Choosing Your Courses in Physics and Astronomy

If you’re looking for guidance in choosing courses, check out these sample schedules that are optimized for particular goals.

Basic Schedule to Complete the Physics Major

Students with AP calculus are strongly advised to complete the calculus sequence (through Math 113) during their first year.
 

	Fall	Spring
First year	Physics 131 Math 111 First-year seminar / CORE Area of Inquiry elective	Physics 232 Math 112 CORE Area of Inquiry elective
Second year	Physics 233 Math 113 CORE Physics 201-202 (1/4 credit each) Optional elective	Physics 334 Physics 336 CORE Physics 203-204 (1/4 credit each) Optional elective
Third year	Physics elective Area of Inquiry elective Elective/Global Engagements Elective	Physics elective Area of Inquiry elective Elective Elective
Fourth year	Physics 410 Elective Elective Elective	Physics elective Elective Elective Elective

Return to the physics and astronomy academic program page.

Basic Schedule to Complete the Astronomy-Physics Major

Students with AP calculus are strongly advised to complete the calculus sequence (through Math 113) during their first year.

	Fall	Spring
First year	Physics 131 Math 111 First-year seminar / CORE Area of Inquiry elective	Physics 232 Math 112 CORE Area of Inquiry elective
Second year	Physics 233 Math 113 Physics 201-202 (1/4 credit each) Astronomy 210 or 312 Optional elective	Physics 334 Physics 203-204 (1/4 credit each) CORE CORE Optional elective
Third year	Astronomy 210 or 312 Physics/astronomy elective Area of Inquiry elective Elective	Physics/astronomy elective Area of Inquiry elective Elective/Global Engagements Elective
Fourth year	Physics 410 Elective Elective Elective	Physics/astronomy elective Elective Elective Elective

Return to the physics and astronomy academic program page.

Basic Schedule to Complete the Astrogeophysics Major

Since the astrogeophysics requirements span several departments, the ordering of the courses can be easily re-arranged. For example, a student might start with an interest in geology and complete courses in geology and mathematics in his/her first year, and then take physics courses in later years.
 

	Fall	Spring
First year	Physics 131 Math 111 First-year seminar / CORE Geology 1xx	Physics 232 Math 112 CORE Area of Inquiry elective
Second year	Physics 233 Math 113 Astronomy 210/312 Physics 201-202 (1/4 credit each)	Physics 203-204 (1/4 credit each) Geology 201 CORE CORE
Third year	Astronomy 210/312 Area of Inquiry elective Chemistry 101 Elective/Global Engagements	Astronomy/physics elective Area of Inquiry elective Chemistry 102 Geology 202
Fourth year	Astronomy/physics elective Area of Inquiry elective Elective Elective	Elective Elective Elective Elective

Return to the physics and astronomy academic program page.

Schedule Option for Students Who Want a Less Intense Sophomore Year

This schedule takes advantage of lab credits gained in other semesters to allow the student to take reduced loads both semesters (3.75 credits in the fall and 3.5 credits in the spring). Note that students who choose this option cannot go abroad in the spring of their junior year because they need to take Physics 336 while on campus.
 

	Fall	Spring
First year	Physics 131 Math 111 First-year seminar / CORE Area of Inquiry elective	Physics 232 Math 112 CORE Area of Inquiry elective
Second year	Physics 233 Math 113 CORE Physics 201-202 (1/4 credit each)	Physics 334 CORE Physics 203-204 (1/4 credit each) Area of Inquiry elective
Third year	Physics elective Area of Inquiry elective Elective/Global Engagements Elective	Physics 336 Physics elective Elective Elective
Fourth year	Physics 410 Elective Elective Elective	Physics elective Elective Elective Elective

Return to the physics and astronomy academic program page.

Schedule for Students Who Don’t Start Physics Until Their Sophomore Year

This approach is not recommended for students who know in their first year that they may be interested in a physics major. Upper-level physics courses are offered only in alternate years, so students who don’t complete the sophomore-level courses until their junior year will only have the possibility of taking half the upper-level offerings, including only two of the courses that are important for graduate school.

