The physics education major, overseen by the Physics Department, is designed to prepare students for California teaching credentials and teaching careers in science and mathematics at the high school level. The new major, which will begin accepting students in fall 2009, features extensive collaboration from the Mathematics and Education Departments.

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Study and Research Opportunities

• B.S.
• The California Teach program at UCSC will support student outreach, advise students, and arrange teaching internships for physics education students.

PhysicsEd09.pdf

High School Preparation
High school students wanting to major in physics education should come to UC Santa Cruz prepared to take calculus in their first quarter in order to concurrently take the Physics 5 series, calculus-based physics for physics majors.

Transfer Preparation
Transfer students can best prepare by taking courses equivalent to the lower-division requirements for the physics education major. Due to the prerequisite structure for upper-division courses, it is necessary for prospective transfer students to have completed all, or as many of the lower-division requirements for the major as possible to complete the degree within a reasonable time. In addition, transfer students must complete courses equivalent to the Physics 5 series, calculus-based physics for physics majors, with a GPA of 2.7 or higher before they will be permitted to enter a physics major, effective with Catalog year 2009-10. This will not necessarily affect physics transfer students entering fall 2009, since they can elect Catalog rights up to three years previous to their enrollment.

The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) will not provide transfer students with enough mathematics and science courses to allow them to complete the program at UC Santa Cruz in two years. Prospective transfer students should visit the Physical and Biological Sciences Undergraduate Affairs web site for further information (see the More Information section). In addition, please see the Lower-Division Requirements section.

Lower-Division Requirements
The required lower-division courses for the physics (astrophysics) major are normally completed during the first two years at UC Santa Cruz:

• Physics 5A/L, Introduction to Physics I with Laboratory
• Physics 5B/M, Introduction to Physics II with Laboratory
• Physics 5C/N, Introduction to Physics III with Laboratory
• Physics 5D, Heat, Thermodynamics, and Kinetics
• Mathematics 19A-B, Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (two quarters), or Mathematics 20A-B, Honors Calculus (two quarters)
• Mathematics 23A-B, Multivariable Calculus (two quarters)

Academic Advising
Academic advising is available from Physical and Biological Sciences Undergraduate Affairs. Undergraduate Affairs publishes the web site, which contains detailed information about the degree programs, sample schedules, transferring credit, placement exams, faculty research, and opportunities in the Physical and Biological Sciences majors.