School of Education
Physics Major and Minor Requirements
Faculty advisor: Professor John Rudolph, 226A Teacher Education Building, 265-3431, jlrudolp@wisc.edu. Students not yet admitted to this program should consult with advising staff at Education Academic Services (EAS), Room 139 Education Building, 1000 Bascom Mall, 608-262-1651.
IMPORTANT: The secondary education faculty members are restructuring their teacher certification programs at UW-Madison. These programs are moving to post-baccalaureate certification, which means that students will only be certified to teach these subjects through graduate-level work in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. The current undergraduate teacher licensing programs will be discontinued and certification will no longer be offered at the undergraduate level. Students will begin the new graduate programs in summer 2015.
The affected programs are English, Mathematics, Social Studies (Broad Field Social Studies, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology), and Science (Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Broad Field/Natural Science, and Physics).
The last group of undergraduates will be admitted to the current professional programs in fall 2013. The application period for this admission period will extend from October 2012 to February 1, 2013.
Physics Major Requirements
Complete a minimum of 34 credits. The credits required for program admission must be chosen from this course work. At least 15 credits of upper-level major course work (205, 241, 300-699) must be taken in residence on the UW-Madison campus. Courses are Physics listings unless otherwise indicated.
- Select one pair:
- 201 AND 202 General Physics, 10
- 207 AND 208 General Physics, 10
(247, 248, and 249 A Modern Introduction to Physics, 15, may be substituted)
- Select either
- 205 Modern Physics for Engineers, 3 OR
- 241 Introduction to Modern Physics, 3
(244 Modern Physics, 3 may be substituted for 205 or 241)
- 307 Intermediate Laboratory—Mechanics and Modern Physics, 1
- 308 Intermediate Laboratory—Electromagnetic Fields and Optics, 1
- 311 Mechanics, 3
- 321 Electric Circuits and Electronics, 4
- Physics electives to total 26 credits. Students are strongly encouraged to select courses numbered 307 and above to meet the 15 credits of upper-level course work required for the major.
- Additional Physics or Chemistry electives to total 34 credits.
Physics Minor Requirements
The Physics minor may be completed by students in Secondary Education Science or Elementary Education licensing programs. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 is required, based on all Physics minor course work taken on the UW-Madison campus. The graduation grade point average may be modified by the last 60 credits rule (see Science Education Application and Admissions Information).
Secondary Education students may select this minor only if completing a major in another Science certification area. It is not possible to be certified only in a minor area. Interested Secondary Education students must apply and be admitted to the Science program. Admission is limited and competitive. See additional information under the major of choice.
All Secondary students, whether completing their first degree or adding on a teaching minor to a prior certification, should expect to complete a methods course, participate in practicum and student teaching experience, and earn passing scores on a content exam to be recommended for certification. Students wishing to complete a minor must consult with the faculty advisor/program coordinator to discuss its field experience component.
Complete all the specific Physics Major requirements above as well as Physics course electives necessary to total at least 22 credits.