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George Mason University
    George Mason University
   
 
 
 
2016-2017 University Catalog 
  
2016-2017 University Catalog

Physics and Astronomy


Phone: 703-993-1280

Web: physics.gmu.edu

Faculty

Professors: Barreto, Becker, Dworzecka, Kan, Lieb, Lohner, Mishin, Rubin, Satija, Satyapal, K. Sauer, Summers, Trefil, C. Yang, Zhang

Associate professors: Camelli, Cressman, Kinser*, Marzougui, Nikolic, Rosenberg, Sheng, So, Tian, Weigel, Weingartner, Zhao

Assistant professors: Yigit, Vora

Term associate professor: Djordjevic, Ewell, Geller, Oerter, Wyczalkowski

Term assistant professors: Gliozzi, Vemuru, Ericson

Emeriti: Ceperley, Ehrlich, Elsworht, Evans, Mielczarek

Research faculty: Bilitza, Chung, Duxbury, Huang, Mariska, Meier, Odstrcil, Poland, Purja Pun, Richards, Shabaev, Titarchuk

*Faculty holding primary appointments in other academic units

 

The Department of Physics and Astronomy  is dedicated to the dissemination and advancement of physics and astronomy through instruction, research, and outreach.

The department provides rigorous training for physics and astronomy students and prepares them to be successful, confident, and versatile in their ability to apply physics and astronomy principles within any chosen field. The department also aims to deliver and instill a broad-based understanding of general physics and astronomy principles and practices to the wider university community through our Mason Core  (general education) courses. Our student-centric curriculum and instruction use a mixture of traditional and current pedagogical techniques informed by on-going educational research. It is our goal to help students to develop versatility and creativity through repeated analytical practices and problem-solving training in their coursework and faculty-led research projects.

Research in the department focuses on pushing the frontiers of physics and astronomy in a broad range of topics using theoretical, experimental, observational, and computational approaches. The department maintains many active collaborations with scientists across different disciplines within the university community and with other national and international institutions. The department believes strongly in incorporating both graduate as well as undergraduate students in our research programs. It is our goal to see students arriving with an enthusiasm and curiosity for physics and astronomy and leaving as true scientists ready to conduct their own scientific investigations.

Courses

This department offers all courses designated ASTR and PHYS in the Courses  section of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

The department offers the Physics, BS  and the Astronomy, BS . Also available are the Physics Minor , the Astronomy Minor , and the Renewable Energy Interdisciplinary Minor .

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

The department offers many opportunities for undergraduate students to get involved with research. Students should consult with faculty working on research topics of interest to them, based on their exploration of the department’s website.

Honors Programs

Physics majors who have maintained an overall GPA of at least 3.50 in physics courses and a GPA of 3.50 in all courses taken at George Mason University may apply to the physics honors program when they complete the first semester of their junior year. To graduate with honors in physics, a student is required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 in physics courses and successfully complete PHYS 405  and PHYS 406  with a GPA of at least 3.50 and a grade of at least ‘A-’ in PHYS 406 .

Astronomy majors who have completed the prerequisites for ASTR 405 , have a GPA of at least 3.50 in ASTR and PHYS courses taken at Mason, and have a GPA of at least 3.50 in all courses taken at Mason may apply for admission to the astronomy honors program. To graduate with honors in astronomy, a student must maintain a GPA of at least 3.50 in their ASTR/PHYS courses. Students accepted into the honors program must complete ASTR 405  and ASTR 406  with a GPA of at least 3.50 and a grade of ‘A-’ or better in ASTR 406 . Students in ASTR 405 /ASTR 406  will complete a research project and write a thesis working under the supervision of a faculty member. At the end of ASTR 406 , the student will write a substantial thesis paper and make a presentation of results to their honors committee.

Writing Intensive Requirement

George Mason requires all students to complete at least one course designated as “writing intensive” in their majors at the 300-level or above. Students majoring in physics fulfill this requirement by successfully completing PHYS 407 . Astronomy majors fulfill the requirement by completing ASTR 402 .

Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Degree

Information regarding this program can be found in the Physics, BS/Applied and Engineering Physics, Accelerated MS  section of this catalog.

Teacher Licensure

Students who wish to become teachers should consult the College of Education and Human Development  section of this catalog and attend an information session early in their undergraduate career. For more information, visit the Graduate School of Education’s  website.

Physics for Non-majors

PHYS 243 , PHYS 244 , PHYS 245 , and PHYS 246  are recommended for biology, geology, and premedical students, and mathematics students who seek a BA degree. PHYS 101 , PHYS 102 , PHYS 103 , and PHYS 104  are intended for non-science majors. PHYS 160 , PHYS 161 , PHYS 260 , PHYS 261  or PHYS 265 , PHYS 262 , and PHYS 263  constitute a calculus-based sequence in general physics to be taken by physics and engineering majors, and chemistry, computer science, and mathematics students who are pursuing a BS degree. Students may receive credit for only one of the following three sequences: PHYS 243 , PHYS 244 , PHYS 245 , PHYS 246 ; PHYS 103 , PHYS 104 ; or PHYS 160 , PHYS 161 , PHYS 260 , PHYS 261 , PHYS 262 , PHYS 263 .

Graduate Programs

This department offers the Applied and Engineering Physics, MS . The department also supports the Energy and Sustainability concentration in the Interdisciplinary Studies, MAIS . Additionally, the department offers a Physics, PhD . These graduate programs are strongly supported by the extensive research activities of the faculty, including many collaborations with scientists and engineers at regional government laboratories.

Programs

    Undergraduate Degree(s)Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Minor(s)Undergraduate Minor(s)Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Program(s)Master’s Degree(s)Doctoral Degree(s)