Physics Honors Program Print E-mail

The Physics Honors Program offers the motivated and capable physics major enhanced opportunities to develop the research, problem solving, and communication skills necessary for a dedicated effort in the scientific enterprise. By designing, describing, and defending a research project, the honors graduate will have a documented capacity for success in graduate school or in any career where scientific critical thinking, motivation, and accomplishment are valued.

Eligibility

Acceptance into the Physics Honors Program requires the student to:

  • have earned a 3.25 GPA in physics courses attempted.
  • have earned a 3.0 GPA overall.
  • have completed 16 semester hours in physics, including PH 351-PH 352.

Requirements

Students graduating with Physics Honors are required to have completed the following:

  • arrangement with a faculty sponsor to do a physics research project satisfying expectations for six semester hours of PH 495 Honors Research
  • selection of an Honors Committee.
  • committee approval of a written research proposal.
  • completion of the proposed six semester hours of PH 495 Honors Research.
  • maintenance of a 3.25 GPA in physics courses and an overall 3.0 GPA.
  • a written report in the format required by an appropriate journal.
  • an oral or poster presentation of the research project to the Honors Committee.

Benefits

The goal of the Physics Honors Program is to train capable undergraduates for uncommon accomplishment in academic research. The new physics honors graduate will have documented experience and productivity commonly found in second- or third-year graduate students. Ideally, the research project will result in publication and presentation at a national conference, giving the honors graduate strong credentials for graduate or medical/professional school, for industrial research, for science writing, and for teaching. Contacts made through publication and conferences and informed references written by mentor and committee members give the honors graduate a significant edge in the job market. The successful honors student will be recognized at the UAB Honors Convocation and will graduate “With Honors in Physics.”

Contact

Dr. Renato P. Camata
Director Undergraduate Physics Program
E-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it