BU Hub Information
The BU Hub is Boston University’s university-wide general education program that emphasizes working across disciplines to prepare for a complex and diverse world. Students can explore a variety of courses and innovative learning experiences while developing six essential capacities and fulfilling Hub requirements.
The Hub has been integrated into much of the Physics curriculum. Currently twelve of the twenty six required Hub units will be filled by required courses on the graduate track. This leaves just fourteen Hub units to be completed outside of the curriculum. These Hub units can be completed through Hub Electives.
The easiest and most effective way to fulfill the Hub areas is to take the Core Curriculum.
Students can use the Course Description search tool to find courses that fit their remaining Hub units.
For more information about the Hub, please see the BU Hub page .
Physics Courses with Hub Units
CAS PY 104 Physics of Health Sciences
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: some knowledge of algebra and trigonometry. - PY104 is a one semester introduction to the basic physics concepts that relate to the health sciences. Material covered is selected from a range of topics, such as include Kinematics and Dynamics, Newton's Laws, Statics, Momentum, Work and Energy, Mechanical Waves, Electric Charge and Force, Capacitance and Resistance, Electric Circuits, and Properties of Electromagnetic Waves, Atomic and Nuclear Physics, and Medical Imaging. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 104S Physics of Health Sciences
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: some knowledge of algebra and trigonometry. - Recommended for students majoring in athletic training, physical therapy, or speech, language & hearing sciences. A one-semester physics course for students who do not require a two-semester sequence. Students must register for two sections: a lecture section and a laboratory section. Cannot be taken for credit in addition to CAS PY 105 or PY 106. Students considering application to medical, dental, or veterinary schools should take PY 105/106 or another two-semester sequence instead of PY 104. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 105 Physics 1
4 credits.
The CAS PY 105/106 sequence satisfies premedical requirements. PY105 covers some of the basic principles underlying the physics of everyday life, including forces and motion, momentum and energy, harmonic motion, rotation, and heat and thermodynamics. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 105S Physics 1
4 credits.
The CAS PY 105/106 sequence satisfies premedical requirements. CAS PY 105 covers some of the basic principles underlying the physics of everyday life, including forces and motion, momentum and energy, harmonic motion, rotation, and heat and thermodynamics. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 106 Physics 2
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY105) or equivalent. - The CAS PY 105/106 sequence satisfies premedical requirements. PY106 covers some of the basic principles underlying the physics of everyday life, including electricity and magnetism, direct-current circuits, waves, optics, and modern physics. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 106S Physics 2
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY105) or equivalent. - The CAS PY 105/106 sequence satisfies premedical requirements. CAS PY 106 covers some of the basic principles underlying the physics of everyday life, including electricity and magnetism, direct-current circuits, waves, optics, and modern physics. Students must register for three sections: lecture, discussion, and a laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 107 Physics of Food and Cooking
4 credits.
Physical science concepts of thermal / soft matter physics and molecular biophysics such as phase transitions and gelation, viscosity, elasticity illustrated via cooking. Labs and demos using molecular gastronomy methods of sous-vide cooking, pressure cooking, making desserts, cheese, emulsions, foams, gels, ice creams. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 107S Physics of Food/Cooking
4 credits.
Physical science concepts of thermal physics, and soft matter physics such as phase transitions, gelation, viscosity, elasticity illustrated via cooking. Labs and demos using molecular gastronomy methods of sous-vide cooking, pressure cooking, making desserts, cheese, emulsions, foams, gels, ice creams. Students must register for two sections: a lecture section and a laboratory section. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS.
CAS PY 211 General Physics 1
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASMA123) or consent of instructor for students concurrently taking MA 123. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMA124 OR CASMA127) - Calculus-based introduction to basic principles of physics, emphasizing Newtonian mechanics, conservation laws, and thermodynamics. For science majors and engineers, and for premedical students who seek a more analytical course than CAS PY 105/106. Interactive, student-centered lectures, discussion, and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PY 211S General Physics 1
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASMA123) or consent of instructor for students concurrently taking MA 123. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMA124 OR CASMA127) - Prereq: (CAS MA 123) or consent of instructor for students concurrently taking CAS MA 123. Coreq: (CAS MA 124 or CAS MA 127). Calculus-based introduction to basic principles of physics, emphasizing Newtonian mechanics, conservation laws, and thermodynamics. For science majors and engineers, and for premedical students who seek a more analytical course than CAS PY 105/106. Interactive, student-centered lectures and laboratory. Students must register for two sections: lecture and a laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PY 212 General Physics 2
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY211 & CASMA124) or consent of instructor for students concurrently taking MA 123. - Calculus-based introduction to basic principles of physics, emphasizing electromagnetism, circuits, and optics. For science majors and engineers, and for premedical students who seek a more analytical course than CAS PY 105/106. Interactive, student-centered lectures, discussion, and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PY 212S General Physics 2
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY211 & CASMA124) or consent of instructor for students concurrently taking MA 123. - Prereq: (CAS PY 211 & CAS MA 124) or consent of instructor for students concurrently taking CAS MA 123 or CAS MA 225. Calculus-based introduction to basic principles of physics, emphasizing electromagnetism, circuits, and optics. For science majors and engineers, and for premedical students who seek a more analytical course than CAS PY 105/106. Interactive, student-centered lectures and laboratory. Students must register for two sections: lecture and a laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PY 231 The Physics in Music
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: musical performance experience, or some familiarity with the notes on the musical clef, or consent of instructor (no physics prerequisite). - An introduction to musical acoustics, which covers vibrations and waves in musical systems and sound production, intervals and the construction of musical scales, tuning and temperament, the percussion instruments, the piano, the string, woodwind and brass instruments, room acoustics, the human ear and psychoacoustical phenomena important to musical performance and perception. Examples from the musical literature that illustrate various acoustical effects are covered. Some aspects of electronic music are also discussed. Satisfies CAS natural science divisional credit. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Quantitative Reasoning I, Scientific Inquiry I.