If you realize after your first semester that you are interested in a physics major, it may be possible for you to enroll in Physics 232 in the spring semester. Please speak with the instructor and/or the department chair. You will need to take an extra upper-level course in order to complete the major, but the advantage is that you will be able to take both years of upper-level physics electives.

But, for those who don’t get started in their first year, it is still possible to complete the major in this way, and many graduate schools will allow students to enroll in undergraduate classes to make up for classes they missed. Better late than never!
 

	Fall	Spring
First year	First-year seminar / CORE Area of Inquiry elective Elective Elective	CORE Area of Inquiry elective Elective Elective
Second year	Physics 131 Math 111 CORE Area of Inquiry elective	Physics 232 Math 112 CORE Area of Inquiry elective
Third year	Physics 233 Math 113 Physics 201-202 (1/4 credit each) Elective (or Astronomy 210/312 for astronomy-physics conc.)	Physics 334 Physics 336 (not required for physics-astronomy major) Physics 203-204 (1/4 credit each) Optional elective
Fourth year	Physics 410 Physics/astronomy elective Elective/Global Engagements Elective (or Astronomy 210/312 for astronomy-physics conc.)	Physics/astronomy elective Physics/astronomy elective Elective Elective

Return to the physics and astronomy academic program page.

Schedule to Prepare for Graduate Study in Physics

This schedule includes extra math courses—take as many as you can—and suggests that in addition to the fundamental sequence Physics 431-432-433-434, you also enroll in as many physics electives as possible in order to discover areas you’d like to study in graduate school. Note that if you complete Math 250 in addition to these courses, you are eligible for a minor concentration in applied mathematics.
 

	Fall	Spring
First year	Physics 131 Math 111 First-year seminar / CORE Area of Inquiry elective	Physics 232 Math 112 CORE Area of Inquiry elective
Second year	Physics 233 Math 113 CORE Physics 201-202 (1/4 credit each) Optional elective	Physics 334 Physics 336 CORE Physics 203-204 (1/4 credit each) Optional elective
Third year	Physics 431 Math 308: Differential Equations Physics elective Area of Inquiry elective	Physics 432 Physics elective Physics elective Area of Inquiry elective
Fourth year	Physics 433 Math 214: Linear Algebra Physics elective Elective/Global Engagements	Physics 434 Math 311: Partial Diff. Equations Math 313: Complex Variables Elective

Return to the physics and astronomy academic program page.

Schedule for Physics Students to Complete Pre-medical Requirements

You’ll find some additional helpful guidance on our health sciences advising page.

This schedule assumes that the student has no AP credit in chemistry or math, and also wants to complete all the pre-med requirements by the end of junior year in order to be able to take MCATs before senior year. (Students with more advanced high school chemistry courses may be able to enroll in Chemistry 111 instead of Chemistry 101/102. These students should take Biology 212 in the spring of their first year.)

Students can gain flexibility by postponing some of these courses to the senior year and planning to spend a year gaining other experiences while applying to medical school. Students who want even more flexibility might consider the Physical Science major, since it’s possible to fill all the Physical Science requirements and pre-medical requirements in a total of 17 courses, plus 4 CORE courses, 1 Global Engagements course, and 2 additional Areas of Inquiry requirements.

For maximum flexibility, consider enrolling in a “post-baccalaureate” program in which you can complete pre-medical requirements in a one-year program.
 

