Modern physics courses: Understanding the content taught in the U.S

TL;DR

This study analyzes 167 U.S. modern physics courses to reveal curriculum variability and emphasizes the need for standardized, comprehensive physics education for majors across institutions.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of modern physics syllabi, highlighting curriculum differences and advocating for more uniform content in physics education.

Findings

High variability in course content and prerequisites

Common foundational topics include Newtonian mechanics and electromagnetism

Quantum physics and relativity are frequently taught

Abstract

The modern physics course is a crucial gateway for physics majors, introducing concepts beyond the scope of K-12 education. Despite its significance, content varies widely among institutions. This study analyzes 167 modern physics syllabi from 127 US research intensive institutions, employing emergent coding using both human and Natural Language Processing methods from public sources (51.5%) and private correspondence (48.5%). Public course catalogs were consulted to identify pre- and co-requisites, with 37.1% of students having completed calculus II. Foundational topics like Newtonian mechanics (94%), electricity and magnetism (84.4%), and waves or optics (77.2%) were frequently required. Quantum physics (94%), atomic physics (83%), and relativity (70%) were most commonly taught. The study highlights the lack of uniformity in modern physics curricula, emphasizing the importance of a consistent and comprehensive education for physics majors across universities. This insight contributes to the ongoing discourse on optimizing physics education in higher education.