Academic Planning Worksheet: Physics

Preparation for your intended major is a factor in the review of your UW transfer application. Use this worksheet to help you plan for admission to your intended major and for UW general education requirements.


Department admission information

This major is capacity-constrained. Completion of prerequisites does not guarantee admission.

To qualify to declare the physics major a student must:

  • Enrollment in minimum one physics course with course number higher than 220 during the application quarter.
  • Completion of minimum one physics lecture course (any course number, either at the UW or elsewhere) within the two quarters prior to application.
  • Completion of PHYS 121, PHYS 122, PHYS 123 and either MATH 124, MATH 125, MATH 126 or MATH 134, MATH 135.

Standard admissions is twice a year. Application deadlines: third Friday of autumn and third Friday of spring quarter. Winter quarter transfer admission: Students transferring to the UW in autumn or winter quarter may also apply the third Friday of winter quarter. The online application is located on the  UW Physics Undergraduate website (click on “Undergraduate”).

Students are strongly encouraged to prepare for the major before transfer.


Courses required for admission to major

Directions: Record the courses you have taken, are taking or plan to take prior to UW enrollment that you believe are equivalent to the UW course requirements listed below. Not sure? Use the transfer course equivalency guide.


UW Course Dept. Prefix & Number Term/Year
Example: MATH 124 – Calculus I MATH 151 AUT 08
PHYS 121 NW Q/SR — Mechanics
PHYS 122 NW – Electromagnetism
PHYS 123 NW — Waves
MATH 124 NW QSR — Calculus with Analytic Geometry I
MATH 125 NW — Calculus with Analytic Geometry II
MATH 126 NW — Calculus with Analytic Geometry III

Additional information

Typical applicants will have earned a 2.6 GPA or above in the pre-requisite courses.

Entering transfer information

Total undergraduates, as of autumn 2019: 458

Total from Washington community colleges: 66

  • Entering transfer GPA (from WA community colleges):
  • 3.75 – 4.00: 22
  • 3.50 – 3.74: 14
  • 3.25 – 3.49: 10
  • 3.00 – 3.24: 12
  • 2.75 – 2.99: 5
  • 2.50 – 2.74: 3
  • 2.49 and below0
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Note: information entered will NOT be saved. Please print for your records