Physics courses and programs | Mount Allison

Distinguishing features of physics at Mount Allison include a challenging and innovative curriculum taught within a supportive, personal atmosphere.

Many of our courses, including the first year courses, are taught using an experiential physics approach (learn physics by experiencing physics.) In these courses you will spend most of your time in collaborative student groups, discovering and applying physics directly in a hands-on and minds-on fashion.


Programs 

We offer:

  • major and honours programs in physics
  • combined honours in mathematics and physics
  • combined honours in computer science and physics
  • minors in physics and astronomy

Please consult the Academic Calendar for program requirements. Flow-charts on program specific courses are below.

Honours

University regulations require that you apply for honours by December of your third year by filling out the declaration to pursue honours form.

In order to apply for honours:

  • your current cumulative GPA must be at the minimum standard required for honours (see section 10.10.4 of the Academic Calendar for details.)
  • you must also arrange for a supervisor — you should talk to potential faculty supervisors in research area(s) of interest to you (see the undergraduate research section of the opportunities for students page for more information on faculty research interests)

Courses

While all courses specifically required on degree programs are offered every year, elective courses are usually offered once every second year.

One feature of our Department is that many courses, including Physics 1041 and 1051, are taught by an experiential physics approach, which means you learn physics through collaborative, experiential learning activities.

You can check out a recommended course sequence on the flow and outline charts below. Please e-mail any potential conflicts/comments you may have to physics@mta.ca.

Please consult the Academic Calendar for a full list of courses and their descriptions.

Course flow charts will be posted soon- being updated.


Program advisor

A program advisor provides information and advice on your selection of courses and degree requirements.

The program advisor for physics is Dr. Ralf Bruening


Graduate studies advisor

For current Mount Allison undergraduate students: advice and information on applying to graduate school, graduate scholarships, the GRE, etc., please contact David Fleming.


    Timetable

    Subject to change- Courses as listed in CONNECT are considered the most up to date.

    Winter 2023

    Course rotation

    CORE COURSES

    FALL   

    1051 General Physics I

    2251 Classical Waves

    2801 Data Acquisition & Analysis 

    3101 Electricity and Magnetism

    3821 Quantum Mechanics

    WINTER

    1041 Physics for the Life Sciences

    1551 General Physics II

    3451 Methods of Mathematical Physics

    3811 Modern Physics

    ROTATIONAL COURSES

    Fall even

    1031 Stars, Galaxies and the Universe

    3581 Medical Physics

    3701 Thermodynamics

    Fall odd

    1021 Solar System Astronomy

    3361 Digital Signal Processing

    4201 Solid State Physics

     

    Winter odd

    1401 The Physics of Music and Sounds

    3001 Astrophysics

    3751 Energy Production & the Environment

    4101 Electromagnetic Theory

    4851 Fundamental Particles

    Winter even

    3021 Life in the Universe

    4311 Modern Optics

    4411 Classical Mechanics & Relativity

    4831 Advanced Quantum Mechanics

     

    Physics/Chemistry 3231- Physical Chemistry II: Quantum Mechanics and Spectroscopy offered at the discretion of the Dept. of Chemistry