Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree with a Major in Chemical Physics
Program Learning Outcomes for the BS Degree with a Major in Chemical Physics
Upon completing the BS degree with a major in Chemical Physics, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a solid foundation of knowledge in chemistry as applicable to chemical physics.
- Demonstrate a solid foundation of knowledge in physics as applicable to chemical physics.
- Critically analyze challenging scientific and technical problems as encountered in chemical physics.
- Read basic scientific literature and communicate scientific results via relevant channels.
Requirements for the BS Degree with a Major in Chemical Physics
For general university requirements, see Graduation Requirements. Students pursuing the BS degree with a major in Chemical Physics must complete:
- A minimum of 73 credit hours to satisfy major requirements.
- A minimum of 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
- A minimum of 33-35 credit hours, depending on course selection, taken at the 300-level or above.
The Chemical Physics major is offered jointly by the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Students take upper-level courses in both chemistry and physics, focusing on the applications of physics to chemical systems. Students may obtain credit for some courses by advanced placement, and the program's undergraduate committee can modify requirements to meet the needs of students with special backgrounds.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this major. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the major’s academic advisor, or where applicable, the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the major's Official Certifier.) Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for Major in Chemical Physics | 73 | |
| Total Credit Hours Required for the BS Degree with a Major in Chemical Physics | 120 | |
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| General Chemistry 1 | ||
| CHEM 121 & CHEM 123 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I | 4 |
| Select 1 from the following: | 4 | |
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY and | ||
| CHEM 211 & CHEM 213 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY DISCUSSION I | 3 |
| or CHEM 219 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I HONORS | |
| CHEM 215 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB | 2 |
| or CHEM 365 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB | |
| CHEM 301 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| CHEM 302 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY II | 3 |
| Physics | ||
| Select 1 from the following: 2 | 4 | |
| MECHANICS (WITH LAB) and MECHANICS DISCUSSION | ||
| HONORS MECHANICS (WITH LAB) | ||
| Select 1 from the following: 3 | 4 | |
| ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM (WITH LAB) and ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM DISCUSSION | ||
| HONORS ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM (WITH LAB) | ||
| PHYS 201 | WAVES, LIGHT, AND HEAT | 3 |
| PHYS 202 | MODERN PHYSICS | 3 |
| PHYS 231 | ELEMENTARY PHYSICS LAB | 1 |
| PHYS 301 | INTERMEDIATE MECHANICS | 4 |
| PHYS 302 | INTERMEDIATE ELECTRODYNAMICS | 4 |
| Mathematics | ||
| MATH 101 | SINGLE VARIABLE CALCULUS I 4 | 3 |
| or MATH 105 | AP/OTH CREDIT IN CALCULUS I | |
| MATH 102 | SINGLE VARIABLE CALCULUS II 4 | 3 |
| or MATH 106 | AP/OTH CREDIT IN CALCULUS II | |
| MATH 211 | ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS AND LINEAR ALGEBRA | 3 |
| or MATH 220 | HONORS ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS | |
| or MATH 221 | HONORS CALCULUS III | |
| MATH 212 | MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS | 3 |
| or MATH 222 | HONORS CALCULUS IV | |
| or MATH 232 | HONORS MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS | |
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Advanced Coursework in Physics and Chemistry | ||
| Select 3 courses from the following: | 9 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM PHYSICS I | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM PHYSICS II | ||
or CHEM 430 | QUANTUM CHEMISTRY | |
| INORGANIC CHEMISTRY | ||
| CHEMICAL KINETICS AND DYNAMICS | ||
| CLASSICAL AND STATISTICAL THERMODYNAMICS | ||
or PHYS 425 | STATISTICAL & THERMAL PHYSICS | |
| Advanced Laboratories | ||
| Select 2 courses from the following: | 4 | |
| INORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB | ||
| MATERIALS CHEMISTRY LAB | ||
| CHEMICAL MEASUREMENT LAB | ||
| RESEARCH FOR UNDERGRADUATES 5 | ||
or PHYS 461 | INDEPENDENT RESEARCH | |
| JUNIOR PHYSICS LAB II | ||
| Advanced Coursework in Mathematics (MATH) or Computational Applied Mathematics and Operations Research (CMOR) | ||
| Select 2 courses from MATH or CMOR course offerings at the 300-level or above | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Chemical Physics | 73 | |
| Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements * | 16 | |
| University Graduation Requirements * | 31 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| * | Note: University Graduation Requirements include 31 credit hours, comprised of Distribution Requirements (Groups I, II, and III), FWIS, and LPAP coursework. In some instances, courses satisfying FWIS or distribution requirements may additionally meet other requirements, such as the Analyzing Diversity (AD) requirement, or some of the student’s declared major, minor, or certificate requirements. Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements include general electives, coursework completed as upper-level, residency (hours taken at Rice), and/or any other additional academic program requirements. |
| 1 | CHEM 111 may be substituted for CHEM 121; CHEM 113 may be substituted for CHEM 123; CHEM 112 may be substituted for CHEM 122; CHEM 114 may be substituted for CHEM 124. |
| 2 | The Chemistry and Physics departments have determined that credit awarded for PHYS 141 CONCEPTS IN PHYSICS I is not eligible for meeting the requirements of the Chemical Physics major. |
| 3 | The Chemistry and Physics departments have determined that credit awarded for PHYS 142 CONCEPTS IN PHYSICS II is not eligible for meeting the requirements of the Chemical Physics major. |
| 4 | Students without credit for basic calculus (e.g., MATH 101, MATH 105, and/or MATH 102, MATH 106) must either enroll in the relevant course(s) or substitute more advanced MATH or CMOR coursework with prior approval by the program advisor. |
| 5 | A limit of 2 credit hours from CHEM 491 or PHYS 461 may count toward the Advanced Laboratories requirement. |
Policies for the BS Degree with a Major in Chemical Physics
Program Restrictions and Exclusions
Students pursuing the BS Degree with a Major in Chemical Physics should be aware of the following program restrictions:
- Students pursuing the major in Chemical Physics may not declare the BA degree with a major in Physics.
- Students pursuing the major in Chemical Physics may not declare the minor in Physics.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic program’s transfer credit advisor when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Program Transfer Credit Guidelines
Students pursuing the major in Chemical Physics should be aware of the following program-specific transfer credit guidelines:
- Requests for transfer credit will be considered by the program director (and/or the program’s official transfer credit advisor) on an individual case-by-case basis. For more information, please see https://chemistry.rice.edu/transfer-credit.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the following department websites:
- Chemistry: https://chemistry.rice.edu/
- Physics and Astronomy: https://physics.rice.edu/
Opportunities for the BS Degree with a Major in Chemical Physics
Academic Honors
The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the following department websites:
- Chemistry: https://chemistry.rice.edu/
- Physics and Astronomy: https://physics.rice.edu/