	Fall	Spring
First year	Physics 131 Chemistry 101 Math 111 First-year seminar / CORE	Physics 232 Chemistry 102 Math 112 CORE
Second year	Physics 233 Biology 212 CORE Math 113 Physics 201-202 (1/4 credit each)	Physics 334 Social Rel., Inst., and Agents elective (sociology is suggested) CORE English elective Physics 203-204 (1/4 credit each)
Third year	Physics elective Chemistry 263 Writing & Rhetoric elective Elective (psychology is suggested)	Physics 336 Physics elective Chemistry 264 Biology elective
Fourth year	Physics 410 Elective/Global Engagements Free elective (biology suggested) Free elective	Physics elective Social Rel., Inst., and Agents elective Free elective Free elective

Note on the English and Writing & Rhetoric courses:

Filling the Areas of Inquiry requirement in Human Thought and Expression requires two courses in different departments, while medical schools require two courses that focus on English language, literature, and communication. You can fulfill both these requirements with the same two courses as long as one is in the English department and the other is in Writing and Rhetoric.

The English elective is placed in the sophomore year because 200-level English courses are not open to juniors or seniors. Of course, you’re free to delay this requirement and take an upper-level English course.

Return to the physics and astronomy academic program page.

Schedule for Students Interested in Engineering

You’ll find some general guidance on our pre-professional planning page and a description of the pre-engineering program here.

This schedule prepares students to enter an engineering program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Washington University (St. Louis), or Columbia University. At the conclusion of the five-year program, students will earn a B.A. degree from Colgate University as well as an undergraduate engineering degree from the cooperating institution.

It is also possible for students to complete a four-year degree at Colgate and then earn a master's degree in engineering in 1.5–2 years. There are no formal requirements for these programs, although the schedule below is a useful starting point. Additional physics electives that are particularly useful for engineers include Physics 451: Computational Physics, and other courses related to their area of interest within engineering, such as biophysics, electromagnetism, or optics. Students in the past have been very successful in gaining admission to master's programs in engineering and related fields.
 

	Fall	Spring
First year	Physics 131 Math 111 First-year seminar / CORE Area of Inquiry elective	Physics 232 Math 112 CORE Area of Inquiry elective
Second year	Physics 233 Math 113 CORE Physics 201-202 (1/4 credit each) Optional elective	Physics 334 Physics 336 CORE Physics 203-204 (1/4 credit each) Optional elective
Third year	Physics 431 or 451 Area of Inquiry elective Global Engagements elective Chemistry 101	Physics elective Area of Inquiry elective Computer Science 101 Free elective
Fourth and fifth years	At RPI, Washington University, or Columbia

This is the basic schedule, and would work for 3-2 programs in electrical engineering or mechanical engineering. Some areas of engineering require additional courses. For example, chemical and biomedical engineering require additional chemistry courses, and environmental engineering requires both chemistry and environmental studies coursework. Pre-engineering students are encouraged to consult with the pre-engineering adviser as early in their careers as possible.

Return to the physics and astronomy academic program page.

Certification Program to Teach High School Physics

	Fall	Spring
First year	Physics 131 Math 111 First-year seminar / CORE EDUC 101: The American School	Physics 232 Math 112 CORE Area of Inquiry elective (see note)
Second year	Physics 233 Math 113 CORE Physics 201-202 (1/4 credit each) EDUC 204: Child and Adolescent Development	Physics 334 Physics 336 CORE Physics 203-204 (1/4 credit each) Area of Inquiry elective (see note)
Third year	Physics elective EDUC 202: The Teaching of Reading EDUC 307: Special Education EDUC 321: Educational Psychology	Physics elective Physics elective Area of Inquiry elective (see note) Area of Inquiry elective (see note)
Fourth year	Physics 410 EDUC 308: Comparative Education Free elective Free elective	EDUC 419: Diagnosis & Remediation of Reading Problems EDUC 455: Student Teaching EDUC 453: Curr. and Instruction

It is important for students interested in certification to consult with the education department as soon as possible in order to ensure that they will be able to fulfill the certification requirements.

The certification program has specific requirements for Area of Inquiry requirements. Within the area of Human Thought and Expression, students are encouraged to choose one course from the English department, and one course in either Art or Music. Within Social Relations, Institutions, and Agents, students should choose one course in American History, and a second in Geography, Political Science, Economics, or Geography.

Return to the physics and astronomy academic program page.