Physics

Overview

The department offers four different introductory sequences and two degree programs. Also offered are introductory courses that fulfill the science and quantitative reasoning distributional requirements and are appropriate for non–science majors. Combined majors are available in Mathematics and Physics, Astrophysics, Physics and Philosophy, and Physics and Geosciences. Applied Physics is a closely related major.

Learning outcomes

Physics courses at Yale University numbered 120 or below are for students with little or no previous experience in physics who do not plan to major in the natural sciences. These courses have no college-level mathematics requirement and do not satisfy the medical school requirement.

• University Physics for the Life Sciences is for students with little background in physics and mathematics who will probably not major in the physical sciences but who may be interested in the medical and biological sciences. There is no mathematics prerequisite other than high school mathematics.

• University Physics is for students with some previous background in physics and mathematics who plan to major in the physical sciences.

• Fundamentals of Physics is for students with a strong background in mathematics and physics who plan to major in the physical sciences.

• Intensive Introductory Physics is intended for students who have had excellent training in and have a flair for mathematical methods and quantitative analysis; a solid foundation in physics is required.