Academic Program
INTRODUCTORY COURSES
All three departmental majors (Physics, Astronomy, and Astrophysics) begin with PHYS 003 (General Physics I: Motion, Forces, and Energy) in the fall semester of the first year, followed in the spring by PHYS 004 (General Physics II: Electricity, Magnetism, Light, and Waves) After completing these courses, students intending any of the three majors take PHYS 005 (The World of Particles and Waves) in the fall and PHYS 006 (Foundations of Contemporary Physics).
Students who have studied physics in high school, either with calculus or the AP algebra-based physics course concurrently with calculus, are encouraged to take the department placement test the summer before arriving to determine if they can place out of PHYS 003, PHYS 004, or both.
Intended astronomy or astrophysics majors typically take ASTR 016 (Astrophysics: Stars, ISM, and Galaxies) during the fall of their sophomore year, along with the above classes. They may also take ASTR 014 (Astrophysics: Solar System and Cosmology) during the spring of either their first year or second year.
ADVANCED COURSES
Having completed the above four-semester sequence of courses, a physics, astronomy, or astrophysics major is prepared to take the upper level seminars our department offers, with the three different majors requiring a different mix of advanced courses and seminars. We also offer a rotating set of advanced elective seminars, typically taken by seniors, but not required for the major. We also offer two Advanced Laboratory courses (081, 082), a half-credit each, which are required for physics majors as is PHYS 063 (Procedures in Experimental Physics) which is also a half-credit course and is a pre-requisite for Advanced Laboratory.
See the course major and minor pages for requirements for the physics, astronomy, or astrophysics majors.
COURSE OFFERINGS FOR NONMAJOR SCIENCE STUDENTS
Intended for students majoring in engineering, chemistry, biology, and other fields outside of our own department, the two semester calculus-based sequence of PHYS 003 and 004 covers primarily mechanics and electricity and magnetism. For students interested in life sciences, PHYS 003L is offered every fall, and PHYS 004L is offered every spring.
COURSE PLACEMENT
The Physics and Astronomy department welcomes all students, regardless of previous experience with physics and astronomy, to take classes in our department and consider a major or minor in Physics, Astrophysics, or Astronomy. There are multiple pathways for success in our department; which path will be the best fit for you depends on your background. If you have not taken physics before coming to Swarthmore, we recommend the PHYS 003/003L and PHYS 004/004L sequence as a starting point. If you have taken any physics before coming to Swarthmore, take the Physics 3 placement test so that we can determine the best starting point for you.
In particular, students with an interest in a Physics, Astrophysics, or Astronomy major or minor, who have some physics background, should take the Physics 3 placement test to find the best entry point to the department for their background and learning. Credit for or placement out of Physics 003/003L is a prerequisite for Physics 005, Physics 006, and Astronomy 16. For students who have studied electricity and magnetism using calculus (AP C level), a separate Physics 4 placement test likewise informs second-semester course selection.
Please see this document for the most up-to-date information on how course placement works within the department.
