First-year courses
Programs/majors in the Faculty of Science start right in first year. To select your program with confidence, here’s some handy info to get you started.
September to December
January to April
This a sample schedule. Courses or when a course is offered may change depending on availability.
Note: First-year courses CHEM 120/CHEM 120L, and CHEM 123 may be replaced by first-year BIOL or EARTH courses.
After first year
Most of the classes you’ll take will be Physics courses and some Math courses. With your remaining classes, you can choose electives from many of the 100 subject areas at Waterloo.
View a list of all the courses required for your Physics major.
Sample upper-year courses
PHYS 234 – Quantum Physics 1
PHYS 242 – Electricity and Magnetism 1
PHYS 256 – Geometrical and Physical Optics
PHYS 358 – Thermal Physics
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
- Systematic, rigorous, and flexible problem solving
- Qualitative and quantitative/numerical analysis
- Applied programming and data analysis
- Laboratory experimental procedures and methodologies
- Communication of complex ideas
This isn't an exhaustive list – rather a glimpse into the skills a 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.
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.
Learn more
Overview of Waterloo's Physics degree program.
