<p>It depends on whether you have to take the 151/152/153 sequence anyway </p>
<p>If you do, then if you’re up to the challenge, by all means go for it! it’s very rewarding - if you like physics, it’s an opportunity to really go in depth and learn interesting things beyond what’s necessary for you to move on to more advanced classes. I highly recommend the honors courses to people who are interested in physics and have the right background to succeed.</p>
<p>I assume by non-major you mean either non-physics majors (i.e., engineers), or non-science/engineering majors in general.</p>
<p>If it’s the first case, you’re in good company - probably the majority of the people in 161/162 are engineers or other non-physics majors.</p>
<p>If you don’t have to take 151/152/153 for your major, then it becomes a bit more complicated. Non-major/specialized courses like PHYS 100, 125, 135ab, etc all have fewer math requirements than 161/162, and having good calc skills is essential for success in 161/162. So the question becomes, is it worth the extra investment in time & effort, especially if it’s not just learning a lot of extra physics but math as well.</p>