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This archived information is dated to the 2011-12 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin.

Minor in Physics or Astronomy

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Physics

A minor is offered in either Physics or Astronomy. Students who take the PHYSICS 20, 40, or 60 series at Stanford in support of their major may count those units towards the minor. Those who have fulfilled Physics requirements at the 20 or 40 level by enrollment at another accredited university, or through advanced placement credits, may count credits towards 21/22 and 23/24, or 41/42 and 43/44, respectively. 25/26, or 45/46 for a technical minor, must be taken at Stanford even if similar material has been covered elsewhere. With the 21/22/23/24 or 41/43/44 exception noted above, all courses for the minor must be taken at Stanford University for a letter grade, and a grade of 'C-' or better must be received for all units applied toward the minor. The minor declaration deadline is three quarters before graduation, typically the beginning of Autumn Quarter if the student is graduating at the end of Spring Quarter.

MINOR IN PHYSICS

An undergraduate minor in Physics requires a minimum of 25 units with the following course work:

 

Units

PHYSICS 41/42, 43/44, 45/46 and PHYSICS 70

19

or

 

PHYSICS 61/62, 63/64, 65/67

16

At least three PHYSICS courses numbered 100 or above

9-12

Total

25-31

* PHYSICS 67 may be substituted for PHYSICS 44.

MINOR IN ASTRONOMY

Students wishing to pursue advanced work in astrophysical sciences should major in physics and concentrate in astrophysics. Students who take the 20, 40, or 60 series at Stanford in support of their major may count those units towards the minor. However, students outside of physics with a general interest in astronomy may organize their studies by completing one of the following minor programs.

An undergraduate minor in astronomy requires the following courses:

Non-Technical—For students whose majors do not require the PHYSICS 40 or 60 series:

 

Units

PHYSICS 21, 23, 25/26

10

PHYSICS 50 or 100 (Observatory Lab)

3-4

Choose two courses from the following:

PHYSICS 15, 16, 17

6

Total

19-20 (9-10 in addition to the 20 series)

Technical—For students whose majors require the PHYSICS 40 or 60 series:

 

Units

PHYSICS 41, 43, 45/46

13-14

or

 

PHYSICS 61, 63, 65 and 67

 

PHYSICS 70

4

PHYSICS 100 (Observatory Lab)

4

Choose two courses from the following:

PHYSICS 160,* 161,* EE 106*

6

Total

27-28 (14 or 15 in addition to the 40 or 60 series)

* With approval of the minor adviser and the chair of the Astronomy Course Program, 3 units of PHYSICS 169, Independent Study in Astrophysics, may be substituted for one course of astronomy (e.g., 160, 161, EE 106). This independent study can either be constituted as a directed reading program or participation in a research project. Students are also encouraged to take the electricity and magnetism/optics lab of the appropriate PHYSICS series (24, 44, and 64) for 1 additional unit.

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