PHYS 2503H -- New Course

Mon Feb 9 09:28:46 2015

Approvals Received:
Department
on 02-06-15
by Jennifer Kroschel
(jkrosche@umn.edu)
Approvals Pending: College/Dean  > Provost > Honors > Catalog
Effective Status: Active
Effective Term: 1159 - Fall 2015
Course: PHYS 2503H
Institution:
Campus:
UMNTC - Twin Cities
UMNTC - Twin Cities
Career: UGRD
College: TIOT - College of Science and Engineering
Department: 11140 - Physics & Astronomy, Sch of
General
Course Title Short: Honors Physics III
Course Title Long: Honors Physics III
Max-Min Credits
for Course:
4.0 to 4.0 credit(s)
Catalog
Description:
The third semester of a calculus-based introductory physics sequence.   Topics include: relativistic kinematics and dynamics,  mechanical and electromagnetic waves, light, interference, diffraction, wave-particle duality and topics in modern physics.  This course emphasizes the use of fundamental problems to solve quantitative problems.  It is intended primarily for those who have completed 1401V/1402V, although those students with outstanding performance in 1301W/1302W  may be granted permission to enroll.   

Print in Catalog?: Yes
CCE Catalog
Description:
<no text provided>
Grading Basis: A-F only
Topics Course: No
Honors Course: Yes
Online Course: No
Instructor
Contact Hours:
6.8 hours per week
Years most
frequently offered:
Every academic year
Term(s) most
frequently offered:
Fall
Component 1: DIS (no final exam)
Component 2: LEC (with final exam)
Auto-Enroll
Course:
Yes
Graded
Component:
DIS
Academic
Progress Units:
Not allowed to bypass limits.
4.0 credit(s)
Financial Aid
Progress Units:
Not allowed to bypass limits.
4.0 credit(s)
Repetition of
Course:
Repetition not allowed.
Course
Prerequisites
for Catalog:
1402V, honors student and permission of University Honors Program or #
Course
Equivalency:
00080 - Phys 2303/2403H/2503
Consent
Requirement:
No required consent
Enforced
Prerequisites:
(course-based or
non-course-based)
000571 - honors student
Editor Comments: Replacing 2403H (Course number change for clarity)
Proposal Changes: <no text provided>
History Information: <no text provided>
Faculty
Sponsor Name:
Faculty
Sponsor E-mail Address:
Student Learning Outcomes
Student Learning Outcomes: * Student in the course:

- Can identify, define, and solve problems

Please explain briefly how this outcome will be addressed in the course. Give brief examples of class work related to the outcome.

In PHYS2503H, students must demonstrate the ability to identify the appropriate physical principles to solve problems in waves, optics, and special relativity. These questions require the student to read a passage describing a situation and to determine the necessary physical principles and mathematical techniques to use for solving the problem

How will you assess the students' learning related to this outcome? Give brief examples of how class work related to the outcome will be evaluated.

The assessment of the ability to identify, define, and solve problems is assessed through weekly graded problem sets, three hour-long quizzes which contain at least two long-format questions each, and a final exam which contains at least five long-format questions.

- Have mastered a body of knowledge and a mode of inquiry

Please explain briefly how this outcome will be addressed in the course. Give brief examples of class work related to the outcome.

PHYS 2503H requires the mastery waves, optics, and special relativity, three areas of physics which are essential in many different technical fields. For example, electromagnetic waves are the basis for all modern communications technology, and optics (the study of light) is used across all of the scientific and engineering disciplines. Special relativity is a cornerstone of modern physics and provides the student with an example of paradigm shift that enabled entirely new areas of physics to develop. In addressing these topics, the student will become familiar with advanced mathematical tools in vector calculus and partial differential equations.

How will you assess the students' learning related to this outcome? Give brief examples of how class work related to the outcome will be evaluated.

Students will be assessed on mastery of waves, optics, and special relativity through graded homework, three hour-long tests, and a final exam.

