First-year courses and beyond
Faculty of Science
Faculty of Mathematics
This a sample schedule. Courses or when a course is offered may change depending on availability.
After first year
About half of the classes you’ll take will be Physics courses, with roughly the other half being Applied Mathematics and Math courses. With your remaining classes, you can choose electives from many of the 100 subject areas at Waterloo.
Sample upper-year courses
AMATH 361 – Continuum Mechanics
AMATH 353 – Partial Differential Equations 1
PHYS 476 – Introduction to General Relativity
PHYS 359 – Statistical Mechanics
What will you learn?
Types of courses you'll take
This is a general guideline. The ratio of courses may change slightly from year to year.
Skills you'll develop with this major
- Advanced mathematical skills
- Qualitative and quantitative analysis
- Systemic, rigorous, and flexible problem solving
- Applied programming and data analysis
- Creative application of knowledge to design new technologies
This isn't an exhaustive list – rather a glimpse into the skills a Mathematical Physics major can provide.
Your experience will be unique, and the skills you develop will depend on your goals; which courses you take; and your involvement with any clubs, jobs, or research projects.
Advisors are here to help
With so much flexibility, you might have a lot of questions. We're here to help! If you're applying for admission, contact our Faculty of Science recruitment co-ordinator or our Faculty of Mathematics recruitment co-ordinator.
Once you're a Waterloo student, you'll have access to academic advisors who can help you
- choose your courses,
- select minors and specializations,
- ensure that you're meeting the requirements for your degree, and more.
Next steps
- Overview of Waterloo's Mathematical Physics degree program.
- Download a Faculty of Science and a Faculty of Mathematics brochure.