Physics - AS
Matter and energy are what hold our universe together but few of us understand how they work in a real sense. For this reason, professionals with a physics background have incredibly unique expertise that can be applied in a multitude of ways. If your dream is to make a big discovery that will change the world or invent new technology that will change the future, a Physics degree will give you a firm foundation. In an associate degree program in Physics, you will explore topics like heat, light, and sound and learn about the laws of property and motion. The knowledge and skills you acquire can lead to jobs in numerous fields, including scientific research, education, engineering, healthcare, information technology, business, and space travel.
An associate program in Physics is a first step toward a career as a programmer, research analyst, high school physics teacher, or software engineer. This degree is transferable to universities offering bachelor’s degrees in Physics.
Students should work closely with their advisor and contact their transfer institution choices for more specific transfer information.
The first year of a Physics program will include math and English courses to meet general education requirements. The completion of introductory math and English courses in your first year is proven to greatly increase the likelihood of crossing the graduation stage, boosting your momentum along the academic pathway you select. Other general education courses on your pathway will cover topics in Arts and Humanities, History, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Natural and Physical Sciences.
Program-specific courses may begin as soon as your first semester. These courses will become more advanced as you move along your degree pathway. Through this sequence of courses, your knowledge of physics concepts will grow and deepen. Coursework will include Physics, Calculus, and Differential Equations. After completing a 60-credit associate degree, your degree pathway can continue with guaranteed transfer to a college that offers bachelor’s degrees.
| Required Courses that Fulfill General Education Requirements (36 Credit Hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Credit Hours | Course Number and Title | |
| (Written) Communication | 6 | ENG 121/1021 English Composition I and ENG 122/1022 English Composition II OR ENG 122/1022 English Composition II and a GT Pathways approved CO3 course |
| Mathematics | 5 | MAT 201/2410 Calculus I |
| Arts & Humanities | 9 | Three GT Pathways Arts & Humanities course (GT-AH1, GT- AH2, GT-AH3, GT-AH4) |
| History | 3 | One GT Pathways History course (GT-HI1) |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | One GT Pathways Social & Behavioral Sciences course (GT-SS1, GTSS2, GT-SS3) |
| Natural & Physical Sciences |
5 | PHY 211/2111 Physics: Calculus-based I w/lab |
| 5 | PHY 212/2112 Physics: Calculus-based II w/lab | |
| *Additional Required Courses (24 Credit Hours) | |
|---|---|
| Credit Hours | Course Number and Title |
| 3 | PHY 213/2113 Physics III: Calculus-Based Modern Physics |
| 5 | MAT 202/2420 Calculus II |
| 4-5 | MAT 203/2430 Calculus III OR MAT 204/2431** Calculus III with Engineering Applications |
| 3-4 | MAT 265/2560 Differential Equations OR MAT 261/2561** Differential Equations with Engineering Applications OR MAT 266/2562** Differential Equations with Linear Algebra |
| 5 | CHE 111/1111 General College Chemistry I w/lab |
| 4-5 | CSC 160/1060 Computer Science I OR CHE 112/1112*** General College Chemistry II w/lab |
| Electives - 0 credit hours | |
*Please note: if these credits are not required for the major at a receiving 4-year
institution, they will be applied to the bachelor’s degree as elective credit toward graduation. Please check with the receiving institution to determine in which
way these courses will be applied.
**If you choose to take one of theses courses, it will put you over 60 credits. The courses will transfer but the extra credits may not. That is, the receiving institution may still require the completion of 60 credits for the major.
***Students planning to transfer to the University of Colorado Boulder must take CHE 112/1112 (not CSC 160/1060) to fulfill this requirement. Students planning to transfer to the University of Northern Colorado must take CSC 160/1060 (not CHE 112/1112) to fulfill this requirement. Students planning to transfer to Fort Lewis College or to the University of Colorado Colorado Springs must take both CSC 160/1060 and CHE 112/1112. Students planning to transfer to a receiving institution not listed here may choose either one of these courses.
Otero College is a part of a Statewide Transfer Articulation Agreement between Colorado community colleges and universities. These agreements allow you to graduate from a community college with a 60-credit Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree with designation; enroll with junior status at a university; and complete your bachelor’s degree. If you attend full-time and follow the structured schedule, you can complete your bachelor’s degree in 4 years.
The following Colorado public four-year institutions will accept your completed Physics AS degree from Otero College.
Colorado Mesa University
[B.S. Physics]
Colorado State University-Ft Collins
[B.S. Physics]
Colorado State University-Pueblo
[B.S. Physics]
Fort Lewis College
[B.S. Physics; Physics option]
Metropolitan State University of Denver
[B.A. Physics; B.S. Physics]
University of Colorado Boulder
[B.A. Physics]
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
[B.S. Physics]
University of Colorado Denver
[B.S. Physics]
University of Northern Colorado
[B.S. Physics; Astronomy, Engineering, Mathematics emphases]