UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE FORMS

Revised 2-12-08

Academic Program Approval

 

This form is a routing document for the approval of new and revised academic programs.  Proposing department should complete this form.  For more information, call the Faculty Senate Office at 831-2921.

 

 

Submitted by: Norbert Mulders______________________phone number_3517__________

                               

Department:  _Phyisics and Astronomy_______________email address_mulders@udel.edu

                                                                                                                                                                                                             

 

Action:  __revise BS physics__________________________________________________________________

(Example:  add major/minor/concentration, delete major/minor/concentration,  revise major/minor/concentration,  academic unit name change, request for permanent status, policy change, etc.)

 

Effective term_______08F__________________________________________________________________________

                                                (use format 04F, 05)

 

Current degree__________BS Physics_____________________________________________

                                    (Example:  BA, BACH, BACJ, HBA, EDD, MA, MBA, etc.)

 

Proposed change leads to the degree of: ________ BS Physics ________________________

                                                                                             (Example:  BA, BACH, BACJ, HBA, EDD, MA, MBA, etc.)

 

 

Proposed name:_____________ ________________________________________

                                            Proposed new name for revised or new major / minor / concentration / academic unit

                                                                                (if applicable)

 

Revising or Deleting: 

 

Undergraduate major / Concentration:______________________________________

                                                                                    (Example:  Applied Music – Instrumental  degree BMAS)

 

Undergraduate minor:_____________________________________________

                                   (Example:  African Studies,  Business Administration,  English, Leadership, etc.)            

 

Graduate Program Policy statement change:_________________________________

                                                                  (Must attach  your Graduate Program Policy Statement)

 

            Graduate Program of Study:______________________________________________

                                 (Example:  Animal Science: MS  Animal Science:  PHD  Economics: MA Economics: PHD)

 

 

                Graduate minor / concentration:___________________________________________

 

 

Note: all graduate studies proposals must include an electronic copy of the Graduate Program Policy Document, highlighting the changes made to the original policy document.

 

 

 

List new courses required for the new or revised curriculum. How do they support the overall program objectives of the major/minor/concentrations)?

 (Be aware that approval of the curriculum is dependent upon these courses successfully passing through the Course Challenge list. If there are no new courses enter “None”)

PHYS 211, Oscillations and Waves. This course fill a major gap in the introductory physics sequence that has gradually developed with the shift of emphasis in PHYS 310 to Modern Physics.

PHYS169 Perspectives on Physics and Astronomy. This course has functioned as introduction to the field for some time and functions as a “first year experience” course. This will increase the number of Physics major requirement credits by one to 46.

 

Explain, when appropriate, how this new/revised curriculum supports the 10 goals of undergraduate education: http://www.ugs.udel.edu/gened/

 

 

 

Identify other units affected by the proposed changes:

(Attach permission from the affected units.  If no other unit is affected, enter “None”)

NONE

 

 

 

 

Describe the rationale for the proposed program change(s):

(Explain your reasons for creating, revising, or deleting the curriculum or program.)

1) Students who do poorly in the introductory physics sequence nearly uniformly under perform in the higher level courses. Imposing a C- minimum requirement is intended to make sure that students first master the basics before they continue with more advanced material that builds on the introductory material.

2) Over time, a large gap has developed in our introductory physics sequence. This mainly affects the physics majors (the engineering majors for whom the missing material is also of importance, typically encounter this material in courses in their own major).  To fill the gap we are introducing a third course, PHYS 211, which deals mainly with oscillations and waves, and is intended as a stepping stone towards courses as quantum mechanics, optics and classical mechanics.

3) PHYS169 has functioned for some time as introduction to the research currently going on in physics and astronomy to give students some perspective. It also incorporates some material on how to succeed in our programs, what options one has and how to select courses. PHYS169 would normally function as a first year experience course to give students in the program some guidance on possible career directions.

 

 

 

Program Requirements: 

(Show the new or revised curriculum as it should appear in the Course Catalog.  If this is a revision, be sure to indicate the changes being made to the current curriculum and include a side-by-side comparison of the credit distribution before and after the proposed change.)

 

See attached document.

 

 

ROUTING AND AUTHORIZATION:        (Please do not remove supporting documentation.)

 

Department Chairperson                                                                                                        Date                                       

 

Dean of College                                                                                                                       Date                                       

 

Chairperson, College Curriculum Committee___________________________________Date_____________________

 

Chairperson, Senate Com. on UG or GR Studies                                                                   Date                                       

 

Chairperson, Senate Coordinating Com.                                                                 Date                                       

 

Secretary, Faculty Senate                                                                                                       Date                                       

 

Date of Senate Resolution                                                                                                      Date to be Effective               

 

Registrar                                                                  Program Code                                         Date                                       

 

Vice Provost for Academic Programs & Planning                                                                  Date                                       

 

Provost                                                                                                                                   Date                                       

 

Board of Trustee Notification                                                                                                                Date                                       

 

Revised 5/02/06   /khs