Suggested Course Sequences and Study Abroad
Suggested Course Sequences
The following are some suggested course sequences:
Please contact
the
Director
of Undergraduate Studies in Physics if you have questions about
which courses to take or whether your background is suitable for
taking a given course, especially Physics 161L and 162L.
Students who might major in physics should try to complete a year-long
college-level calculus-based introductory physics course by the end of
their freshman year so that they can take Physics 264 ("Modern
Physics") at the beginning of their sophomore year. While it is
possible to start the physics major with introductory physics in the
sophomore year, this leads to a compressed and challenging academic
schedule, with little extra time to take physics electives or to do an
independent study involving research.
Note that students without advanced placement credit in calculus or
physics will need to take five courses per semester twice in order to
fulfill the 34-course graduation requirement.
Study Abroad
There are several ways to incorporate a semester or a year of
study abroad into the physics program. The possibilities are too
numerous and varied to list and should be discussed with the Director
of Undergraduate Studies, but here are some guidelines:
- Where physics courses are taught in English: Duke
physics majors have obtained transfer credit for upper level physics
courses taken in Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. In cases
where the course offerings do not match the Duke curriculum well,
special arrangements can be made for supplemental work under the
supervision of a professor at the foreign institution. See the
Director of Undergraduate Studies for details.
- Where physics courses are not taught in English or you do
not want to take physics during your semester abroad: If you
feel comfortable taking physics in a foreign language, it is likely
that you can find a suitable substitute for any course specifically
required for the major. More typically, however, Duke students choose
not to take any physics while studying in a different language. The
AB program can easily accomodate a semester with no physics, and with
a little planning and consultation with the Director of Undergraduate
Studies, a BS program can generally be arranged. The one constraint
is that PHY 264 and PHY 361 must be completed by the end of the junior
year.
If you would like to incorporate a semester or year of study abroad
into your physics major program, begin by visiting the
Duke Global Education
for information about affiliated universities. After collecting the
relevant information about course offerings at the places that
interest you, make an appointment with the Director of Undergraduate
Studies to discuss your options.