Engineering Physics

PHY180 will introduce you to classical mechanics, which can describe anything on a human-sized scale. The principles of classical mechanics, such as energy and momentum, are also frequently used in modern physics. Furthermore, the semester-long pendulum lab report is a great introduction to physical experimentation and scientific writing.

MSE160 is divided into two parts. The first half of the course will cover fundamentals of molecular science such as electrons, photon emission, the electromagnetic spectrum, and crystal structures of materials. The second half will discuss material properties derived from classical mechanics, such as stress, shear, and tension (which you would have first encountered in CIV102).

CIV102 applies the physics of materials and static systems in structural design. The questions you will see on assessments involve solving systems with many unknown variables, which is common in physics.

ECE159 will start from the basics of circuitry, eventually covering more advanced circuit analysis techniques. Electricity is a fundamental force in physics, and this course provides a strong foundation for future coursework in the field. Through the hands-on labs, you will learn how to build certain types of circuits and use various electrical measuring instruments.

What would math be without calculus? ESC194 and ESC195 will cover a lot of calculus from a proof-based approach, which will provide an excellent foundation for future calculus courses. Calculus is the most important field of math for physics!

ESC103 and MAT185 will introduce you to the basics of linear algebra, and computational programming with MATLAB. Linear algebra is used all over physics, such as in Hermitian matrices in quantum mechanics, which you will learn about in second year. Computational programming is one of the most useful skills you can have for research or modeling, especially for physics.

ESC180 will introduce you to computer programming in Python, which is commonly used for scientific computing and machine learning (both of which are important to an engineering physicist).ESC190 will introduce you to C, a low-level programming language better suited for embedded programming and high-performance code. The course focuses on data structures and algorithms, which can help solve complex real-world problems.

ESC101 and ESC102 take you through the entire engineering design process, from research, prototyping, testing, and verification. While these courses may not involve very complex math and physics, they will expose you to common practices in the development of experiments, devices, and instruments. For example, Praxis I and II will require you and your team to conduct scholarly research into engineering opportunities, reference designs, and design decisions. Furthermore, you will be required to verify the validity of your solutions through codes, standards, and testing, approximating rigorous industry-standard testing practices for your own purposes.

PHY293 covers waves and the basics of general relativity. In physics, you can model many objects and phenomena as waves, and this course gives you the mathematical tools to do so. This course’s introduction to general relativity is essential, since the two largest branches of physics today are quantum mechanics and general relativity.

PHY294 is divided into two halves, with quantum mechanics and thermal physics in the first and second halves, respectively. Both fields are essential in modern physics. The quantum mechanics part covers mathematical theory and the crucial experiments that resulted in important observations in quantum mechanics. The thermal physics part covers statistical mechanics and gas laws.

CHE260 is another two-part course, where both halves are built upon basic chemistry and classical mechanics. The thermodynamics half covers energy, heat, work, and entropy. The heat transfer half covers conduction, convection, and radiation, and how an object’s geometry and material can affect the rate at which it heats up and cools down.

ECE259 combines fundamental physics with useful techniques from vector calculus to explore features of electricity like electric force, voltage, current, and field strength.

AER210 is another two-part course which extends your calculus knowledge from first year. In the first half, you will extend your calculus knowledge into 3D and learn about multiple integrals and vector calculus. In the second half, you will study fluid mechanics and apply your knowledge in areas such as dimensional analysis, hydrostatics, viscous flows, and more. You will also conduct two hands-on laboratory experiments involving microfluidics and flow visualization.

MAT292 will build upon the differential equations you learned in Calculus I. You will see how important differential equations are to physics through the various examples presented in the course.

ECE286 will introduce you to the fundamentals of probability and statistics. ECE286 will provide you with the tools you need to begin studying statistical mechanics, one of the most important fields in modern physics with wide applications to quantum mechanics. Statistics and probability are also of deep interest in experimental physics, especially when considering the validity of an experiment’s results through error and uncertainty.