About the Program
This program meets the lower division major preparation for a similar major at CSU, Chico. Visit website for details www.assist.org
The Associate in Science in Physics is intended for students who plan to continue on to a University and major in Physics or related discipline. Physics is the fundamental study of the relationships that exist among time, space, motion, matter and energy that serves as both a living and evolving record of humanity's understanding of the physical universe from the sub-atomic to the super-galactic as well as a coherent, time-tested compendium of strategies for mathematically modeling and analyzing physical systems.
Roughly 50% of students who receive physics bachelor's degrees go directly into the workforce after graduation while the rest continue onto graduate school (which is often tuition free for US citizens). Physics bachelor degree careers are wide ranging and include High School Physics Teachers, Government Funded Laboratory technicians and Private Sector jobs often working the same computer science and engineering jobs as graduates in those fields with average salaries markedly above jobs from non-technical fields. Students are encouraged to contact one of our 4 full-time physics instructors to discuss possible futures in physics. Physics is an abstract and mathematically demanding field. Beginning the AS Degree requires the student have the required prerequisites to enter into college level calculus. Many students have begun focused math studies well below calculus-level at Butte College, succeeded in physics and been successful in receiving advanced degrees.
Program Requirements
For current program requirements -> 2024-2025
Program Goal: Local
GE Pattern(s): Butte Local
Program Code: 01357.00AS
Program Learning Outcome(s):
Upon successful completion of this program, the student will be able to:
Demonstrate basic experimental knowledge through data gathering, judging the accuracy and reliability of data, creating informative graphs, and discussing the limitations of experimental designs.
Demonstrate basic analytical skills by interpreting graphs and schematics and diagnosing realistic physical problems.
Demonstrate conceptual understanding by being able to describe qualitatively the underlying causes of basic physical phenomena.
Prerequisite(s): CHEM 110 or one year of high school chemistry,
Unit(s): 5.00
Transfer Status: CSU/UC
Contact Hours:
51.00 hours Lecture
/ 102.00 hours Lab
Total Course Hours: 153.00
This course introduces students to the basic principles of chemistry with a quantitative emphasis. Topics include atomic theory, chemical bonding, molecular geometry, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, gases, thermochemistry, intermolecular forces and solutions. This is the first semester of a one-year course in chemistry intended for majors in the natural sciences (chemistry, biochemistry, biology, physics, pre-medicine), mathematics, and engineering. The two-semester sequence of CHEM 1 and CHEM 2 provides the basic chemical background needed for further investigations into our physical environment. (C-ID CHEM 110/120S).
Prerequisite(s): CHEM 1
Unit(s): 5.00
Transfer Status: CSU/UC
Contact Hours:
51.00 hours Lecture
/ 102.00 hours Lab
Total Course Hours: 153.00
This course is a continuation of CHEM 1, General Chemistry I. Topics include chemical kinetics and equilibrium, acid-base and solubility equilibria, thermodynamics, oxidation-reduction, electrochemistry, coordination compounds, nuclear chemistry, introduction to organic chemistry and qualitative analysis. This is the second semester of a one-year course in chemistry intended for majors in the natural sciences (chemistry, biochemistry, biology, physics, pre-medicine), mathematics, and engineering. The two-semester sequence of CHEM 1 and CHEM 2 provides the basic chemical background needed for further investigations into our physical environment. (C-ID CHEM 120S) (C-ID CHEM 120S = CHEM 1 and CHEM 2).
Prerequisite(s): MATH 20 and MATH 26 or college-level pre-calculus
Unit(s): 5.00
Recommended Prep: Four years of high school college-preparatory Mathematics and Reading Level IV
Transfer Status: CSU/UC
Contact Hours:
85.00 hours Lecture
Total Course Hours: 85.00
A first course in differential and integral calculus of a single variable: functions, limits and continuity, techniques and applications of differentiation and integration, Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Primarily for Science, Technology, Engineering & Math Majors. (C-ID MATH 210).
Prerequisite(s): MATH 30
Unit(s): 4.00
Recommended Prep: Reading Level IV
Transfer Status: CSU/UC
Contact Hours:
68.00 hours Lecture
Total Course Hours: 68.00
A second course in differential and integral calculus of a single variable: integration; techniques of integration, infinite sequences and series, polar and parametric equations, applications of integration. Primarily for Science, Technology, Engineering & Math Majors. For students who have no knowledge of or access to a symbolic math program (such as MAPLE, Mathematica, Derive, or the TI-89,) the mathematics department offers instruction in MAPLE (MATH 31A), which may be taken concurrently with MATH 31. (C-ID MATH 220).
Prerequisite(s): MATH 31
Unit(s): 4.00
Transfer Status: CSU/UC
Contact Hours:
68.00 hours Lecture
Total Course Hours: 68.00
Vector valued functions, calculus of functions of more than one variable, partial derivatives, multiple integration, Green's Theorem, Stokes' Theorem, divergence theorem. (C-ID MATH 230).
Prerequisite(s): MATH 31
Unit(s): 4.00
Transfer Status: CSU/UC
Contact Hours:
68.00 hours Lecture
Total Course Hours: 68.00
The course is an introduction to ordinary differential equations including both quantitative and qualitative methods as well as applications from a variety of disciplines. Introduces the theoretical aspects of differential equations, including establishing when solution(s) exist, and techniques for obtaining solutions, including, series solutions, and singular points, Laplace transforms and linear systems. (C-ID MATH 240).
Prerequisite(s): MATH 30
Unit(s): 4.00
Recommended Prep: High school physics
Transfer Status: CSU/UC
Contact Hours:
51.00 hours Lecture
/ 51.00 hours Lab
Total Course Hours: 102.00
This course, intended for students majoring in physical sciences and engineering, is part of a three-semester course whose contents may be offered in other sequences or combinations. Core topics include an introduction to kinematics, dynamics, work and energy, momentum, gravitation and simple harmonic motion. It is highly recommended that students also enroll in PHYS 51. (C-ID PHYS 205).
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 41, MATH 31
Unit(s): 4.00
Transfer Status: CSU/UC
Contact Hours:
51.00 hours Lecture
/ 51.00 hours Lab
Total Course Hours: 102.00
This course, intended for students majoring in physical sciences and engineering, is part of a three-semester course whose contents may be offered in other sequences or combinations. Core topics include electrostatics, magnetism, DC and AC circuits, and Maxwell's equations. It is highly recommended that students also enroll in PHYS 52. (C-ID PHYS 210).
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 41, MATH 31
Unit(s): 4.00
Transfer Status: CSU/UC
Contact Hours:
51.00 hours Lecture
/ 51.00 hours Lab
Total Course Hours: 102.00
This course, intended for students majoring in physical sciences and engineering, is part of a three-semester course whose contents may be offered in other sequences or combinations. Core topics include optics and modern physics. (C-ID PHYS 43).
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Contacts
Jason Trento, Chair
(530) 879-4305
Department Office: TE 132
(530) 879-6106
Counseling and Advising:
(530) 895-2378
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