Applied and Engineering Physics

Course:

• AEP 3200 - Introductory Mathematical Physics
• AEP 3330 - Mechanics of Particles and Solid Bodies
• AEP 3550 - Intermediate Electromagnetism
• AEP 3560 - Intermediate Electrodynamics
• AEP 3610 - Introductory Quantum Mechanics
• AEP 3620 - Intermediate Quantum Mechanics
• AEP 3630 - Electronic Circuits (crosslisted)
• AEP 4200 - Intermediate Mathematical Physics
• AEP 4230 - Statistical Thermodynamics (crosslisted)
• AEP 4340 - Fluid and Continuum Mechanics
• PHYS 4410 - Advanced Experimental Physics

Additional Requirements:

Six major-approved electives (18–24 credits). All must be technical courses taken for a letter grade. Five of the six courses must be upper-level courses (3000 level or above).  Nine credits of major-approved electives must be outside of AEP.

Total major credits=58 credit hours minimum:

Academic Standing:

Students are expected to pass every course in which they are registered, to earn at least C– in major required courses, and to attain a semester GPA ≥ 2.3 each semester. Students are required to take a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.

Eligibility:

The Bachelor of Science degree with honors will be conferred upon those students who, in addition to having completed the requirements for a bachelor degree, have satisfactorily completed the honors program in the School of Applied and Engineering Physics and have been recommended for the degree by the honors committee of the department. An honors program student must enter with a cumulative GPA ≥ 3.500 and must be eligible for one of the cum laude distinctions at the time of graduation.

Content:

The student must complete the following two requirements, resulting in at least 9 credits of work beyond the minimum required for graduation in EP.

1. Enroll in AEP 4910  over two semesters for the purpose of completing an independent research project or senior thesis under the supervision of a Cornell engineering or science faculty member. For a 4910 project to satisfy the research component of an honors project, it must have substantial physical science content. The minimum enrollment is 6 credits total with a minimum of 2 credits in the first semester.  The level of work required for a successful completion of this project or thesis is to be consistent with the amount of academic credit granted.
2. Complete an additional technical course at the 4000 level or above, for at least 3 credits.

Timing:

All interested students must complete a written application no later than the end of the third week of the first semester of their senior year, but are encouraged to make arrangements with a faculty member during the second semester of their junior year. A student must be in the program for at least two semesters before graduation. Most often, these 4910 courses are taken during the student’s senior year, after completion of the EP junior-year curriculum.

Procedures:

Before enrolling in AEP 4910 , submit to the director for undergraduate studies a brief proposal outlining the topic and scope of the proposed project or thesis and a faculty supervisor’s written concurrence.  This proposal will be reviewed and either approved or returned to the candidate to correct deficiencies.  The proposed research project or senior thesis is to consist of a research, development, or design project and must go beyond a literature search.  A written report is required in the form of a technical paper with, for example, an abstract, introduction, methods section, results section, conclusions section, references, and figures.  This report will be evaluated by the faculty supervisor and the chair of the EP Honors Committee.  Following completion of the written report, an oral report is presented to an audience consisting of the faculty supervisor, the chair of the Honors Committee, and at least one other departmental faculty member, along with the other honors candidates.  A minimum grade of A– is required for successful completion of the honors requirements.