Advising

Program information

See details about our four physics majors.

Major flowcharts for semester planning

The major flowcharts show prerequisite charts and strongly recommended courses that help you customize your progress toward your degree. 

Physics 191 and 291  Introduction to Physics Careers and Research

These 0.5 credit hour required seminar classes will give you an introduction to how to succeed as a major, career opportunities, and research at BYU and elsewhere.  Take 191 your first Fall semester at BYU, and 291 your first Fall semester as sophomore or above.

Department Faculty Advisors

Bret Hess (422-2108, bret_hess@byu.edu) is the advisor for freshman and sophomores.  The department associate chair, Harold Stokes (422-2215, stokesh@byu.edu) is the department faculty advisor for juniors and seniors.  But either can help when the other is not available.  Please see them if you have any questions about your degree program.  Also see them if you need department approval for changes in your degree program, including the selected options in the Applied Physics degree.  Please feel free to call them, even if you are not sure who to talk to about some problem or issue.

College Advisement Center (College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences)

Start with the College Advisement Center (College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences) for information on general education and university requirements as well as major requirements. We suggest that you familiarize yourself thoroughly with the general education and university requirement sheets as well as the major requirement MAPs available at the College Advisement Center or online.  The Advisement Center is very helpful in answering student questions. 
179 ESC, 422-6270 physmath.advisement@byu.edu

Society of Physics Students (SPS)

The local chapter of SPS provides many opportunities for informal advisement by bringing younger students into contact with older ones. Take advantage of what you can learn about your major from students who are just ahead of you.

In addition, SPS offers programs each year to give information about research opportunities, graduate schools, employment in physics and astronomy, and other important topics.

Drop by the SPS office (see directory above) any time to ask questions about activitiees or help with suceeding as a physics major, or email byusps.officers@gmail.com

Undergraduate Research Coordinator

The Undergraduate Research Coordinator can advise you in preparing for and finding research opportunities as an undergraduate student and coordinates approval of senior theses.

Capstone Project Coordinator

The Capstone Project Coordinator advises applied physics majors in choosing a capstone project, and evaluates the project with the mentoring faculty or professional.