CAS PY 251 Principles of Physics 1
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASMA123) or equivalent. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMA124 OR CASMA127)or consent of instructor for students currently enrolled in CAS MA 12 3. - Introduction to mechanics, conservation laws, rotation, waves, and thermodynamics. Primarily for physics, mathematics, and astronomy majors, but open to other students with a strong background in mathematics. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PY 252 Principles of Physics 2
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY251) or equivalent. - Introduction to electric and magnetic fields, circuits, electromagnetic waves, and optics. Primarily for physics, mathematics, and astronomy majors, but open to other students with a strong background in mathematics. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PY 313 Waves and Modern Physics
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY211 & CASPY212 & CASMA124) - Graduate Prerequisites: (CASPY211 & CASPY212 & CASMA124) - Waves and physical optics, relativistic mechanics, experimental foundations of quantum mechanics, atomic structure, physics of molecules and solids, atomic nuclei and elementary particles. Along with CAS PY 211, 212, PY 313 completes a three-semester introductory sequence primarily intended for students of engineering. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 313E Waves and Modern Physics
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY211 & CASPY212 & CASMA124) - Graduate Prerequisites: (CASPY211 & CASPY212 & CASMA124) - Waves and physical optics, relativistic mechanics, experimental foundations of quantum mechanics, atomic structure, physics of molecules and solids, atomic nuclei and elementary particles. Along with CAS PY 211, 212, PY 313 completes a three-semester introductory sequence primarily intended for students of engineering.
CAS PY 351 Modern Physics 1
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Historical Consciousness Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY251 & CASPY252) (or CASPY211, CASPY212) and CASMA124. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMA225) - This course traces the historical and intellectual developments that led to the formulation of modern physics. It introduces students to special relativity, quantum mechanics, classical and quantum statistics, emphasizing scientific inquiry and critical thinking. Labs are a required course component. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 355 Methods of Theoretical Physics
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: ( (CASPY251 & CASPY252 & CASMA225) OR (CASPY211 & CASPY212 & CASM A225)) or consent of instructor. - Survey of mathematical and computational methods used in modern theoretical physics. Vectors, fields, differential and integral vector calculus. Matrices, matrix transformations, rotations, eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Function spaces, orthonormal functions, Fourier analysis, bras and kets. Basics of ordinary and partial differential equations with solutions by series and numerical methods. Complex variables and analytic functions. Scientific programming in python, computational visualization and numerical methods complementing each of the analytic topics. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Digital/Multimedia Expression.
CAS PY 371 Electronics for Scientists
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Research and Information Literacy
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASMA124 & (CASPY212 OR CASPY252)) or consent of instructor. - A survey of practical electronics for all College of Arts and Sciences science students wishing to gain a working knowledge of electronic instrumentation, and in particular, its construction. Two four-hour laboratory-lecture sessions per week. Effective Spring 2020 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Creativity/Innovation, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS PY 581 Advanced Laboratory
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY351) First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Classical experiments in atomic and nuclear physics, development of new experiments, basic research projects. Experiments include magnetic resonance, nuclear-decay studies, Zeeman effect, holography, black-body radiation, X-ray diffraction, Mossbauer studies, and flux quantization, positron annihilation. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS PY 681 Electronics for Scientists
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Research and Information Literacy
Graduate Prerequisites: (CASMA124 & (CASPY212 OR CASPY252)) or consent of instructor. - A survey of practical electronics for all College of Arts and Sciences science students wishing to gain a working knowledge of electronic instrumentation, and in particular, its construction. Two four-hour laboratory-lecture sessions per week. Effective Spring 2020 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Creativity/Innovation, Research and Information Literacy.