Science Courses 2024-25
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: | |||
COURSE | TITLE | UNITS | QTR |
BIO 81 (A) | Ecology | 4 | A |
BIO 82 (W) | Genetics | 4 | W |
BIO 83 (A) | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | 4 | A |
BIO 84 (W) | Physiology | 4 | W |
BIO 85 (W) | Evolutionary Biology | 4 | W |
BIO 86 (S) | Cell Biology (Prerequisite BIO 83) | 4 | S |
BIO 45 (A,W) | Intro to Laboratory Research in Cell & Molecular Biology | 4 | A,W |
BIO 46 (W) | Intro to Research in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | 4 | W |
BIO 47 (S) | Intro to Research in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | 4 | S |
BIO 150 | Human Behavioral Biology (HUMBIO 160)(offered every other year) | 5 | not in 24-25 |
CEE 63 | Weather and Storms | 3 | W,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 Technology | 3 | W |
CHEM 31A CHEM 31B | Chemical Principles I, Chemical Principles II | 5 5 | A W |
CHEM 31E | Chemical Principles Accelerated (formerly 31M) | 5 | A |
CHEM 33 | Structure and Reactivity of Organic Molecules (Prerequisite: 31A+B, or 31M, or an AP Chemistry score of 5 and placement) | 5 | W,S |
CHEM 121 | Understanding the Natural and Unnatural World through Chemistry | 5 | A,W,S |
CHEM 123 | Organic Polyfunctional Compounds (formerly CHEM 131) | 3 | A |
EARTHSYS 2 | Chemistry of the Earth and Planets | 3 | A |
EARTHSYS 10 | Introduction to Earth Systems | 4 | A |
EARTHSYS 11/EPS 1 | Introduction to Geology (formerly GEOSCI 1) | 5 | S |
HUMBIO 2A | Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Evolution | 5 | A |
HUMBIO 3A | Cell and Developmental Biology | 5 | W |
HUMBIO 4A | The Human Organism | 5 | S |
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 Physics | 1 |