About Us

Located on the beautiful, Lakeshore campus of Loyola Univeristy Chicago in Cudahy Science Hall, the Department of Physics prepares students for future STEM careers. Students in the Department of Physics will learn the principles of physics, contribute to new physical knowledge and seek to foster scientific integrity. These goals are consistent with the mission of Loyola University Chicago: searching for truth and living for others. The Department strives to create a welcoming environment for its students that encourages student success and supports their well being as they work toward their career goals at Loyola. The Department and the Physics Club hold several social events each year to build community among the Loyola physics students and faculty.

We offer several undergraduate degree plans with BS degree programs in Physics, Biophysics, Theoretical Physics/Applied Mathematics and Physics/Computer Science. We also offer a special dual degree in physics and engineering, wherein students receive a BS in Physics from Loyola and a bachelor of engineering degree from an affiliated school. In collaboration with the School of Education, the department also offers a BS/MEd degree that prepares students to teach in high schools. In addition, the department serves a large number of students seeking to satisfy ancillary requirements for other majors, core curriculum requirements, as well as pre-health-professional requirements for medical, dental, and pharmacy schools.

The Department has several areas of active physics research, including astroparticle physics, computational physics, cosmology, biophysics, fluid dynamics, optics, and quantum mechanics. Students have the opportunity to explore these different areas of physics research with faculty and are encouraged to participate in projects. Students often present their research at local and national conferences, and they can receive fellowships from LUC to support their research.

You can read more about the undergraduate experience offered by the Physics Department here. Please explore the website or contact the department chair for more information about our department.

Loyola Physics Department
300 Cudahy Science Hall
1032 W. Sheridan Rd.
Chicago, Illinois 60660
Phone: 773.508.3533
Fax: 773.508.3534

Physics in the Science Core

The Physics Department offers several courses for non-science majors seeking to satisfy natural science core curriculum requirements: PHYS 101 Liberal Arts Physics, PHYS 102 Planetary and Stellar Astronomy, and PHYS 106 Physics of Music. These courses emphasize an appreciation of the basic laws, overall structure, and beauty of the physical universe. In addition, as part of the natural science core, these courses discuss the scientific method, and stress the importance of methodological competence as well as ethics in forming critical judgments on technically oriented societal issues. More information on Loyola's Core Curriculum can be found here.

Undergraduate Programs

Physics Department Academic Policies

Mathematics Readiness

Entering students with American College Test (ACT) mathematics scores of 25 or higher, or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) mathematics scores of 570 or higher, automatically qualify to start the sequence of physics courses for the major in physics. Students who do not so qualify should consult the physics chairperson to determine the appropriate sequence of courses.

Policy on Multiple Majors and Minors

The following modifies and clarifies the "Double-Dipping" policy of the College of Arts & Sciences, as it pertains to the Department of Physics.

The following degree programs are housed in or jointly housed in the Physics Department:

1. Bachelor of Science in Physics (PHYS-BS)
2. Bachelor of Science in Biophysics (BPHY-BS)
3. Bachelor of Science in Physics with Computer Science (PCSC-BS)
4. Bachelor of Science in Theoretical Physics/Applied Mathematics (TPAM-BS)
5. Physics Minor (PHYS-MINR)

They will be referred to as “majors or minor in the Physics Department” in this document.

• A combination of PHYS-BS and PCSC-BS is not allowed.
• Any other combination of two majors in the Physics Department (aside from PCSC-BS) is allowed.
• Any combination of three majors in the Physics Department is not allowed.
• PHYS-MINR is not allowed together with any major housed in Physics Department.
• A Mathematics Minor (MATH-MINR) is not allowed together with TPAM-BS, but is allowed with any other major in the Physics Department. For qualifying students, the MATH-MINR may be earned by taking one additional, upper-level mathematics course (MATH 3XX).
• A Computer Science Minor (COMP-MINR) is not allowed together with PCSC-BS.
• An Information Technology Minor (ITEC-MINR) is not allowed together with PCSC-BS.
• The combination of a B.S. in Mathematics (MATH-BS) and any single major housed in the Physics department is allowed.
• A triple major of MATH-BS, TPAM-BS, and any other major housed in the Physics Department is not allowed.
• A triple-major combination of PCSC-BS, PHYS-BS, and any of the following: B.S. in “Communication Networks and Security” (CNWS-BS), “Computer Science” (COMP-BS), “Information Technology” (ITEC-BS), or “Software Engineering” (SWEN-BS) is not allowed.
• A triple-major combination of PHYS-BS, BPHY-BS, and any of the following: B.S. in Biology (BIOL-BS), Biology with Molecular Biology Emphasis (BIOM-BS), or Biology with Ecology Emphasis (BIOE-BS) is not allowed.

Grade Requirements

A grade of "C-" or better must be earned in all physics courses required for the major or minor in physics.

Continuation in the Major

A student will be withdrawn from any major offered by the Physics Department if either of the following conditions exist:

1. The student receives two grades less than C- (excluding grades of W but including grades of WF) in a two year period in courses required for the major (including courses offered by the Math and Computer Science departments).
2. The student has a cumulative GPA in majors’ courses (including the ancillary courses) less than 2.00 after completion of the first two year sequence (i.e., upon completion of MATH 264 Ordinary Differential Equations and PHYS 301 Mathematical Methods in Physics and PHYS 314 Theoretical Mechanics I).

The chair of the Physics Department may reinstate the student in exceptional cases.

Prerequisite Courses

PHYS 121 College Physics I Lec/Dis and PHYS 122 College Physics II Lec/Dis are basic prerequisites for all physics courses. PHYS 111 College Physics I Lec / Dis, PHYS 112 College Physics II Lec/Disc will be accepted in lieu of these courses with the permission of the department chairperson. Mathematics courses listed as prerequisites to a physics course may, with the permission of the chairperson, be taken concurrently with the physics course or may be excluded in special instances. MATH 264 Ordinary Differential Equations is a prerequisite to all 300 level physics courses. Part II of a given course may not be taken before Part I.

Advanced Placement in Physics

Entering non-majors who have received scores of 4 or higher on the Physics B or Physics C Advanced Placement examinations of the College Entrance Examination Board are eligible to receive college credit for the corresponding lecture courses. A score of 4 or higher in the Physics C examination, plus departmental approval, are necessary for receipt of credit by majors. No credit is available for laboratory courses.

Requirements for Departmental Honors

In addition to the general requirements for the major, a student seeking departmental honors must satisfy the following two criteria:

• Minimum overall GPA of 3.7
• Department-approved research project that culminates in a journal article, seminar presentation, or conference proceeding.

Qualifying students must email the Department Chair (Constantin Rasinariu) for departmental approval. Students should then submit the approval to their CAS advisor.

Undergraduate Policies and Procedures

Please see Undergraduate Policies and Procedures for academic policies that supersede those of academic units within the University.

Physics (PHYS)