- Can communicate effectively

Please explain briefly how this outcome will be addressed in the course. Give brief examples of class work related to the outcome.

The students must write comprehensive solutions to problems, using words to describe reasoning and mathematics at a level commensurate with their preparation.

How will you assess the students' learning related to this outcome? Give brief examples of how class work related to the outcome will be evaluated.

Weekly homework is graded based on the both the scientific reasoning as well as the style and clarity of presentation. Students must also present problems in the weekly discussion sections.

Liberal Education
Requirement
this course fulfills:
None
Other requirement
this course fulfills:
None
Criteria for
Core Courses:
Describe how the course meets the specific bullet points for the proposed core requirement. Give concrete and detailed examples for the course syllabus, detailed outline, laboratory material, student projects, or other instructional materials or method.

Core courses must meet the following requirements:

  • They explicitly help students understand what liberal education is, how the content and the substance of this course enhance a liberal education, and what this means for them as students and as citizens.
  • They employ teaching and learning strategies that engage students with doing the work of the field, not just reading about it.
  • They include small group experiences (such as discussion sections or labs) and use writing as appropriate to the discipline to help students learn and reflect on their learning.
  • They do not (except in rare and clearly justified cases) have prerequisites beyond the University's entrance requirements.
  • They are offered on a regular schedule.
  • They are taught by regular faculty or under exceptional circumstances by instructors on continuing appointments. Departments proposing instructors other than regular faculty must provide documentation of how such instructors will be trained and supervised to ensure consistency and continuity in courses.

<no text provided>
Criteria for
Theme Courses:
Describe how the course meets the specific bullet points for the proposed theme requirement. Give concrete and detailed examples for the course syllabus, detailed outline, laboratory material, student projects, or other instructional materials or methods.

Theme courses have the common goal of cultivating in students a number of habits of mind:
  • thinking ethically about important challenges facing our society and world;
  • reflecting on the shared sense of responsibility required to build and maintain community;
  • connecting knowledge and practice;
  • fostering a stronger sense of our roles as historical agents.


<no text provided>
LE Recertification-Reflection Statement:
(for LE courses being re-certified only)
<no text provided>
Statement of Certification: This course is certified for a Core, effective as of 
This course is certified for a Theme, effective as of 
Writing Intensive
Propose this course
as Writing Intensive
curriculum:
No
Question 1 (see CWB Requirement 1): How do writing assignments and writing instruction further the learning objectives of this course and how is writing integrated into the course? Note that the syllabus must reflect the critical role that writing plays in the course.

<no text provided>
Question 2 (see CWB Requirement 2): What types of writing (e.g., research papers, problem sets, presentations, technical documents, lab reports, essays, journaling etc.) will be assigned? Explain how these assignments meet the requirement that writing be a significant part of the course work, including details about multi-authored assignments, if any. Include the required length for each writing assignment and demonstrate how the minimum word count (or its equivalent) for finished writing will be met.

<no text provided>
Question 3 (see CWB Requirement 3): How will students' final course grade depend on their writing performance? What percentage of the course grade will depend on the quality and level of the student's writing compared to the percentage of the grade that depends on the course content? Note that this information must also be on the syllabus.

<no text provided>
Question 4 (see CWB Requirement 4): Indicate which assignment(s) students will be required to revise and resubmit after feedback from the instructor. Indicate who will be providing the feedback. Include an example of the assignment instructions you are likely to use for this assignment or assignments.

<no text provided>
Question 5 (see CWB Requirement 5): What types of writing instruction will be experienced by students? How much class time will be devoted to explicit writing instruction and at what points in the semester? What types of writing support and resources will be provided to students?

<no text provided>
Question 6 (see CWB Requirement 6): If teaching assistants will participate in writing assessment and writing instruction, explain how will they be trained (e.g. in how to review, grade and respond to student writing) and how will they be supervised. If the course is taught in multiple sections with multiple faculty (e.g. a capstone directed studies course), explain how every faculty mentor will ensure that their students will receive a writing intensive experience.

