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COURSE CATALOGUE
PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY
Physics and Astronomy
403 Altschul Hall
854-3628
www.phys.barnard.edu
Professor: Timothy Halpin-Healy (Ann Whitney Olin Professor), Laura Kay, Reshmi Mukherjee (Chair)
Assistant Professor: Janna Levin
Lab Director: Dr. Stiliana Savin
Other officers of the
University offering courses listed below:
Professors: James Applegate, Norman Christ, Janet Conrad, Arlin Crotts, Jules Halpern, Tony Heinz, David Helfand, Joseph Patterson, Michael Tuts, Jacqueline van Gorkom, William Zajc
Associate Professors: Brian Cole, Zoltan Haiman, Robert Mawhinney, Frederik Paerels, John Parsons
Assistant Professors: Greg Bryan, Kristen Menou, David Schiminovich, Stefan Westerhoff
Adjunct Professors Morgan May, Burton Budick
For a complete list of
faculty on leave see:
http://www.barnard.edu/provost/facleavelist.html
From Aristotle's Physics to Newton's Principia, the term "physics," taken literally from the Greek φυσις (= Nature), implied natural science in its very broadest sense. Physicists were, in essence, natural philosophers, seeking knowledge of the observable phenomenal world. Astronomy, a sibling science to physics, concentrated specifically on the study of natural phenomena in the heavens with the intent to understand the constitution, relative positions, and motions of the celestial bodies in our universe. Though practitioners of these disciplines have become somewhat more specialized in the past century, the spirit that guides them in their research remains the same as it was more than two millennia ago.
In cooperation with the faculty of the University, Barnard offers a thorough pre-professional curriculum in both physics and astronomy. The faculty represents a wide range of expertise, with special strength and distinction in theoretical physics, condensed matter physics, and observational astrophysics.
Separate majors in physics and astronomy are offered. A major in astrophysics is also possible. Furthermore, there are many special interdisciplinary majors possible, such as biophysics, chemical physics, engineering physics, and mathematical physics. There is a physics minor as well. Students should consult members of the department early on in their undergraduate careers in order to plan the most effective course of study. Qualified seniors are invited to participate in the seniors honors program, in which they carry out a year-long research project leading to the thesis.
There are several quite distinct introductory sequences in physics, only one of which may be taken for credit:
1. PHYS C 1001-2, Physics for Poets, is a two-semester introductory lecture sequence in physics intended for liberal arts students. A single semester of this CU lecture course satisfies the BC Quantitative Reasoning requirement. Note, however, that 1001-2 does not satisfy the premedical nor physics requirement for any major. PHYS C 1001 is not being offered in Fall 2008.
2. PHYS V 1201-2, General Physics, is satisfactory preparation for medical school and is appropriate for most non-science major premedical students. This course, devoted to algebra-based physics, is taught at Columbia in a large lecture hall setting. It is not recommended as a foundation for more advanced work in the field. Taken in conjunction with PHYS V 1291-2, this sequence does satisfy the college LAB requirement, but the students population is essentially premed.
3. PHYS BC 2001-2, 3001, Physics I, II, III, is Barnard's own three-semester, calculus based introductory sequence in physics. Characterized by modest class sizes, it is designed specifically for Barnard women with a serious interest in any of the natural sciences or mathematics. Moreover, it is especially appropriate for majors in physics, chemistry, or biochemistry, whether premedical or not. Biology majors with some calculus background are also encouraged to take this sequence. Finally, Barnard women contemplating a major in physics or astronomy should take PHYS BC 2001-2 in their first year, if possible, or in their second at the latest, to be followed by the third-semester course, Classical Waves and Optics.
4. First-year students with exceptional aptitude for physics (as evidenced, for example, by scores of 4 or 5 on the advanced placement C exam) and a good mathematical background may be admitted into the Columbia-taught two-semester sequence PHY C 2801-02 General Physics, which replaces all three terms of the sequence for majors. Students inclined toward this sequence are strongly encouraged to consult a Barnard faculty member at the start of the term.
Students unsure about the most appropriate sequence should consult members of the department.
The following courses may be substituted for each other:
PHYS BC 2001-2 (sect.1; 4.5pts) = C1601-2 (3.0pts.) + BC 2001-2 (sect.3; 1.5pts.)
PHYS BC 3001 (sect.1; 5pts) = C2601 (3.0pts) + BC 3001(sect.3; 2pts)
ASTR BC 1753-4 = C 1403-4
There is a laboratory fee of $25 for each 1000-level physics course with a laboratory.