Fall 2026
Lectures: MWF, 9.00-9:50am in Small 235
Instructor: Irina Novikova
Office: Small 251 |
E-mail: ixnovi[at]wm.edu |
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Office hours: TBD |
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Web-site: http://www.physics.wm.edu/~inovikova/phys213/phys213.html |
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Grader: TBA (if any) |
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Office hours: |
E-mail: |
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Course overview: This course will provide an introduction to the basic optics concepts and their applications. We cover three main sections: geometrical optics and optical instrumentation design; wave optics, polarization phenomena and interaction with matter; quantum optics. Students will participate in hand-on in-class activities, as well as complete several special projects on selected topics. This course will explore the connection to visual arts, and students will explore both scientific and artistic methods to analyze optical phenomena.
See Course Schedule for the detailed breakdown of the covered material, copies of the lecture notes and weekly problem sets.
Pre-requisites: MATH111 or basic knowledge of calculus. You should be able to do simple algebraic calculations, use trigonometric functions, calculate derivatives, and have some familiarity with Taylor series and integrals of simple functions of one variable.
Reading materials: There is no required textbook for this course. Below are some resources you may find useful:
· The Light Fantastic, A Modern Introduction to Classical and Quantum Optics, Ian R. Kenyon, Oxford University Press, 2008.
· University Physics III - Optics and Modern Physics (OpenStax)
· Physics of Light and Optics, J. Peatross and M. Ware, 2015 edition, available at optics.byu.edu
Homework: Homework assignments will be posted approximately once a week (as indicated in the course schedule). Each assignment will include several free-response problems (submitted using Blackboard). For full credit, assignments must be turned in electronically before their due date, which almost always be on Friday. Late assignments will be accepted until the following Monday, but the grade will be reduced by 50%, unless you secure an extension from me before the due date. Please make sure that the submitted solutions are readable and understandable; no grade will be assigned if the writing is illegible.
You will get the most out of the course if you make a serious effort to do the assignments on your own. If you having difficulties, the best approach is to discuss the homework problems with other students or your instructor, but then finish the solution by yourself. The main goal of the homework problems is to let your practice and explore the problems from the lectures. If you delegate this process to another agent, you are robbing yourself from the benefits of this class. Resist the temptation – remind yourself that you cannot improve without practice.
Office hours: I will have regularly scheduled office hours after TBD. However, I do have an open-door policy: if my door is open, feel free to stop by (although I cannot guarantee that I always have time to help you right then). If the office hours do not work with your schedule, email me to schedule a meeting (in person or via Zoom).
Electronic Access: This syllabus, the course schedule, lecture notes, supplemental materials, and homework assignments and solutions will be posted on the course website. I will use blackboard mainly to post confidential information, such as grades.
If you need to get in touch, e-mail is my preferred method of communication. I am usually fairly good about answering quickly, but please write your e-mails under assumption that it may take a day or two for me to respond. Also, I would like to strongly discourage any physics questions over e-mail: it is much more efficient to discuss those in person or via Zoom.
Grades: In addition to the homework and special projects, there will be two in-class tests, and an in-class final exam. If you know you will miss a test due to a university-sanctioned event, please notify me by email at least a week prior to the test time, so that alternative arrangements can be made. If you are ill on the day of a midterm test, please contact me as soon as possible to schedule makeup time. Any changes to the final exam time must be done through the official channels. If you have any special accommodation for the tests, please make relevant arrangements with the Watson center before each test. Participation grade will reflect asking questions and contributing to in-class discussions and other activities, and interactions during office hours.
Course grade will be based on the following distribution:
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Homework |
3% |
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Two midterm tests |
10% each |
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Special projects |
15% |
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Final exam |
30% |
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Class participation |
5% |
Letter grades will be assigned according to the following approximate grading scale:
A: 90-100% B: 80-89% C: 70-79% D: 60-69% F: below 60%
Letter grade ranges will be further subdivided into + and - grades. Note that this scale may be adjusted down depending on the overall class performance.
Important Dates:
Last day of Add/Drop: Friday, September 4
Last day to Withdraw: Monday, October 26
Final Exam: Monday, December 14 9am-12pm
In-class Tests: Wednesday, September 30 and November 4
Accessibility: William & Mary accommodates students with disabilities in accordance with federal laws and university policy. Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a learning, psychiatric, physical, or chronic health diagnosis should contact Student Accessibility Services staff at 757-221-2509 or at sas@wm.edu to determine if accommodations are warranted and to obtain an official letter of accommodation. For more information, please see www.wm.edu/sas.
Mental health support resources: William & Mary recognizes that students juggle different responsibilities and can face challenges that make learning difficult. There are many resources available at W&M to help students navigate emotional/psychological, physical/medical, material/accessibility concerns, including:
The W&M Counseling Center at (757) 221-3620. Services are free and confidential.
The W&M Health Center at (757) 221-4386.
For additional support or resources & questions, contact the Dean of Students at 757-221-2510.
For a list of other resources available to students, see:
https://www.wm.edu/offices/wellness/resources/index.php