Courses

Undergraduate Courses

An undergraduate physics education is broad and basic. Undergraduate students, even in introductory classes, are exposed to new ideas associated with explorations at the boundaries of human knowledge.

The lower-division introductory courses in the major programs (Physics 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D sequence) are well suited to students in the physical sciences and engineering.  Current course requirements for the major are listed in the UC Santa Cruz General Catalog.

Graduate Courses

The Physics Department offers graduate programs leading to the master of science (M.S.) and/or the doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees. In the first year of study, Ph.D. students are expected to take two core graduate-level courses per quarter, including the courses required for the Ph.D. degree (210, 212, 214, 215, 216, 219) and other courses specific to the student’s field of interest. All first-year students also take 205, Introduction to Research. All graduate students also attend a weekly colloquium, 292.