Deliver Core Curriculum Education Appropriate To The Physics Discipline
The Department of Physics provides discipline-specific offerings to the Core Curriculum
Objective
Apply Foundational Concepts
Students who complete the core curriculum course in Physics will be able to apply foundational concepts, particularly in the areas of (1) proofs and derivations, and (2) translation of written problems into mathematical equations.
Indicator
Comprehensive Exam
Students will complete a faculty-developed comprehensive exam in Physics 1411 assessing the common foundational concepts in Physics.
Criterion
80% Score 70% Or Higher
Eighty percent of students completing the exam will score 70% or higher on the comprehensive exam.
Finding
Foundational Concepts Of Physics
The exam is 25 questions with a maximum score of 100. Scores were very similar to last year’s scores: pretest average = 16.9 and post-test average = 35.1. Although there was significant learning from pre- to post-test, the average was far from 70%.
Action
Foundations Of Physics
We have proposed a new course, Physics 1401, entitled Physics Boot Camp. The course is designed to improve problem solving skills of incoming freshmen.
Goal
Competence For Bachelor Of Science
Seniors studying Physics will demonstrate competence to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Physics
Objective
Mastery Of Fundamental Principles In Physics
Students preparing to graduate with a BS in Physics will demonstrate comprehension of fundamental principles and the ability to apply these principles in solving problems.
Indicator
Previous GRE Subject Test In Physics
Students will complete a common earlier version of the Graduate Record Subject Exam in Physics related to PHY 4371 (Thermal and Statistical Physics) under GRE standardized conditions. Faculty will have classified the questions into domains specific to the major principles in this area.
Criterion
Above 50th Percentile
Students will score above the 50th percentile determined as a result of the graduating seniors' scores from the common exam. A raw score of 50% is in the 74th percentile for the Physics GRE with a ¼ penalty for wrong answers.
Finding
Fundamental Principles - PHY 4371
Pre/Post average = 34/52% with no wrong answer penalty. Thus, our average was above the 74th percentile. We were strong in adapting previous GRE exams to create a comprehensive exam for thermal and statistical physics.
Action
Principles Of Physics
We are pleased with the results of the mock-GRE exam for thermal and statistical physics. The next goal is to expand the same sort of mock-GRE to other areas of physics.