USC Department of Physics and Astronomy: IMA Physics

INTERDISCIPLINARY MASTER OF ARTS

PHYSICS

I. Purpose

This program is designed for applicants who are certified or qualified for certification as secondary school teachers, and who wish to pursue a course of advanced study with physics as a major content area. Programs will be individually structur ed in consultation with an advisory committee in order to accommodate students with diverse needs and backgrounds. Extensive undergraduate preparation in physics, although desirable, is not a necessary condition for acceptance in the program. Provision w ill be made for removing undergraduate deficiencies in basic science.

II. Admission

A. The applicant must meet the following general requirements for admission to the IMA program in physics:

1. Submission of a complete application to the University of South Carolina Graduate School.

2. Admission to the graduate school on the basis of satisfactory Graduate Record Examination scores.

3. Graduation from an accredited college.

4. Certification or qualification for certification as a secondary school teacher.

5. Acceptance by the Department of Physics and Astronomy and by the College of Education.

B. Undergraduate prerequisites for the program are:

1. Introductory Physics (three semesters).

2. Introductory Chemistry (one year).

A student lacking prerequisites must arrange to complete them, together with any prerequisite mathematics, in consultation with his/her advisory committee.

III.Degree Requirements

A. The student must meet the following basic requirements for the IMA degree in Physics:

1. Completion of at least 33 hours of graduate credits distributed as follows:

a. Professional Education Component (12 credits)

i. Research: EDRM 700,
ii. Psychological Foundations (3 credits):

EDPY 701, 705, 706, or 707,

iii. Teaching of Science in Secondary School:

EDSE 732,

iv. Elective:

A course that addresses current issues of concern to teachers.

b. Content Area Component (7 courses, 21 or more credits): primarily physics courses, but may include up to six hours in the closely related fields of chemistry and mathematics.

2. The program for each candidate will be planned in consultation with an advisory committee appointed at the time of admission, and composed of one faculty member from the College of Education and one from the College of Arts and Sciences. The committee will give final approval to the program.

3. Half of the credit hours earned must be at the 700 level or above. A thesis may be submitted in lieu of six hours of content area courses.

4. An oral comprehensive examination will be conducted during the final semester of the program by the advisory committee augmented by one additional member.

B. In structuring the program, the student and his/her advisory committee will give careful consideration to

1. The overall coherence of the program,

2. The academic background and related teaching experience of the candidate,

3. The candidate's professional needs as a classroom teacher, and

4. Undergraduate deficiencies.

IV.Teaching Content Area Courses Available

Physics courses 781-789 are especially designed for teachers, and should be accessible without extensive specialized background. Courses in the supporting fields of Chemistry, Mathematics, and Science & Math Education (SMED) are also acceptable. This includes 500-level courses that are available for graduate credit.

For further information, please contact

Professor Jeff Wilson, Department of Physics and Astronomy,
Telephone (803) 777-4650 or FAX (803) 777-3065,
or e-mail jwilson@sc.edu

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Last modified: 07/20/05