All courses for the Physics major must be taken for a letter grade, and a grade of 'C-' or better must be received for all units applied toward the major. The only exceptions for which a grade of S or CR is acceptable are PHYSICS 42, 44, 46, 62, 64, 67, and one and only one of the following courses: PHYSICS 41, 43, 45, 61, 63, 65. Temporary exceptions to this policy are as follows:

(2020-21)

The Department of Physics counts all courses taken in academic year 2020-21 with a grade of 'CR' (credit) or 'S' (satisfactory) towards satisfaction of undergraduate Physics degree requirements that otherwise require a letter grade.

(2021-22)

The Department of Physics counts PHYSICS 41, 43, 45, 61, 63, or 65 taken in academic year 2021-22 with a grade of 'CR' (credit) or a letter grade of C- or higher towards satisfaction of undergraduate Physics degree requirements for introductory physics.

Students who have already learned the material in some of the required introductory physics and math courses may petition to substitute more advanced courses (generally Physics and Math Electives) instead for the major. This petition must be approved by the Physics Major Advisor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Interested students should contact the Student Services Officer in the Physics Department. In no case will this reduce the total number of courses required for the major.

See these sample four-year plans that illustrate how to complete the required courses for all pathways for different starting points in the math and physics sequences.

All students who would like to enroll in either course Light and Heat or course Mechanics and Special Relativity must take the Placement Diagnostic if they have never taken an Introductory Physics course at Stanford (i.e., not taken at least one of the following courses: PHYSICS 21, 23, 25, 41, 41A/E, 43, 45, 61, 63, 65).

All frosh must take the Placement Diagnostic to enroll in course Mechanics.

For more information, see the department's Physics Placement Diagnostic page.

PHYS-BS - Physics (BS)

Download as PDF

Overview

Program Policies

Learning Outcomes

External Credit Policies