It has been recognized that physics graduates progressing to careers in experimental physics in industry or to studies for a higher degree, need on-the-job training in the design and planning stage of experiments. More often than not this training is haphazard, with a good chance that the trainee is self-taught. We believe that the education of our majors will be more complete if their first planning and design assignments are performed with an oversight and feedback from faculty, in a formal course setting. To meet this need we have inaugurated an experimental physics design lab for seniors. A core of equipment has been assembled for the course, and more apparatus is being brought into the laboratory to bring it to its planned stage. The main goals of the teaching mode for the course are to develop initiative, and to instill in the students the need for sound design and planning of experiments. The choice of experiments is based on a number of factors; utilization of a physical principle or technique of wide applicability, available equipment, and non-overlap with experiments in preceding laboratory courses. The experiments chosen also are somewhat open-ended, to meet the goals of the teaching mode.