<no text provided>
Statement of Certification: This course is certified as Writing Internsive effective  as of 
Course Syllabus
Course Syllabus: For new courses and courses in which changes in content and/or description and/or credits are proposed, please provide a syllabus that includes the following information: course goals and description; format;structure of the course (proposed number of instructor contact hours per week, student workload effort per week, etc.); topics to be covered; scope and nature of assigned readings (text, authors, frequency, amount per week); required course assignments; nature of any student projects; and how students will be evaluated. The University "Syllabi Policy" can be found here

The University policy on credits is found under Section 4A of "Standards for Semester Conversion" found here. Course syllabus information will be retained in this system until new syllabus information is entered with the next major course modification. This course syllabus information may not correspond to the course as offered in a particular semester.

(Please limit text to about 12 pages. Text copied and pasted from other sources will not retain formatting and special characters might not copy properly.)


University of Minnesota
School of Physics and Astronomy
Honors Physics III ⿿ Modern Physics - Fall 2015
Professor: TA:
Office:
Phone:
E-mail:
Class Website (select 2503H) http://www.physics.umn.edu/classes/
Introduction
This is the third semester of the introductory honors physics course sequence, focusing on
modern physics. The topics we will cover, including a detailed schedule, are posted on the
website. The pace of this course should allow you to understand the material in depth, but it
does move right along. Don't fall behind! It is extremely difficult to catch up and the longer you
leave it the harder it gets. Furthermore, parts of the material may seem rather abstract and
mathematical. Do not assume you have actually understood the reading, until you can do an
example problem based on it. Only by doing the problems do you internalize the material.
Looking over solved problems doesn⿿t work, since they will all seem obvious. You need to
personally go through the process of applying the principles to a new situation and decide how
to formulate the solution yourself. Then check if you did it right.
Required Textbooks: Modern Physics (6th edition) by Tipler and Llewellyn
Physics of Light and Optics by Peatross & Ware http://optics.byu.edu/textbook.aspx
While much of the material from class is covered in your textbook(s), there will be material that
isn⿿t. Your own notes from my class presentations on the board, my posted powerpoint slides,
and additional material which I will post online forms the rest of the reading.
Lectures: MTW(F) 11:15 ⿿ 12:05 Physics 133
Lectures are MTW. Fridays are reserved for quizzes and for makeup lectures when a
normal MTW lecture is cancelled. Visit the class website for scheduling information.
Discussion Sections: Thursday in Physics 157
Section 003 is 11:15 - 12:05
Section 004 is 12:20 - 1:10
Attendance will be taken. Points will be deducted for chronic absenteeism.
Final Exam: Thursday, December 18 from 1:30 to 4:30
Quizzes: There will be three closed-book quizzes, which will consist of a few conceptual
questions plus problems. The quiz problems will closely resemble the suggested weekly
problems. Quiz dates
Friday Oct 10
Friday Nov 7
Friday Dec 5
Homework: There will be suggested problems posted on the website every Friday and their
solutions will be posted the following Friday. A subset of these suggested problems will be
clearly designated as homework. You will submit solutions to the selected problems in your
discussion section to the TA, who will grade them and return them to you the following
Thursday. If you are not finished, just hand in what you have. Late homework is not accepted.
You are encouraged to work in groups to study and even do homework together, but do not
hand in copies of someone else⿿s work. You are also encouraged to approach the TA or the
instructor if you need help with solving problems.
Grading: The homework counts for 15% of your grade. The quizzes and final exam will be
combined to form the other 85% in three ways (see below). The scheme giving you the highest
score will be your final grade.
1. Three quizzes at 15% each and the final exam at 40%.
2. Two best quizzes at 15% each and the final exam at 55%.
3. The best quiz at 15% and the final at 70%.
This grading scheme allows you to skip a quiz due to a scheduling conflict or drop a quiz you
did poorly on. However, you clearly do best if you take all the quizzes, since it gives you more
opportunities to do well. There will be no makeup quizzes.
Responsibilities:
Students are responsible for all information disseminated in class and all course requirements,
including deadlines and examinations. Derivations similar to what can be found in your
textbooks and examples on the board will not be transcribed, scanned, and posted online,
although some powerpoint presentations will be posted. Therefore, class attendance is very
