Plans of Study

The Physics/Astronomy Department offers these options for Majors in Physics:

B.S. in Physics
B.A. in Education with endorsement to teach physics and math
B.A. in Education with endorsement to teach physics and chemistry.

Two different Minors are also available, a Physics Minor, and an Astronomy Minor.

The first two years of the physics program is based on the following core courses:

• PHYS 121, 122, 123, 131, 132, 133; MATH 124, 125, 224; CSCI 141
• PHYS 223, 224, 225, 233, 322, 325; MATH 203, 303

Students planning to transfer from a community college should strive to take as many equivalents of the courses above as possible. The community college sequence equivalent to PHYS 121-122-123 will usually be called introductory physics with calculus and will probably include PHYS 131-132-133, which are just the lab courses that accompany the corresponding PHYS 121-122-123 courses. MATH 124-125-224 is the first year of college calculus, and MATH 225 is a second quarter of multivariable calculus. Students should be aware that 200-level community college courses in differential equations may not transfer to Western as equivalent to MATH 331.

If your are transferring be sure to check out the WWU Admissions Transfer Information page.

If you declared the major prior the current course sequence, you have the option of completing the plan in effect at the time you officially declared, or you may switch to the new plan.

Physics majors are expected to complete two credits of a senior project.

For more information, see the WWU Online General Catalog; the course sequence; or contact the Physics/Astronomy Advisor.