chosen to continue to study physics in graduate school
have successfully competed with the best students from around the country
for admission to the most competitive graduate schools, such as Cal Tech,
Berkeley, Cornell, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Illinois, and many
others.
There are sound reasons why our graduates have been so successful. Our
curriculum combines aspects of an engineering degree with the rigorous
foundation of traditional physics. Our Engineering Physics program is fully
accredited by ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
We are one of only seventeen schools in the country with this distinction,
and the only one in Colorado. With an appropriate selection of electives,
many of our graduates apply to and are accepted at engineering graduate programs
in mechanical, electrical, and materials engineering.
In addition to the collection of core courses that are required of every
student at Mines you will study advanced topics in mechanics, electromagnetism,
thermodynamics, electronics, and modern physics. The department also offers
a broad selection of electives, including atomic, nuclear, and solid-state
physics, as well as computational physics, astronomy, and astrophysics.
A total of 130.5 semester hours of classes is required. Of these, nearly
one fourth are electives. This flexibility makes it possible for you to
minor in almost any area. Common choices include electrical engineering,
mechanical engineering, materials engineering, geophysics, mathematics,
and computer science.
Curriculum (Based on 2005-2006
Catalog)
The curriculum beyond the 33 credit hour
freshman year is listed below:
| |
|
Credit Hours |
|
Calculus III |
4 |
| |
Physics II |
4.5 |
| |
Design II |
3 |
| |
Human Systems |
3 |
|
Physical Education III |
0.5 |
|
Total |
15 |
| |
|
Credit Hours |
|
Differential Equations |
3 |
| |
Modern Physics I |
3 |
|
Analog Circuits |
4 |
|
Introduction to Thermodynamics |
3 |
|
Principles of Economics |
3 |
|
Physical Education IV |
0.5 |
|
Total |
16.5 |
| |
|
Credit Hours |
|
Summer Field Session (6 weeks) |
6 |
|
Total |
6 |
| |
|
Credit Hours |
|
Advance Physics Lab I |
2 |
| |
Introduction to Mathematical Physics |
3 |
| |
H&SS Cluster Elective I |
3 |
|
Digital Circuits |
3 |
|
Intermediate Mechanics |
4 |
|
Total |
15 |
| |
|
Credit Hours |
|
Intermediate Electromagnetism |
3 |
| |
Modern Physics II |
4 |
|
Advanced Physics Lab II |
2 |
|
Thermal Physics |
3 |
|
Free Elective I |
3 |
|
Total |
15 |
| |
|
Credit Hours |
|
Senior Design I |
3 |
| |
Advanced Electromagnetism |
3 |
|
H&SS Cluster Elective II |
3 |
|
Free Elective II |
3 |
|
Free Elective III |
3 |
|
Total |
15 |
| |
|
Credit Hours |
|
Senior Design II |
3 |
| |
Engineering Science Elective |
3 |
| |
H&SS Cluster Elective III |
3 |
|
Free Elective IV |
3 |
|
Free Elective V |
3 |
|
Total |
15 |
|
|
Degree Total |
130.5 |
|
|
|
Summer Field Session and Senior Design
One of the unique aspects of the CSM Engineering Physics Curriculum is
the practical training that comes through the combination of the Summer
Field Session, prior to the junior year, and the full year of Senior Design.
In Summer Field Session you will be introduced to machine shop techniques,
vacuum technology, materials preparation, and specialized applications
of computer technology. In the Senior Design sequence you will work, one-on-one
as part of a team, with a member of the faculty on an independent research,
design, and/or fabrication project. This experience is very much like that
of professional physicists. Some of the Senior Design projects which have
recently been completed include: ``The CSM Telescope Project'', ``Temperature
Effects of High-energy Particles on Thin Films'', ``Electrochemical Etching
of Tips for Near-field Scanning Optical Microscopes'', ``Design of Production
Facilities for Polycrystalline Solar Cells'', ``Trace Detection of Pesticides
in Groundwater Through Enhanced Raman Scattering'', and ``Fractal Development
in Electric Field Driven Dendrite Growth''. Do these sound ambitious? They
are! But by the time you are a senior in our program you'll be ready for
the challenge.
