Re: Physics curriculum - first advanced course

[Wilson Gonzalez-espada <wge@ARCHES.UGA.EDU>]

Dr. Orth:

I agree with the idea of an introductory modern physics course.  If
the majority of your students have majors in biology & chemistry,
wouldn't it be a good idea to have an applied physics course with topics
in biophysics and/or physical-chemistry?  It is my humble opinion that a
course like this will be more meaningful to the majority of your
students?  I just don't know if there are other courses in those majors
that will cover biophysics and physical-chemistry topics.

On Wed, 27 Oct 1999, Dale Orth wrote:

> As are many of you, I am the only physics professor at our school, and I
> teach chemistry, too!  Our current physics curriculum is the standard two
> semester calculus based sequence.  Its population is chiefly biology,
> chemistry, and mathematics majors. It appears likely that next year I will
> be introducing two more courses: a concepts of physics general degree type
> course and an advanced course.
> I'll actually be adding two advanced courses to the curriculum and offering
> each every other year.  Now the question: which two courses do you, the
> list, think I should offer?  They will most likely be 3 credit, lecture
> only courses.  My first inclination is to add Introductory Modern Physics
> (some quantum and relativity) and a junior level classical mechanics
> course.  What would you do, and why?
>      Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
>
>                          Dale L. Orth
>                          Assistant Prof. of Chemistry & Physics
>                          Wisconsin Lutheran College
>                          8800 W. Bluemound Rd.
>                          Milwaukee, WI   53226
>                          dale_orth@wlc.edu

Wilson J. Gonzalez-Espada
Science Education Department
University of Georgia
wge@arches.uga.edu