important. While I have assigned office hours, you should feel free to make an appointment
outside of those hours if you are having problems or if you have questions.
The work that you submit in the homework and exams must be your own and must follow the
rules given for the particular examination. Any indication that you have received improper
assistance will result in penalties ranging from a zero on the exam to expulsion from the
University. We have been asked by the Dean to include the following statement for your
information:
The University of Minnesota assumes that all students enroll in its programs with a serious
learning purpose and expects them to be responsible individuals who demand of themselves
high standards of honesty and personal conduct. All students are expected to behave at all
times with the utmost respect and courtesy toward all of their fellow students, their
instructors and are expected to have the highest standards of honesty and integrity in the
academic performance of its students. Any attempt by a student to present work that she
or he has not prepared, or to pass an examination by improper means, is regarded by the
faculty as a serious offense, which may result in the immediate expulsion of the student.
Aiding and abetting a student in an act of dishonesty is also considered a serious offense.
DEPARTMENTAL POLICIES
ATHLETES must provide their official University of Minnesota athletic letter containing the
approved competition schedule to their instructor and the staff in office 148. Away exams will
be arranged with the athletic adviser traveling with the team. Accommodations will be made for
official university sports only (i.e. no accommodations will be made for intramurals, club
sports, etc.)
DISABILITY SERVICES: If you have accommodations for this course, please provide the staff
in office 148 with a copy of your accommodation letter for the current semester. Exams will be
arranged according to accommodations and sent to the testing center for administration.
STUDENT CONDUCT CODE: The University seeks an environment that promotes academic
achievement and integrity, that is protective of free inquiry, and that serves the educational
mission of the University. Similarly, the University seeks a community that is free from
violence, threats, and intimidation; that is respectful of the rights, opportunities, and welfare of
students, faculty, staff, and guests of the University; and that does not threaten the physical or
mental health or safety of members of the University community. As a student at the University
you are expected adhere to Board of Regents Policy: Student Conduct Code. To review the
Student Conduct Code, please see:
http://www1.umn.edu/regents/policies/academic/Student\_Conduct\_Code.html
Note that the conduct code specifically addresses disruptive classroom conduct, which means
"engaging in behavior that substantially or repeatedly interrupts either the instructor's ability to
teach or student learning. The classroom extends to any setting where a student is engaged in
work toward academic credit or satisfaction of program-based requirements or related
activities."
SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY: You are expected to do your own academic work and cite
sources as necessary. Failing to do so is scholastic dishonesty. Scholastic dishonesty means
plagiarizing; cheating on assignments or examinations; engaging in unauthorized collaboration
on academic work; taking, acquiring, or using test materials without faculty permission;
submitting false or incomplete records of academic achievement; acting alone or in cooperation
with another to falsify records or to obtain dishonestly grades, honors, awards, or professional
endorsement; altering, forging, or misusing a University academic record; or fabricating or
falsifying data, research procedures, or data analysis. If it is determined that a student has
cheated, he or she may be given an "F" or an "N" for the course, and may face additional
sanctions from the University. For additional information, please see
http://policy.umn.edu/Policies/Education/Education/INSTRUCTORRESP.html
The Office for Student Conduct and Academic Integrity has compiled a useful list of FAQ
pertaining to scholastic dishonesty: http://www1.umn.edu/oscai/integrity/student/index.html
If you have additional questions, please clarify with your instructor for the course. Your
instructor can respond to your specific questions regarding what would constitute scholastic
dishonesty in the context of a particular class-e.g., whether collaboration on assignments is
permitted, requirements and methods for citing sources, if electronic aids are permitted or
prohibited during an exam.
DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS: The University is committed to providing quality
education to all students regardless of ability. Determining appropriate disability
accommodations is a collaborative process. You as a student must register with Disability
Services and provide documentation of your disability. The course instructor must provide
