• Total units 48 Units
  • Areas of interest Physics
  • Major code PHYS-MAJ
Physics Major

The Physics major introduces physics with the opportunity for in-depth study of selected areas. It aims to provide a balance of knowledge and skills. Central areas of knowledge include: mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, and thermal and statistical physics. Mathematical, computational and experimental skills include: problem solving, data gathering, data analysis, and experiment design.

The major will prepare students for a variety of careers in areas in which the physical sciences are important, including: research, teaching, and industry.

This major is accredited by the Australian Institute of Physics and must be taken with a Mathematics Minor or equivalent.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Describe and explain the fundamental principles of physics, including those of: mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, and thermal and statistical physics.
  2. Apply the fundamental principles of physics to solve problems, including those likely to be encountered in future careers. Such problems may involve ambiguity and uncertainty and require the application of multiple principles.
  3. Integrate the fundamental principles of physics to describe and explain specialised areas of physics.
  4. Describe and explain specific examples of how physics is applied to benefit people.
  5. Describe critical experiments in the history of physics and explain how they led to revisions of our theoretical descriptions of nature.
  6. Use mathematical, computational and experimental skills to solve conceptual and quantitative problems in physics.
  7. Demonstrate skills including: equipment familiarity, data gathering, record keeping, data analysis, dealing with uncertainty, experiment design, and comparison with theory.
  8. Analyse unfamiliar physical systems and provide order-of-magnitude estimates of quantities. This includes a knowledge of basic physical constants and key equations.
  9. Be both creative and rigorous in the design and construction of scientific investigations of physical systems.
  10. Effectively communicate physics based analyses to expert and non-expert audiences.
  11. Constructively criticise evidence, arguments and conclusions wherever they are encountered.

Other Information

Which courses should you take in first year?

This major will require you to complete the following 1000-level courses:


To complete this major, you must enrol in PHYS1101 PHYS1201. PHYS1101 has a corequisite of either MATH1013 or MATH1115. Later year courses have prerequisites of either MATH1014 or MATH1116, so if possible, this should be taken in second semester. If you do not have adequate preparation from secondary physics (which can be self-evaluated from the online quiz in the Learning Management System), then it is recommended that you enrol in PHYS1001 in first semester, and then PHYS1101 and PHYS1201 simultaneously in second semester.


Other mathematics requirements:

This major will also require students to complete the courses below, which can be nominated on your transcript as a mathematics minor or alternatively these courses can contribute to a major in mathematics or other degree requirement.


Additional advice: 

Laboratory based skills courses:


Non-laboratory based skills courses:

  • PHYS3101 Advanced Quantum Mechanics (6 units)
  • PHYS3102 Advanced Electromagnetism (6 units)
  • PHYS3103 Advanced Statistical Mechanics (6 units)
  • PHYS3105 Physics of Matter (6 units)
  • PHYS3201 Quantum Field Theory (6 units)
  • PHYS3203 General Relativity (6 units)


Planning for Honours?

Third year courses offer a broad range of options. If you are considering honours, then you may want to consider taking PHYS3101, PHYS3102 and PHYS3103 since they cover some important theoretical material that is commensurate with pursuing future studies in physics, beyond the third year.


Academic or enrolment advice

Students can seek further advice from the academic contact for this major (details above), or the College of Science Student Services Team (students.cos@anu.edu.au).

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Requirements

Courses marked with an asterisk (*) have 1000-level prerequisites which must be selected in the first year of study and will contribute towards satisfying the 1000-level course requirements of the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Science (Advanced) (Honours).


This major requires the completion of 48 units, of which:

24 units must come from the completion of the following compulsory courses:

*PHYS2013 Quantum Mechanics (6 units)

*PHYS2016 Electromagnetism (6 units)

*PHYS2020 Thermal and Statistical Physics (6 units)

*PHYS2201 Classical Mechanics (6 units)


24 units must come from completion of 3000-level PHYS Physics courses from following list:

PHYS3032 Solid State Physics (6 units)

PHYS3039 Climate Dynamics (6 units)

PHYS3051 Applied Optics (6 units)

PHYS3057 Optical Physics (6 units)

PHYS3070 Physics of the Earth ( 6 units)

PHYS3101 Advanced Quantum Mechanics (6 units)

PHYS3102 Advanced Electromagnetism (6 units)

PHYS3103 Advanced Statistical Mechanics (6 units)

PHYS3104 Physics Advanced Laboratory (6 units)

PHYS3105 Physics of Matter (6 units)

PHYS3201 Quantum Field Theory (6 units)

PHYS3203 General Relativity (6 units)

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