The department offers an undergraduate certificate in physics. An understanding of the physical universe informs many disciplines. The study of physics is essential to understanding nature and to advancing technology in the coming century. A certificate in physics increases the opportunities for students to become better informed on technological issues at the local, state, national, and international levels.
The certificate is designed to serve undergraduates majoring in biology, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, education and other fields who wish to extend their study of physics beyond what may be required or recommended for their major without completing the full L&S physics major requirements.
To declare a certificate in physics, students must fill out a major/certificate declaration form. An undergraduate physics advisor must sign the form. The form to declare the certificate can be obtained at the Physics departmental office. All undergraduate students are eligible to declare the certificate, except those declared in the following majors: Physics, Astronomy-Physics, and Applied Mathematics, Engineering, and Physics (AMEP).
Certificate Requirements
The physics certificate requires 18 credits of Intermediate or Advanced level undergraduate PHYSICS courses, with the following restrictions:
- At least 9 of the credits must be in residence.
- At most one course from each of the three semesters of an introductory sequence can be counted.
- At most 3 credits of directed study can be counted.
- Only graded courses may be used toward the certificate.
- A minimum grade point average of 2.000 is required in all certificate courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Introductory Course (complete only one): | 5 | |
| A Modern Introduction to Physics (recommended) | ||
| General Physics | ||
| General Physics | ||
| Statics and Dynamics 1 | ||
| Statics and Dynamics 1 | ||
| Second Introductory Course (complete only one): | 5 | |
| A Modern Introduction to Physics (recommended) 2 | ||
| General Physics | ||
| General Physics | ||
| Third Introductory Course (complete only one): | 3-4 | |
| A Modern Introduction to Physics (recommended) 2 | ||
| Modern Physics for Engineers | ||
| Introduction to Solid State Electronics | ||
| Introduction to Modern Physics | ||
| Directed Study (optional, maximum 3 credits) | 0-3 | |
| Directed Study | ||
| Directed Study | ||
| Senior Honors Thesis | ||
| Senior Honors Thesis | ||
| Senior Thesis | ||
| Senior Thesis | ||
| Additional Intermediate and Advanced PHYSICS courses | 1-5 | |
| Introduction to Medical Physics | ||
| Physics Today | ||
| Intermediate Laboratory-Mechanics and Modern Physics | ||
| Mechanics | ||
| Electric Circuits and Electronics | ||
| Electromagnetic Fields | ||
| Electromagnetic Fields | ||
| Optics | ||
| Acoustics for Musicians | ||
| Advanced Laboratory | ||
| Thermal Physics | ||
| Atomic and Quantum Physics | ||
| Atomic and Quantum Physics | ||
| Scientific Background to Global Environmental Problems | ||
| Radiation Physics and Dosimetry | ||
| Introduction to Plasmas | ||
| Plasma Confinement and Heating | ||
| Introduction to Quantum Mechanics | ||
| Introduction to Particle Physics | ||
| Introduction to Atomic Structure | ||
| Lasers | ||
| Solid State Physics | ||
PHYSICS 563 | ||
| Microscopy of Life | ||
| Electronic Aids to Measurement | ||
| Applied Optics | ||
| Total Credits | 18 | |
- 1
A maximum of 5 credits from E M A 201, E M A 202 and M E 240 count toward the 18 credits required for the certificate.
- 2
Students may not transfer into the PHYSICS 247 - PHYSICS 248 - PHYSICS 249 sequence from another introductory sequence.
Certificate COMPLETION REQUIREMENT
This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.
- Understand basic physical principles.
- Solve problems proficiently using both quantitative and qualitative applications of these physical principles.
- Know how to perform quantitative measurements of physical phenomena and understand the statistical significance of observations made in the presence of statistical and systematic uncertainties.
- Be prepared for graduate study and/or careers in STEM fields.
- Communicate effectively with scientific peers and the public, both orally and in writing.
Physics Undergraduate Advisors
Professor Tulika Bose
Professor Jan Egedal
Professor Deniz Yavuz
Scheduling an Advising Appointment WITH A PHYSICS MAJOR ADVISOR:
To meet with a Physics major advisor, you may either email physics-advisors@wisc.edu or contact them directly.
L&S career resources
Every L&S major opens a world of possibilities. SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students turn the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and other coursework into fulfilling lives after graduation, whether that means jobs, public service, graduate school or other career pursuits.
In addition to providing basic support like resume reviews and interview practice, SuccessWorks offers ways to explore interests and build career skills from their very first semester/term at UW all the way through graduation and beyond.
Students can explore careers in one-on-one advising, try out different career paths, complete internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and connect with supportive alumni and even employers in the fields that inspire them.
- SuccessWorks
- Set up a career advising appointment
- Enroll in a Career Course - a great idea for first- and second-year students:
- INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit)
- INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Comm B General Education Requirement)
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Activate your Handshake account to apply for jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers recruiting UW-Madison students
- Learn about the impact SuccessWorks has on students' lives
FACULTY
Yang Bai, Professor
Baha Balantekin, Eugene P. Wigner Professor
Vernon Barger, Vilas Professor and Van Vleck Professor
Keith Bechtol, Assistant Professor
Uwe Bergmann, Martin L. Perl Endowed Professor in Ultrafast X-Ray Science
Kevin Black, Professor, Associate Chair for Graduate Program
Stas Boldyrev, Professor
Tulika Bose, Professor
Victor Brar, Van Vleck Assistant Professor
Duncan Carlsmith, Professor
Daniel Chung, Professor
Sridhara Dasu, Professor
Jan Egedal, Professor
Mark Eriksson, Department Chairperson and John Bardeen Professor of Physics
Lisa Everett, Professor
Ke Fang, Assistant Professor
Cary Forest, Prager Professor of Experimental Physics
Pupa Gilbert, Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor
Francis Halzen, Gregory Breit Professor and Hilldale Professor
Kael Hanson, Professor, WIPAC Director
Aki Hashimoto, Professor
Matthew Herndon, Professor
Robert Joynt, Professor
Albrecht Karle, Professor, IceCube Associate Director, Science and Instrumentation
Shimon Kolkowtiz, Assistant Professor
James Lawler, Arthur and Aurelia Schawlow Professor
Alex Levchenko, Professor
Lu Lu, Assistant Professor
Dan McCammon, Professor
Robert McDermott, Professor
Moritz Cornelius Muenchmeyer, Assistant Professor
Marshall Onellion, Professor
Yibin Pan, Associate Professor
Brian Rebel, Associate Professor
Mark Rzchowski, Associate Chairperson and Professor
Mark Saffman, Professor
John Sarff, Professor
Gary Shiu, Professor
Paul Terry, Professor
Peter Timbie, Professor
Justin Vandenbroucke, Associate Professor
Maxim Vavilov, Professor
Thad Walker, Professor
Sau Lan Wu, Enrico Fermi Professor and Vilas Professor
Deniz Yavuz, Professor
Ellen Zweibel, William L Kraushaar Professor of Astronomy & Physics