Difference bewteen B.A Physics vs B.S Physics

[dcasarrubias]

What is the difference between a B.A in Physics and a B.S in Physics? There are 2 liberal arts schools that I have been accepted into but both only offer a B.A in Physics so I can't really compare the course curriculum between a B.A and B.S, since they don't offer a B.S. Will this be something that can prevent me from being accepted into graduate school?

The first school "St Mary's College of Maryland" offers two options: "Physics Major with Concentration in Fundamental Physics " and "Physics Major with Concentration
in Applied Physics" These are the classes each must take:

Physics Major with Concentration in Fundamental Physics

Fundamentals of Physics 1*
Fundamentals of Physics 2*
Fundamentals of Physics 3
Mechanics
Advanced Physics Laboratory
Electricity & Magnetism
Quantum Mechanics
Statistical Mechanics
St. Mary's Project (8 credits)
Calculus 1
Calculus 2
Vector Calculus
Linear Algebra

ELECTIVES(One of the following)
Mathematical Methods in Physics,
Optics,
Astrophysics & Cosmology
Senior Seminar in Physics,
Differential Equations,
Physical Chemistry,
Independent Study (PHYS 399/499)




"Physics Major with Concentration in Applied Physics"

Fundamentals of Physics 1*
Fundamental of Physics 2*
Fundamental of Physics 3*
Electronics
Advanced Physics Laboratory
Electricity & Magnetism
Quantum Mechanics
Intro to Computer Science 1 or General Chemistry 2
Topics in Applied Physics 1
Topics in Applied Physics 2
Calculus 1
Calculus 2
Vector Calculus
Linear Algebra

ELECTIVES(One of the following)

Mechanics,
Optics,
Astrophysics & Cosmology,
Statistical Mechanics,
Senior Seminar Physics,
Differential Equations,
Physical Chemistry,
Software Engineering 1,
Partial Differential Equations







For the second school "Clark University" the courses in the core curriculum include:

1. Introductory Physics (2):

PHYS 120 - Introductory Physics - Part I and
PHYS 121 - Introductory Physics – Part II
or
PHYS 110 - Introductory Physics - Part I and
PHYS 111 - Introductory Physics - Part II

2. Intermediate-level Physics (3):

PHYS 123 - Methods of Physics
PHYS 130 - Oscillations, Waves and Optics
PHYS 131 - Quantum Physics and Relativity

3. Calculus (4):

MATH 124 - Honors Calculus I
MATH 125 - Honors Calculus II
MATH 130 - Linear Algebra
MATH 131 - Multivariate Calculus

4. Laboratory-based courses (1):
PHYS 127 - Computer Simulation Laboratory
OR
PHYS 219 - Electronics Laboratory

5. Upper-level courses (4):
PHYS 150 - Statistical and Thermal Physics
PHYS 160 - Classical Mechanics
PHYS 161 - Electricity and Magnetism
PHYS 171 - Introduction to Quantum Mechanics

6. Senior project (1):

PHYS 299 - Directed Studies in Physics
Total in core curriculum: 15
Additional approved electives: 3
Total in major program: 18


These are all the Physics courses at Clark university

Physics Courses

PHYS 020 - Discovering Physics
PHYS 030 - The Nature of Light
PHYS 110 - Introductory Physics - Part I
PHYS 111 - Introductory Physics - Part II
PHYS 120 - Introductory Physics - Part I
PHYS 121 - Introductory Physics – Part II
PHYS 123 - Methods of Physics
PHYS 127 - Computer Simulation Laboratory
PHYS 130 - Oscillations, Waves and Optics
PHYS 131 - Quantum Physics and Relativity
PHYS 140 - Energy, the Environment, and Climate
PHYS 145 - Physics of Biomolecular networks
PHYS 150 - Statistical and Thermal Physics
PHYS 160 - Classical Mechanics
PHYS 161 - Electricity and Magnetism
PHYS 165 - Continuum Mechanics
PHYS 167 - Fluid Mechanics and Applications
PHYS 169 - Information Theory, Inference, and Networks
PHYS 171 - Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
PHYS 201 - Classical Dynamics
PHYS 202 - Electrodynamics
PHYS 205 - Quantum Mechanics – Part I
PHYS 206 - Quantum Mechanics – Part II
PHYS 209 - Statistical Mechanics
PHYS 219 - Electronics Laboratory
PHYS 243 - Technology of Renewable Energy
PHYS 290 - Senior Seminar
PHYS 299 - Directed Studies in Physics

 

[wotanub]

In the U.S. they are the same thing. Different schools just call by either name. I think some places Princeton call them A.B.

 

[mpresic]

Some schools (I can only speak of about 30 years ago), the BS is harder in that it usually required 1-2 more courses. Many schools had only one program B.A or B.S. The admissions council at my graduate school treated them equally (including the one person who got the A.B. recognized as a B.A.)

 

[djh101]

At UCLA, the difference between the B.S. and the B.A. is two labs (instead of one) and three physics (or physics related) electives.
http://www.pa.ucla.edu/content/majors-and-requirements

 

[jtbell]

they don't offer a B.S. Will this be something that can prevent me from being accepted into graduate school?

No. Lots of people with B.A.'s in physics from small schools get into "decent" grad schools. I got into Michigan with a B.A. from a small college.

Harvard offers only a B.A., by the way. I've never seen anyone complain about that.

 

[TomServo]

If physics grad school is your aim, take upper level e&m, classical mechanics, stat mech, and quantum (at least one semester each), and do at least one Summer of research.

 

[jtbell]

If physics grad school is your aim, take upper level e&m, classical mechanics, stat mech, and quantum (at least one semester each)

Right, those are the "core four." Note that Clark requires exactly those four upper-level courses as part of their physics major, and St. Mary's requires them in their "Physics Major with Concentration in Fundamental Physics".

[added later] Aha, now I see that Clark has two sets of the "core four" courses: 150, 160, 161 & 171 which are part of the requirements for the major, and 201, 202, 205, 206 & 209 which cover the same areas, with QM being a 2-course sequence.

If you go to the physics major page at

http://catalog.clarku.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=9&poid=1104

and click on the link for e.g. Physics 201, you get a description which includes the statement "Designed to prepare students for graduate work in physics." These courses appear to be the same lectures as the corresponding graduate courses (301, 302 etc.) but with different homework problems and tests. I've never seen a setup like this before.