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Science Courses 2024-25

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AP Credit: Refer to AP chart and your specific program sheet footnotes to determine what is allowed in your program. Check your unofficial SU transcript to ensure that AP/IB credit is recorded correctly. Duplicating credit is not allowed, which means that AP/IB credit cannot be applied to your School of Engineering major requirements if another course covering the same topic(s) is taken at Stanford.

ACE: ACE units do not count toward major program unit minimums, though they do count toward the 180-unit minimum needed for graduation.

Chemistry: Take the Chemistry Placement Test prior to enrolling

Physics Grading Basis Change: PHYSICS 41, 43, and 61 are now offered on the grading basis CR/NC rather than for a letter grade. This grading basis, for these physics courses only, is approved without petition starting autumn 2022-23.

Physics: Taking the Physics Placement Diagnostic over the summer prior to enrolling in a Physics course is HIGHLY recommended.  Students intending to enroll in one of the calculus-based Physics courses should be aware of the following Physics Placement Diagnostic requirements:
• Students who have not completed an introductory Physics class at Stanford are required to take the Physics Placement Diagnostic before enrolling in PHYS 41, 41E, 45 or 61.

PHYSICS 41, 43, and 45 constitute the standard introductory sequence in physics and cover mechanics, electricity and magnetism, and light and heat, respectively. These courses are calculus-based and are generally far more intensive than typical high-school offerings, even at the advanced placement level. Even students who have taken AP Physics (and therefore do not in fact need the credits for these courses) find them challenging. Because the Stanford courses cover so much more material and do so with greater depth and rigor, it often makes sense to give up the Advanced Placement credits and take these courses. Talk with your advisor for guidance in this area. Note that PHYSICS 41 has prerequisites of high school physics and MATH. Minimum corequisite: MATH 21, though MATH 51 or CME 100 are preferred co-requisites. For students with little or no high school calculus or physics, 41E is suggested, though enrollment is via placement and permission number.
PHYSICS 61, 71, and 81 offer a more advanced series designed for students who have mastered physics and calculus at the level of AP Physics C and AP Calculus B/C in high school or have completed PHYSICS 41 and 43. This series is required for Engineering Physics and Physics majors and is a good choice for students who satisfy the pre- and co-requisites and are interested in a more rigorous introduction to the field.  Students must take the Physics Placement Diagnostic and are strongly recommended to follow the advisory emails if they wish to enroll in PHYS 61.
PHYSICS 21, 23, and 25 provide a non-calculus-based approach to physics. Most departments in the School of Engineering will require students to complete some or all of the 40 series or a more advanced offering. Some disciplines, such as Computer Science or many of the degree options in Management Science and Engineering, will accept the Physics 20 series as fulfilling the Physics requirement.

 
COURSETITLEUNITSQTR
BIO 81 (A)Ecology4A
BIO 82 (W)Genetics4W
BIO 83 (A)Biochemistry and Molecular Biology4A
BIO 84 (W)Physiology 4W
BIO 85 (W)Evolutionary Biology 4W
BIO 86 (S)Cell Biology (Prerequisite BIO 83)4S
BIO 45 (A,W)Intro to Laboratory Research in Cell & Molecular Biology4A,W
BIO 46 (W)Intro to Research in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology4W
BIO 47 (S)Intro to Research in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology4S
BIO 150 Human Behavioral Biology (HUMBIO 160)(offered every other year) 5           not in 24-25
CEE 63         Weather and Storms3W,S
CEE 64 Air Pollution: From Urban Smog to Global Change (last offered Win '24)3 
CEE 70 (same as ENGR 90)Environmental Science and Technology3W

CHEM 31A 

CHEM 31B 

Chemical Principles I,

Chemical Principles II

5

5

A

W

CHEM 31E Chemical Principles Accelerated (formerly 31M)5A
CHEM 33 Structure and Reactivity of Organic Molecules (Prerequisite: 31A+B, or 31M, or an AP Chemistry score of 5 and placement)5W,S
CHEM 121 Understanding the Natural and Unnatural World through Chemistry5A,W,S
CHEM 123 Organic Polyfunctional Compounds (formerly CHEM 131)3A
EARTHSYS 2 Chemistry of the Earth and Planets3A
EARTHSYS 10 Introduction to Earth Systems4A
EARTHSYS 11/EPS 1Introduction to Geology (formerly GEOSCI 1)5S
HUMBIO 2AGenetics, Molecular Biology, and Evolution5A
HUMBIO 3ACell and Developmental Biology5W
HUMBIO 4AThe Human Organism5S

PHYSICS 21,23,25 (A,W,S)

Physics 20 Labs: 22,24,26

Basic Physics (allowed for CS & MS&E majors only)

4,4,4

1,1,1

 

PHYSICS 41  

OR

PHYSICS 41E 

PHYSICS 42 (lab)

Mechanics (Prerequisite of Physics Placement Diagnostic prior to start of 1st year, and MATH 20 or 51 or CME 100. Minimum co-requisite: MATH 21 or equivalent; MATH 51 or CME 100 preferred). Okay to take for CR/NC 

(Prerequisite of Physics Placement Diagnostic prior to start of 1st year, and MATH 19 or higher. Minimum co-requisite: MATH 20 or higher). Placement of students with little physics background given priority.

4

5

1

A,W

A,W

PHYSICS 43 (W,S)

PHYSICS 44 (lab)

Electricity, Magnetism (Prerequisite: PHYSICS 41 or equivalent + MATH 21 or higher. Recommended co-requisite: MATH 52 or CME 102). Okay to take for CR/NC

4

1

W,S

PHYSICS 45 (A)

PHYSICS 46 (lab)

Light and Heat (Prerequisite: PHYSICS 41 or equivalent + MATH 21 or 51 or CME 100 or equivalent.

4

1

 
PHYSICS 61, 61L (A)Mechanics and Special Relativity, Mechanics Lab. Completion of Physics Placement Diagnostic and/or completion of at least one course in PHYSICS 20 or 40 series. Completion of or co-enrollment in MATH 51 or MATH 61CM or MATH 61DM. Prerequisites: mechanics at the level of PHYSICS 41 or score of 5 on AP Physics C Mechanics or equivalent; calculus at the level of MATH 21 or score of 5 on AP Calculus BC or equivalent. Okay to take for CR/NC 4,1 
PHYSICS 71, 71L (W)Quantum and Thermal Physics, Modern Physics Lab (Prerequisites: Physics 61 and Math 51 or Math 61CM). Corequisite: Physics 43 or equivalent (e.g. AP Physics C E&M), MATH 52 or 62CM. This course was offered as PHYSICS 65 prior to Academic Year 2022-2023.4,1 
PHYSICS 81 (S)Electricity, Magnetism, & Waves Physics Labs (Prerequisite: A score of 5 on the AP Physics C E&M exam or Physics 43; Physics 61; and Math 52 or Math 62CM. Recommended prerequisite: Physics 71. Corequisite: Math 53 or Math 63CM.) This course was offered as PHYSICS 63 prior to Academic Year 2022-2023.4 
PHYSICS 89L (S)Introduction to Laboratory Physics1