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Physical Sciences and Math
UC Santa Cruz offers a wide range of majors focused on physical sciences and mathematics. The following information is for majors in applied physics, chemistry (general, or a concentration in biochemistry or environmental chemistry), biochemistry and molecular biology, earth sciences (general, or concentrations in environmental geology and ocean sciences), mathematics (concentrations in pure mathematics, computational mathematics or mathematics education), physics, physics (astrophysics) and planetary science. Besides the college core course or first year seminar, first quarter UCSC students choose two lower-division courses (1 - 99), most of which satisfy a general education requirement.
Initial placement examinations and self-assessment:
If you have no college or AP credit in mathematics you will need to take the mathematics placement exam to enroll in a mathematics course. Chemistry and biology both offer optional “self-assessments” to assist students in determining which first chemistry or biology course is most appropriate for them.
Mathematics – tells you whether you must complete MATH 2: College Algebra or MATH 3: Precalculus before proceeding to calculus (MATH 11A or MATH 19A).
Chemistry – (optional self-assessment) assists you in determining if should enroll in CHEM 1P, the preparatory Chemistry course, or if you have sufficient background to enter directly into CHEM 1A.
Biology – (optional self-assessment) assists you in determining if you should enroll in the BIOL 3 (Concepts in Biology) course or are ready to begin the Biology 20 series.
Students are strongly advised to take placement exams in May or June. Specific placement exam information can be found at the UCSC Summer Orientation web site here.
First year courses:
Introductory courses are listed by department and title. Be sure to visit the department's web site or the specific Physical Sciences and Mathematics Advising Cluster web site (http://advising.ucsc.edu/clusters/PSM9/specific.html) for specific enrollment information (many of the courses are sequential and must be taken in order).
MATH 2: College Algebra or MATH 3: Precalculus (if not placed into MATH 11A or MATH 19A)
MATH 11A, MATH 11B: Calculus with Applications (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, and Earth Sciences only) {OR}
MATH 19A, MATH 19B: Calculus for Science, Engineering and Mathematics
MATH 20A, MATH 20B: Honors Calculus
MATH 21: Linear Algebra (mathematics majors only)
MATH 22: Introduction to Calculus of Several Variables (not accepted for mathematics majors)
MATH 23A: Multivariable Calculus
MATH 23B: Multivariable Calculus (mathematics majors only)
Other possible first year courses (requirements vary depending on major)
BIOL 20A*: Cell and Molecular Biology (requires completion of CHEM 1B)
*or BIOL 3: Concepts in Biology (if not placed into BIOL 20A - must be taken winter quarter)
CHEM 1A, 1B/M, 1C/N: General Chemistry (and associated lab)
EART 10: Geologic Principles and EART 10L: Geologic Principles Laboratory
PHYS 5A/L**, PHYS 5B/M, PHYS 5C/N: Introduction to Physics
**PHYS 10: Overview of Physics (2 credits) is recommended first quarter
Contact information:
Chemistry
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Program Advisor, lira@chemistry.ucssc.edu, (831) 459-4125
230 Physical Sciences Building
http://www.chemistry.ucsc.edu
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Planetary Science
Program Advisor, csmith@es.ucsc.edu, (831) 459-2504
A251 Earth and Marine Sciences Building
http://www.es.ucsc.edu
Mathematics
Program Advisor, gilovich@ucsc.edu, (831) 459-4691
Baskin Engineering, Room 194
http://www.math.ucsc.edu
Physics
Applied Physics
Physics (Astrophysics)
Program Advisor, advisor@physics.ucsc.edu, (831) 459-2329
211 Interdisciplinary Science Building
http://physics.ucsc.edu
Last updated on 3/2008.
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