Combined BS/MS Programs
The Department of Physics, along with the Department of Metallurgical
and Materials Engineering and the Engineering Division, offers combined BS/MS
programs in which students can obtain a baccalaureate degree in Engineering
Physics as well as a Masters Degree in an engineering discipline in just one additional year.
There are three engineering tracks. The first two lead to a Masters degree in Engineering
with a mechanical or electrical specialty. Students in the third track
receive a Masters of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering with an electronic
materials emphasis. These programs emphasize a strong background in science
fundamentals in addition to practical experience in a specific engineering
discipline. The Department offers a combined program leading to an MS
in Applied Physics as well. Interested students can obtain additional information
from the Physics Department.
Undergraduate Research Environment
CSM physics majors often participate in the research activities of the
physics faculty. The Department grants the M.S. degree in Physics, the
Ph.D. in Applied Physics, and is a part of the interdiciplinary Materials
Science Program through which students can obtain both the M.S. and the
Ph.D. These programs are supported by state-of-the-art equipment and instrumentation.
For example, the experimental nuclear physics group has a 180 keV particle
accelerator. This is being used to study nuclear reactions involved in
astrophysics as well as to understand better plasma fusion processes. In
other laboratories you will find state-of-the-art photon generation and
detection hardware, including high-power pulsed and continuously operating
lasers. These devices play key roles in research involving laser cavity
operation and in the nonlinear optical properties of matter. In other labs
you may work with high flux x-ray scattering equipment, or surface physics
characterization facilities such as XPS, STM, and AFM. There is a class
1000 clean room for the preparation of high technology materials in addition
to a major effort in solar cell technology using CdTe. As an Engineering
Physics major you will have a chance to work with the professors that are
at the forefront in their areas of expertise. This is the kind of experience
that will give you a head start on your career path.
As part of the Department family, you will be given access to the Physics
Department local area network of Unix and MS Windows-based workstations in Meyer
Hall. Through this resource you can run Mathematica, call up a host of
other sophisticated computer packages, or retrieve or transmit information
from the Internet.
Student Life as a Physics Major
When you join the undergraduates who have declared Engineering Physics
as their major, you will become part of a close-knit intellectual community.
In addition to 18 faculty, this community includes over 200 undergraduates
and 30 graduate students. As a CSM Engineering Physics major, you may join
the Society of Physics Students (SPS) which is free the first year and
has very modest student dues in subsequent years. It is affiliated with
the National Society of Physics Students. This is one of the most active
professional student organizations on campus. The CSM chapter has the distinction
of having often been selected as one of the outstanding chapters in the
country. SPS students participate in all sorts of activities of mutual
interest, promoting physics both within and outside of the Mines community
and just having fun.
You'll also find community with the faculty in the department. The professors
take an active interest in all of the undergraduate physics majors. You'll
get to know all of the faculty well, and they will know you equally well.
This is particularly valuable when it comes time to have recommendations
sent on your behalf to prospective employers or graduate schools. Your
professors will be able to provide substantive comments that feature your
best qualities to help you compete with other applicants.
More Information
We'd like to tell you more about Engineering Physics at CSM. We invite
you to visit the Department and to talk with the faculty and the students
in the program. You'll notice the stimulating atmosphere punctuated by
animated hallway discussions and intense concentration in the labs. This
is the same attitude that for centuries has helped professional physicists
push forward the frontiers of knowledge. We invite you to join us in this
exciting quest!
Physics Department
Meyer Hall Rm 325
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado 80401
(303)-273-3830
http://www.mines.edu/Academic/physics/
Physics Home
CSM
Email comments/suggestions to physicsweb@mines.edu