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Department Information |
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Physics |
General Description of the
Department
The Department of Physics is dedicated
to excellence in research, teaching and service to the scientific and
university communities. At present, there are twenty-three full-time
faculty members assisted by a varying number of adjunct instructors. The
department offers degrees of Bachelor of Science in Physics, Bachelor of
Science with Honors in Physics, Bachelor of Arts in Physics, Master of Science
in Physics, and a Ph.D. in Physics. We also
offer Minors
in Physics and in Astronomy. The department operates a fully equipped machine
shop and an electronic design and repair facility.
Degrees offered
The Physics Department
offers these programs:
BA in Physics
MS in Physics
Ph.D. in Physics
Terminal Degree2 for
each discipline taught in Physics
Ph.D.
in Physics
Related Disciplines3
Astronomy (40.0201) - all
courses
Related Disciplines3 for
specific courses
Biophysics
(26.0203) - MET, PHY, PHZ and PSC courses
Optics
(40.0807) - MET, PHY, PHZ and PSC courses
Physical Sciences (40.0101) - PHY 2048,
2053
Science Teacher Education (13.1316)
– PHY 3012
Other Teaching Qualifications
(Description of Required Academic Degree and Justifications4 for the
programs in Physics)
Consideration
of other teaching qualifications in lieu of academic credentials is made on a
case-by-case basis and accepted in special cases where evidence of exceptional
experience, research or other qualifications can be documented and are directly
applicable to the course being taught.
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1 |
Whenever
instructors are not credentialed by their advanced degree or by an approved
CIP relationship, they must be credentialed through a narrative justification
of the instructor’s qualifications to teach this/these course(s). Such credentialing is based on the proposed
instructor’s academic and professional preparation; diplomas, certificates,
or relevant licensures; publications and presentations in the field; honors,
awards, and professional recognitions; and other demonstrated competencies,
skills, and experiences which the instructor brings to the University. These must be clearly tied to the specific
courses to be taught and should establish beyond doubt that the instructor is
qualified to teach the specific courses they are to be assigned. The
Office of the Provost reviews all such justifications and where the
justifications warrant the instructor’s teaching the courses proposed, it
will either approve the justification for the appropriate period (seven years
for full-time faculty members, or four years for part-time faculty members)
or employ one of two additional clearance categories beyond the advanced
degree and related-discipline categories which it may use to credential some
instructors where their accomplishments warrant this: Active
Research Clearance in the Discipline or Active Artistic/Special Talent
Clearance in the Discipline |
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2 |
The level and
discipline of the terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D., MS, MFA, doctorate) that is
required to teach graduate courses in the discipline |
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3 |
For each discipline,
all strongly-related degree(s) and/or equivalent names for the discipline
(include level) that would also be appropriate for teaching at the graduate
level |
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4 |
(1)The appropriate
academic degrees and justifications for each related degree above if not
obvious; (2) the justification for why the terminal degree is not a doctorate
in a discipline, e.g., specific examples of best practice in the discipline
and accrediting association language; and (3) any other criteria used to
determine appropriate academic qualifications to teach specialty courses in
the program. |