Advice for Physics Students

An advising guide for prospective and declared Physics and Engineering Physics majors, as well as first-year students who are choosing an introductory physics sequence:

Resources primarily for first-year students

What is Physics and Engineering Physics?

Watch this ~30-minute video for an overview of Physics and Engineering Physics, given in ENGR 1 (last offered in Aut 2022). 

See descriptions of physics-related careers  (compiled by the American Institute of Physics) and student-focused webinars (compiled by the American Physical Society). 

Learn more about Engineering Physics -- including similarities and differences with Physics.

How do I get started in Physics courses?
  1. Take the Physics Placement Diagnostic to receive advice on the Physics course in which you will be challenged but not overwhelmed.  This is required before enrolling in PHYS 40, PHYS 41, PHYS 45, or PHYS 61 if you have never taken an entry-level Physics course at Stanford -- i.e., you have not taken at least one of PHYS 21, 23, 25, 41, 41A/E, 43, 45, 61, 63, 65. (We recommend taking the Math Placement Diagnostic before the Physics Placement Diagnostic.)
  2. Check out the six possible plans for the start of the Physics and Engineering Physics Majors; each plan is optimized for a different starting point in math and physics.  Also see the Physics pathways to determine which pathway might be of interest to you. 
  3. Check out the STEM Roadmap to Your First Year 2023-2024, which was designed by representatives from the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences. From the web page: “Many paths lead successfully through Stanford's STEM majors. Because we know that students interested in math, science, and engineering may discover their academic home in many places across Stanford, the goal of this tool is to show some common plans to start a number of different STEM majors.”
  4. Questions? Email choosingphysics [at] stanford.edu (choosingphysics[at]stanford[dot]edu) with questions regarding placement, suitable starting point, AP/IB/transfer credit, Physics pre-major advising, etc. 

Resources for prospective Physics or Engineering Physics Majors

University-wide Majors Events

Physics and Engineering Physics always arrange to have neighboring tables at the annual Majors Events organized by Academic Advising, staffed by faculty, staff and students who are on the UG Studies Committee, and members of the student groups (SUPS, PUWMAS). 

Informational event for prospective Physics & Engineering Physics majors

At least once per year, we schedule a pre-major advising event for prospective majors in Physics and Engineering Physics. The majors are introduced by the Directors of Undergraduate Studies in Physics and Engineering Physics, and the Physics pre-major advisor.  We invite instructors of Physics 41, 43, 61, 71, 81, faculty advisors, and SPS/PUWMAS officers to attend to help represent the Physics and Engineering Physics programs.   

This advising event is advertised in relevant Physics courses and to the following email lists, which we recommend you consider joining:

Changes in requirements for Physics and Engineering Physics majors beginning Autumn 2022

Several changes to the current requirements for the Physics major and the Engineering Physics major take effect in Autumn quarter 2022. The changes and the motivation for each are described in these brief documents:

 

These modified requirements apply to students who enter Stanford in Autumn 2022 or later.  Students who entered Stanford before Autumn 2022 have the option of using the requirements that applied when they entered Stanford or the modified requirements

Resources for prospective and declared Physics or Engineering Physics majors

Sample plans for the start of the Physics & Engineering Physics majors

See the recently updated sample plans for the start of the Physics and Engineering Physics majors for students matriculating in Autumn 2022 or later, and plans for Physics pathways.

Physics & Engineering Physics pre-major advising

For pre-major advising in Physics, send an email to choosingphysics [at] stanford.edu (choosingphysics[at]stanford[dot]edu) to set up a meeting.  See the How to Declare page for more information. 

Advisors for declared Physics majors are listed below on this page. 

For pre-major advising in Engineering Physics, send an email to either of the Co-Directors for Engineering Physics:  Prof. Patricia Burchat in Physics (burchat [at] stanford.edu (burchat[at]stanford[dot]edu)) or  Prof. Mark Cappelli in Mechanical Engineering (cap [at] stanford.edu (cap[at]stanford[dot]edu)).

Advisors for each specialty in Engineering Physics are listed on this page.

Engineering Physics major requirements and four-year plans

In addition to the description of the Engineering Physics requirements in the Engineering Undergraduate Handbook (which is more complete and easier to parse than the Bulletin), see the recently updated sample plans for the start of the Physics and Engineering Physics majors for students matriculating in Autumn 2022 or later,  as well as the flowchart linked to this page.

Physics major requirements

See the Physics section of the Course Bulletin for requirements for the Physics major (including the Senior Thesis and Honors requirements) and the Physics minor.

Changes in requirements for Physics and Engineering Physics majors beginning Autumn 2022

Several changes to the current requirements for the Physics major and the Engineering Physics major will be implemented beginning in Autumn quarter 2022. The changes and the motivation for each are described in these brief documents:

 
These modified requirements apply to students who enter Stanford in Autumn 2022 or later.  Students who entered Stanford before Autumn 2022 have the option of using the requirements that applied when they entered Stanford or the modified requirements.

Resources for declared Physics or Engineering Physics majors

Applying for summer research/internships

The Summer Research webpage contains resources for the Physics/AP/SLAC program, including a list of specific research opportunities at Stanford for the most recent summer, and a link to a compilation of opportunities outside Stanford.

Conferences for Students
Applying for support to attend a conference

 

Students may apply for a VPUE Conference Grant of up to $1,500, which supports students who have been accepted to present their own project results at a professional or scholarly conference.

The Undergraduate Resources page includes information on how students can apply for Physics Department support to attend a conference, if they are unable to secure other funding; see the application for funding for profeessional conference reimbursement.

 

Applying for advanced degrees

Resources for students applying to graduate programs in physics-related fields (google doc)

 

Contact information for...

  • Pre-major advising in Physics, contact choosingphysics [at] stanford.edu (choosingphysics[at]stanford[dot]edu).
  • Pre-major advising in Engineering Physics, contact Professor Patricia Burchat in Physics or Professor Mark Cappelli in Engineering.
  • Physics course transfer evaluation, contact choosingphysics [at] stanford.edu (choosingphysics[at]stanford[dot]edu).
  • Administrative questions, contact physicsstudentservices [at] stanford.edu (physicsstudentservices[at]stanford[dot]edu).
  • Approvals of waivers and substitutions in the Physics major, first contact your major advisor and then contact Director of Undergraduate Studies in Physics, Prof. Peter Graham.

Major Advisors in Physics

The following faculty are currently accepting new advisees for 2023/24:

  • Patricia Burchat
  • Savas Dimopoulos
  • Kent Irwin
  • Ben Lev
  • Andrei Linde
  • Hari Manoharan
  • Sri Raghu
  • Lenny Susskind

Major advisors in engineering physics

For information on major advisors in Engineering Physics, see Engineering Physics Major in the School of Engineering site.