2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Physics and Engineering
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The Physics and Engineering Department helps students reach their potential through quality instruction and application-based learning focused on recognizing and caring for the whole person. Students in this department may pursue a variety of majors or minors in physics, or in the engineering sciences offered through the Rockhurst/UMKC joint engineering program. All degrees require the successful completion of no fewer than 128 semester credit hours.
Physics
An understanding of physical phenomena is essential in all fields of science, engineering, medicine, and technology. It follows that one objective of the physics program is to provide students with a competence and base of knowledge sufficient for their specific requirements.
Physics, however, is more than the basic science: it is an art combining techniques (including logical and analytical reasoning, careful observation, experimentation and mathematical model-building) that can be valuable assets in any field of endeavor.
A second objective, then, is to educate the student in the basic art of formulating and solving problems. Finally, the basic theories of physics provide a way of perceiving the natural world. Thus, the ultimate objective of the study of physics is to provide the student with a way to appreciate and engage the world with greater understanding.
The Physics department offers the following programs:
Engineering Science
The mission of the Rockhurst Engineering Science Program is to develop high-quality graduates who meet the needs of our society both locally and globally. Engineering graduates will be engineers and technology specialists actively involved in the life and growth of the region, and committed to serve the needs of our contemporary world. Rockhurst University and the University of Missouri–Kansas City have partnered together to offer engineering and computing programs, resulting in four joint Rockhurst/UMKC Bachelor of Science degrees.
The four-year joint program includes classes at both university campuses. Students will take all of their math, physics and core liberal arts classes at Rockhurst while taking specialized courses at UMKC.
Students interested in the Joint Program Engineering program should contact the Rockhurst Engineering Science Program Director, Dr. O’Bannon (deborah.obannon@rockhurst.edu). Due to the prerequisite structure of classes in these majors, it is important that students begin to follow the four-year plans as early as possible.
Program Goals
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Students will identify interconnections that exist between physics and other disciplines, deepening their content knowledge of physics while recognizing its interdisciplinary applications.
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Students will convey their physics understanding in a variety of settings, both orally and in writing, to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Student Learning Outcomes
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Physics students will integrate physics principles learned in their courses with their world, desired careers and/or graduate school program interests with a class average of at least 80% through a semester project.
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Students will illustrate academic knowledge of physics principles in faculty and research based conceptual surveys with an average Normalized Gain of at least 20%.
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Students will design/construct a physics project that requires a synthesis of learning material from class and outside referenced scientific sources with a class average of least 80%.
Physics and Engineering department offers the following joint programs:
It is also possible to complete a pre-engineering curriculum and transfer to another accredited engineering university after two or three years at Rockhurst. Students may be interested in this option if they wish to pursue an engineering major that is not offered at Rockhurst. If this is the path students plan to pursue they would still sign up for the joint Rockhurst/UMKC program and take relevant coursework at both Rockhurst and UMKC during their time at Rockhurst. You should discuss your plans with the program director and take coursework as advised.
Additional program information is available on the Rockhurst website at the following address: http://www.rockhurst.edu/academics/undergraduate/majors/engineering-computing-program/overview/
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