The Paradigms curriculum is strongly informed by the education research by the OSU Physics Education Research Group as well as other physics and math education.

PH 315 - Physics of Contemporary Challenges

A 10 week course about thermal and quantum physics related to the engineering Grand Challenges related to climate science and energy sources.

PH 335 - Techniques of Theoretical Mechanics

A 5 week intensive course about using coordinate systems in unusual ways and making sense of algebraic answers to physics problems, done in the context of special relativity and classical mechanics (including velocity-dependent forces, Lagrangian mechanics, and a very brief introductions to Hamiltonians). Lots of math methods. Students in this course should also take PH 315.

PH 364 - Computational Modeling in Physics

A 10 week introduction to computation focused on simulations and solutions of physical systems. Physics majors will ideally take this course the same year as the sequence of 5-week intensive courses, the year before completing the physics program.

PH 411 - Electronics

A 10 week lab about building and analyzing basic circuits.

PH 422 - Static Fields

A 5 week intensive course focused on electro- and magneto-statics in vacuum (Ch. 2, 3, and 5 in Griffiths textbook) and universal gravity. Emphasis on multivariable and vector calculus and curvilinear coordinates. Students in this course should also take PH 366.

PH 423 - Energy & Entropy

A 10 week course focused on classical thermodynamics and an introduction to statistical mechanics. Includes some experiments.

PH 425 - Quantum Fundamentals

A 5 week intensive course using measurements of spin to introduce the postulates of quantum mechanics, including quantum measurement, uncertainty, and time evolution. Includes a linear algebra review and an introduction to wavefunctions for the particle in a box. Students in this course should also take PH 366.

PH 424 - Oscillations & Waves

A 5 week intensive course about periodic motion for mechanical and electrical systems. Discusses resonance and damped/driven phenomena. Includes discussion of Fourier series/integrals and some experiments. Students in this course should also take PH 367.

PH 426 - Central Forces

A 5 week intensive course about systems with a center pointing force: classical orbital motion and the quantum hydrogen atom. Emphasis on solving differential equations with separation of variables and series solutions. Students in this course should also take PH367.

PH 427 - Periodic Systems

A 5 week intensive course that explores 1-D quantum potentials: steps, wells, and periodic wells. Includes position & momentum representations of quantum states, Bloch's theorem, and an LCAO (linear combination of atomic orbitals) approach.

PH 431 - E & M Capstone

A 10 week course on static electric and magnetic fields in matter, electrodynamics, Maxwell equations, electromagnetic waves, wave guides, dipole radiation.

PH 441 - Statistical Mechanics Capstone

A 10 week course on Entropy and quantum mechanics; canonical Gibbs probability; ideal gas; thermal radiation; Einstein and Debye lattices; grand canonical Gibbs probability; ideal Fermi and Bose gases; chemical reactions and phase transformations.

PH 451 - Quantum Mechanics Capstone

A 10 week course including the quantum harmonic oscillator, additional of angular momentum, and perturbation theory.

Course scheduling

From fall to spring of junior year, each term has two 5-week intensive Paradigms: one that runs weeks 1-5 and the other weeks 6-10. The intensive courses are 4 credits each, for a total of 8 credits per term.

They are currently scheduled at 13:00-13:50 on M, W, F and 12:00-13:50 on T, R (i.e. 7 hours per week).

Junior courses

*Intensive Paradigm courses that run for half of the term.

Fall

• PH 335 Techniques of Theoretical Mechanics*
• PH 315 Physics of Contemporary Challenges
• PH 422 Static Fields*

Winter

• PH 424 Waves & Oscillations*
• PH 425 Quantum Fundamentals*
• PH 411 Electronics

Spring

• PH 426 Central Forces*
• PH 427 Periodic Systems*
• PH 364 Computational Modeling in Physics

Senior courses

Fall

• PH 431 E&M Capstone
• PH 451 Quantum Capstone
• PH 491 Thesis

Winter

• PH 423 Energy & Entropy
• PH 481 Physical Optics
• PH 492 Thesis

Spring

• PH 441 Thermal and Statistical Physics Capstone
• PH 493 Thesis

Add/drop and withdraw dates

The Paradigms courses follow the university's deadlines for full term and half term courses.

Finals schedule

Finals for the Paradigms are entirely at the discretion of the instructor. The instructor may choose to use regularly scheduled class time for all or part of the evaluations. Alternatively, the instructor may choose an appropriate Finals Week slot or may schedule a Monday evening final the week after the last class of that Paradigm. If used, this last alternative will be listed in the Schedule of Classes. Some Paradigms do not have a final.