May 05, 2025

2025-2026 General Catalog [Effective Fall 2025]

HELP

2025-2026 General Catalog [Effective Fall 2025]

Physics Education (BA/BS)

Location(s): Main Campus
Close

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Program Information

All courses must be passed with a “C” (2.0) or better to be counted in the major.
All prerequisite courses must be passed with “C” (2.0) or better.
Credits greater than 10 years old will not be accepted for this degree.
Courses in computer science are strongly recommended additional electives.
Some courses are taught every other year. Consult your Student Success Advisor for scheduling help.
This program requires the completion of MATH 1210 - Calculus I and MATH 1220 - Calculus II . Students who are not prepared for these math courses may need additional math credits/preparation, which may affect time to graduation. Please consult your Student Success Advisor for more information.

Bachelor’s Degree Type: Arts or Science Requirement (12* or 16** Credits)

Select one degree type from either Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science:

Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree Requirement (12 Credits*)

Bachelor of Science Degree - Math or Science minimum requirement 12 Credits

* Note: A portion of the BS requirements may be met by fulfilling the General Education Core and Breadth Areas. Consult your Student Success Advisor for details.

or

Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree Requirement (16 Credits**)

Bachelor of Arts Degree - Foreign Language Requirement 16 Credits

** Note: One semester of a foreign language may also fulfill the General Education Humanities requirement. The 16 credits may be fulfilled by taking four semesters of a foreign language or by testing out of a language and purchasing the credits. Consult your Student Success Advisor for details.

General Education Requirement (28+ Credits)

See General Education for course options.

Core Course Requirements (12+ Credits)
Breadth Area Requirements (16+ Credits)

Physics Education Curriculum (40 Credits)

Core Requirements (24 Credits)

CHEM 1210 - Principles of Chemistry I 4 Credit(s) [GE Physical Sciences]
CHEM 1215 - Principles of Chemistry I Lab 1 Credit(s) [GE Physical Sciences]
CHEM 2010 - Chemical Lab Safety 1 Credit(s)
MATH 1210 - Calculus I 4 Credit(s) [GE Quantitative Literacy]
MATH 1220 - Calculus II 4 Credit(s)
PHYS 2210 - Physics for Scientists and Engineers I 4 Credit(s) [GE Physical Sciences]
PHYS 2215 - Physics for Scientists and Engineers I Lab 1 Credit(s) [GE Physical Sciences]
PHYS 2220 - Physics for Scientists and Engineers II 4 Credit(s)
PHYS 2225 - Physics for Scientists and Engineers II Lab 1 Credit(s)

Physics Electives (9 Credits)

Complete three of the following:

PHYS 3160 - Planets and Stars 3 Credit(s)
PHYS 3170 - Galaxies and Cosmology 3 Credit(s)
PHYS 2710 - Introductory Modern Physics 3 Credit(s)
PHYS 3320 - Quantum Physics 3 Credit(s)
PHYS 3510 - Electricity and Magnetism 3 Credit(s) (requires additional prerequisites not in major)

Teacher Education Courses (7 Credits)

PSCI 4870 - 3D Science Secondary Education 2 Credit(s)
PSCI 4900 - Teaching Science in Secondary Schools 2 Credit(s)
PHYS 4980 - Student Teaching in Physics 3 Credit(s)

Professional Education Requirements for Secondary Licensure (36-37 Credits)*

To qualify for a teaching license, students must also complete the sequence of professional education courses listed by the Department of Teacher Education . Please see the degree requirements for Secondary Education Licensure . Some classes required for the licensure cannot be taken until the teacher candidate has been admitted to the College of Education and Human Development. Please consult your Student Success Advisor or the Department of Teacher Education for further instruction.

* Students who complete their teaching methods course(s) and student teaching as part of their major requirements will earn fewer than 36 credits. Those course credits are counted only once in the degree total.

Pre-Admission Courses (18-19 Credits)

EDUC 2100 - Principles of Curriculum and Instruction 3 Credit(s)
EDUC 2200 - Educational Psychology 3 Credit(s)
EDUC 2400 - Schools, Society, and Diversity 3 Credit(s)
SPED 2030 - Educating Exceptional Students 3 Credit(s)
SCED 3180 - Instructional Technology for Teaching and Learning 2-3 Credit(s)
SCED 3720 - Content Area Literacy and Utah Core 2 Credit(s)
Academic 3900/4900 Methods Course(s) 2-3 Credit(s)

Block Courses: Block Application Required (6 Credits)

SCED 3570 - Secondary Classroom Management 3 Credit(s)
SCED 3590 - Instructional Planning, Delivery, and Assessment 3 Credit(s)

Advanced Teacher Education Program Courses (12 Credits)

Registration for student teaching is contingent upon passing any required content area Praxis test(s).

SCED 4520 - Practicum/Induction Seminar 3 Credit(s)
SCED 4980 - Secondary Student Teaching 6 Credit(s)
Academic 4980 - Student Teaching 3 Credit(s)

Free Electives and University Requirements

Students’ total free elective credit is determined by their General Education courses taken, degree type selected (if applicable), additional credits earned, and any additional math or other prerequisite courses needed. Some students and/or programs may not have any free electives.

For a bachelor’s degree, students must earn

A minimum of 120 total credits;
A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in both SUU coursework and combined transfer/SUU coursework;
40 upper-division credits , 20 of which are earned from SUU (students may need to select additional upper-division courses not included in their major requirements in order to reach this minimum 40); and
30 credits completed through SUU.

Total Credits, BA/BS Degree with Licensure: 120

Licensure Notification

This program typically leads to licensure/certification and was designed to meet such qualifications for the state of Utah. Students who are or may be planning to pursue licensure/certification in any other US state or territory may need to meet additional education requirements. This is not a reflection of SUU’s accreditation or quality, as each state and territory regulates their own education requirements for occupational licensure.

Students enrolled in a teacher preparation program may potentially be able to use a Utah educator license to obtain licensure through reciprocity. Additional information may be found through the Department of Teacher Education’s reciprocity table.

Program Learning Outcomes

Undergraduate students who complete the physics program will be able to demonstrate they:

Understand and can utilize the scientific method.
Have attained a firm foundation in the fundamentals and application of current scientific theories within physics.
Are able to carry out physics experiments, and properly record experimental results and develop conclusions from these experiments.
Are able to effectively communicate information and scientific data to scientists and non-scientists.