difference between physics 2 series and 4 series (physics major)

baktrax
Thu, 11 Sep 2014 02:21:07 +0000

It’s recommended that you take the 4 series, but the 2 series is also accepted (source: http://www.ucsd.edu/catalog/curric/PHYS-ug.html). I personally think you should take the 4 series if you’re a physics major, since it seems to be highly recommend and because it doesn’t seem like you breezed through AP Physics, but it’s your choice. You could speak to an advisor if you’d like an opinion from someone in your department.

If you’re only reason for wanting to take the 2 series is that you want to graduate a year early, I would recommend taking the 4 series, unless you can’t afford to stay four years. It will give you a stronger foundation in physics, which will help you do better in upper-division courses and help you have a better understanding of the material. Also, staying the extra year will give you more opportunities to get internships and work experience, which may be easier to get as an undergraduate, especially if you have no experience. The more experience you get as a college student, the easier it will be to find a job and the higher pay you may get. If you want to go to grad school, then I’d especially recommend you stay in college for all four years and get more research experience.

How much calculus have you done? If you took AP Calc and got out of Math 20A and B, then you would still have to take C-D-E-F before you can take PHYS 100A. That would require the same amount of quarters as taking 4A-B-C-D that is required to take PHYS 100A.

Are there GEs you could take during your first two years to fill up your schedule? Other pre-reqs? What would you like to do after you graduate? Taking extra programming classes will likely be useful in the future.