College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences

B.S. in Physics (Standard Track), students starting with ARC 35 (intermediate algebra workshop)

The co-requisite course for PHYS 41A is Math 9A or higher.  For this reason, students who place into ARC 35 can't start the PHYS 41ABC series in their first quarter.  This page gives an alternate path through the introductory physics series for students who place into ARC 35.  The recommended path below has you take two courses in both summer sessions after your first spring quarter, which will start the chemistry series and advance you in the math sequence.  If taking courses in the summer is not an option for you, it's possible to continue the math sequence with 9A in the fall of your second year, concurrent with Phys 41A, and finish the chemistry series in year 3 or 4.

Students who complete this two-year plan, including all of Math (9ABC, 10AB, 46) will be prepared to take both PHYS 130A and 135A in the fall quarter of their third year and finish in four years.  The physics courses in years 3 and 4 will follow the example shown here for transfer students.

Freshman year

Fall Winter Spring Summer session 1 Summer session 2
ARC 35 (no units) Math 6A (4 units) Math 6B (4 units) Math 9A (4 units) Math 9B (4 units)
Breadth 1 of 7 (4 units) Breadth 3 of 7 (4 units) Breadth 5 of 7 (4 units) Chem 1A/1AL (5 units) Chem 1B/1BL (5 units)
English 1A (4 units) English 1B (4 units) Breadth 6 of 7 (4 units)    
Breadth 2 of 7 (4 units) Breadth 4 of 7 (4 units) Breadth 7 of 7 (4 units)    
Phys 39 (3 units) S/NS        
Total units 15 Total units 17 Total units 17 Total units 9 Total units 9

Sophomore year

Fall Winter Spring    
Phys 41A (8 units)  Phys 41B (8 units) Phys 41C (8 units)  Math 46 (4 units)  
Math 9C (4 units) Math 10A (4 units) Math 10B (4 units)    
Chem 1C/1CL (5 units) CS 10A or CS 9P (4 units) Elective (4 units)    
Total units 17 Total units 16 Total units 16  Total units 4  
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