Coronavirus Update: In response to additional information regarding the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, USD will continue remote delivery through the summer academic term (May 18-Aug. 7). USD will resume on-campus operations, including face-to-face instruction, this fall. All USD-hosted events and visitor activities are canceled through July 31. USD plans to host graduation ceremonies on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. More information about COVID-19
Undergraduate Physics
Students graduating with a B.S. in physics are expected to speak and write well, possess critical thinking skills and have an interdisciplinary perspective that will serve them well in all aspects of their lives.
Majors
Physics: Bachelor of Science
Students majoring in physics take a traditional undergraduate physics curriculum that includes courses in classical mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, optics and electronics. Students can also choose to specialize in applied physics.
Physics: B.S. with Secondary Education Certification
For a teaching major in physics, complete the physics degree along with the appropriate teaching certification courses.
Minors
Four-Year Program Guides
The Classroom & Beyond
Center for Ultra-low Background Experiments at Dakota (CUBED) will allow USD and collaborators to fully participate in experiments planned for the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF).
The Physics Club is USD's chapter of the National Society of Physics & Astronomy Students and sponsors guest speakers, social events, a physics fair and astronomy skywatching.
The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) Experiment presents a program for the construction and deployment of a large two-phase liquid/gas xenon dark matter detector and water shield, to be installed in the Sanford Deep Underground Laboratory at the Homestake Mine, South Dakota.
