Physics Department

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Department Faculty

Phillip Broussard
Donald Petcher
Curtis Stern

Department Goals

Physics is a discipline with ancient origins in early Greek thought, and it has led the way, to a large degree, in shaping and guiding the growth of science from that time until the present day. In our major program and in our service to other departments, the Physics Department at Covenant College seeks to provide a solid grounding in the discipline of physics while at the same time providing a foundation for understanding the relation of physics to such disciplines as philosophy and theology. In our major program we seek to prepare students for graduate school or for teaching in secondary school, by providing a good conceptual grasp of the discipline itself and also of issues related to other disciplines. Goals for service programs are to prepare pre-engineering students for the dual degree program on a level suitable for study at Georgia Tech, pre-med students for the MCAT and others for the various disciplines in which physics will be used. For both science and non-science majors, we hope to impart a sense of awe over the beauty and wonderfulness of God’s world and over His glory and faithfulness as He upholds the regularities we observe in the physical sciences.

Teacher Certification

Students who are interested in teaching physics at the 6-12 level should complete a BA degree with a major in physics and then enroll in the one-year Master of Arts in Teaching at Covenant College.  It is recommended that you complete the Education Minor . Three of the courses in the minor,  EDU 121 Introduction to Teaching , EDU 222 Educational Psychology , and EDU 361 Education of Exceptional Children , are required for admission to the MAT. For information about certification, see Teacher Certification under the Education  section of the catalog.

For more information see Dr. Sarah Donaldson in Brock Hall 316 (sarah.donaldson@covenant.edu).

Programs

• Physics

• Physics Minor

Courses

• PHY 131 General College Physics I
• PHY 132 General College Physics II
• PHY 231 General Physics for Scientists and Engineers I
• PHY 232 General Physics for Scientists and Engineers II
• PHY 233 Optics and Modern Physics
• PHY 235 Modern Physics II
• PHY 321 Statics
• PHY 322 Dynamics
• PHY 328 Thermodynamics
• PHY 330 Circuits and Electronics
• PHY 341 Electromagnetism I
• PHY 351 Quantum Mechanics I
• PHY 352 Quantum Mechanics II
• PHY 375 Gravity
• PHY 410 Solid State Physics
• PHY 421 Advanced Mechanics
• PHY 431 Special Topics in Physics
• PHY 432 Special Topics in Physics
• PHY 441 Statistical Mechanics
• PHY 450 Advanced Physics Lab
• PHY 461 Research in Physics: Thin Films
• PHY 480 Science Seminar
• PHY 490 Science Seminar
• PHY 491 Perspectives on Science
• PHY 492 Senior Integration Paper in Physics

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