Question by Chris: Physics in College… required?
I am currently a senior in High School in Texas and I am taking Physics. As a note, it isn’t a required course for me… the state legislature was too slow! But, I figured I’d take it since I assumed it was a pretty standard and typical requirement in college to have a physics course… well, now I am cringing at the thought. At the beginning of my senior year I had a 3.64 GPA, but for whatever reason I am having a very considerable level of difficulty with Physics. It is only the beginning of the year and I may be blowing this out of proportion, but I am extremely frustrated. On to my question.
Is a Physics course pretty standard for most colleges as a basic requirement? If so, how many minimal (year, two years?)?
Before, I had in mind working towards something in very likely in Economics, Political Science, Information Technology, or Engineering. I have a gut feeling this likely will end up being a considerable influence in the elimination of Engineering from that list.
Best answer:
Answer by spriteremix05
Most schools don’t require you to take a science class like Physics. If they SPECIFY what science class you have to take (my school does not, but you have to take a certain number of science credits in classes of your choice) they mostly stick to bio and chem…
Good luck with physics!
Add your own answer in the comments!
It is highly dependent on your program and school. Generally anything that is un science related and if you go for more of the business related , Political science and depending on the program IT you probably wont have to take physics. But definitely erase Engineering from that list as physics is a definite requirement.
Liberals arts majors generally don’t have to take physics per se, but merely select a physical science course to take, which could also be geology, metereology, or something of the like. In addition, most institutions offer a liberal arts approach algebraic physics course which is far, far, easier than physics intended for engineering students.
Majoring in a hard science does require a full year of calculus-based physics coursework with its associated labs. Majoring in any type of engineering will require one to take at least three full semesters of calculus-based physics with its labs, and this includes quantum mechanics which is generally taken in the third semester.
Are you asking if it’s required to be admitted to the college, or is it required to graduate form the college? I think the answer to both is no.
In college, you will have to take science courses, but depending on your major, you can probably just take some easier courses like 100 level Geology, Oceanography, Chemistry, and stuff like that. I hope this helps.
In addition to what others have said, what type of science you decide to major in depends on the ‘level’ of physics you have to take.
For most schools (as I understand it), the Physics that a Biology major would have to take isn’t the same as the (Calculus based) Physics that an Engineer (or a Physics) major would have to take.
Don’t rule out majors yet. It might just be too early for the level of Physics you’re at. A year from now when you’d have to take Physics at a University, you’ll have another years worth of Math an other science classes under your belt.