Interdisciplinary Physics Example Cognate Plans
The Interdisciplinary Physics concentration allows students substantial flexibility to define the thematic focus of their
study. This flexibility comes with a responsibility; each student must work with a physics concentration counselor to
define a cognate course plan when declaring the IP concentration. The plans defined at this early stage serve as the
basis for your final path and will likely evolve as you learn more and understand better where you want to go with
your degree.
To help with this process, and to illustrate the range of options available within this concentration, we provide here a
set of example cognate plans. Each is meant to illustrate how a student focusing in a particular area might best
prepare themselves for the future. They are only examples, and we expect most students will define their own
unique cognate plans.
The parameters:
Prerequisites for Declaring an IP Concentration (Effective Fall 2011)
• Interdisciplinary Physics Concentration Proposal
• Math courses up through Math 216 (Differential Equations) or the equivalent
• One of the following introductory sequences and labs
o 135/136 & 235/236 (Life Sciences)
o 140/141 & 240/241 (General Physics)
o 160/161 & 260/261 (Honors — more in depth, smaller class size)
• Physics 340/341
• Physics 351
IP Concentration Requirements
The Interdisciplinary Physics program requires at least 24 credits, including at least 9 in Physics courses numbered
390 and above. A concentration plan must include the following:
• Physics 390 (can be taken concurrently with Physics 401 or 405)
• Two additional Physics courses at the 400 level and beyond
• Physics 390 and these 400-level Physics courses must be completed with a minimum grade of a C- in each
course and a cumulative average of C or higher
• Fifteen credits of cognate courses as part of an Interdisciplinary plan designed with an advisor during an
advising appointment. Nine of these credits should be at the 200 level or above
The examples: (note PHYSICS 390 is included for all plans so is not relisted each time)
1: IP with a focus on Astrophysics
• 400 Level Physics Courses
o PHYSICS 405: Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism
o PHYSICS 406: Statistical and Thermal Physics
• Cognate Courses
o PHYSICS 453: Quantum Mechanics
o PHYSICS 401: Intermediate Mechanics
o ASTRO 160: Introduction to Astrophysics
o ASTRO 361: Astronomical Techniques
o ASTRO 404: Galaxies and the Universe
2: IP with a focus on Mathematical Physics
• 400 Level Physics Courses
o PHYSICS 401: Intermediate Mechanics
o PHYSICS 453: Quantum Mechanics
• Cognate Courses
o MATH 555: Introduction to Functions of a Complex Variable with Applications
o PHYSICS 405: Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism
o PHYSICS 435: Gravitational Physics
o MATH 404: Intermediate Differential Equations and Dynamics
o MATH 454: Boundary Value Problems for Partial Differential Equations
3: IP with a focus on Complex Systems