information regarding a course's content, methods, and essential components. The combination
of this information will be used by Disability Services to determine appropriate
accommodations for a particular student in a particular course. For more information, please
reference Disability Services:
http://ds.umn.edu/student-services.html
PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES: Using personal electronic devices in the classroom
setting can hinder instruction and learning, not only for the student using the device but also for
other students in the class. To this end, the University establishes the right of each faculty
member to determine if and how personal electronic devices are allowed to be used in the
classroom. For complete information, please reference:
http://policy.umn.edu/Policies/Education/Education/CLASSROOMPED.html
MAKEUP WORK: Students will not be penalized for absence during the semester due to
unavoidable or legitimate circumstances. Such circumstances include verified illness,
participation in intercollegiate athletic events, subpoenas, jury duty, military service,
bereavement, and religious observances. Such circumstances do not include voting in local,
state or national elections. For complete information, please see:
http://policy.umn.edu/Policies/Education/Education/MAKEUPWORK.html
CLASS NOTES AND COURSE MATERIALS: Taking notes is a means of recording
information but more importantly of personally absorbing and integrating the educational
experience. However, broadly disseminating class notes beyond the classroom community or
accepting compensation for taking and distributing classroom notes undermines instructor
interests in their intellectual work product while not substantially furthering instructor and
student interests in effective learning. Such actions violate shared norms and standards of the
academic community. For additional information, please see:
http://policy.umn.edu/Policies/Education/Education/CLASSNOTESSTUDENTS.html
SEXUAL HARRASSMENT: ''Sexual harassment'' means unwelcome sexual advances, requests
for sexual favors, and/or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Such conduct has
the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or academic
performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or academic environment
in any University activity or program. Such behavior is not acceptable in the University setting.
For additional information, please consult Board of Regents Policy:
http://www1.umn.edu/regents/policies/humanresources/SexHarassment.html
EQUITY AND DIVERSITY: The University will provide equal access to and opportunity in
its programs and facilities, without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender,
age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender
identity, or gender expression. For more information, please consult Board of Regents Policy:
http://www1.umn.edu/regents/policies/administrative/Equity\_Diversity\_EO\_AA.html
MENTAL HEALTH: As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers
to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling
down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or
stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance and may reduce your ability to
participate in daily activities. University of Minnesota services are available to assist you. You
can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus
via the Student Mental Health Website: http://www.mentalhealth.umn.edu
Strategic Objectives & Consultation
Name of Department Chair
Approver:
Ron Poling
Strategic Objectives -
Curricular Objectives:
How does adding this course improve the overall curricular objectives ofthe unit?

Replacing existing 2403H course  
Strategic Objectives - Core
Curriculum:
Does the unit consider this course to be part of its core curriculum?

The third semester of a calculus-based introductory physics sequence.   Topics include: relativistic kinematics and dynamics,  mechanical and electromagnetic waves, light, interference, diffraction, wave-particle duality and topics in modern physics.  This course emphasizes the use of fundamental principles of physics to solve quantitative problems.  The level of mathematical rigor, depth, and scope of the course, particularly the introduction of topics in modern physics, exceed that of PHYS 2503.  The course is intended primarily for those who have completed 1401V/1402V, although students with outstanding performance in 1301W/1302W  may be granted permission to enroll.   
Strategic Objectives -
Consultation with Other
Units:
In order to prevent course overlap and to inform other departments of new curriculum, circulate proposal to chairs in relevant units and follow-up with direct consultation. Please summarize response from units consulted and include correspondence. By consultation with other units, the information about a new course is more widely disseminated and can have a positive impact on enrollments. The consultation can be as simple as an email to the department chair informing them of the course and asking for any feedback from the faculty.

Replacing existing course only - not a new course