Building the department map…
Building the department map…
Department paths
Courses with no prerequisites inside the department that unlock the most downstream work.
The shortest canonical route from each entry point to a gateway course.
Each of these unlocks the largest share of downstream work on this map. Courses from other departments can appear here when they genuinely gate PHYS coursework.
Generated from Pennsylvania State University’s catalog, prerequisite, and concentration data. Spotted an error? Departments can adjust labels, ordering, and notes without a code change, so contact us.
Intro tiers at the top, advanced work below; arrows point from a prerequisite to the course it unlocks. Courses from other departments appear where they gate PHYS work. Click any course to see what it requires and unlocks without leaving this page; hovering lights up its neighbors. The lists on this page carry the same courses in text form.
Showing the 4 PHYS and feeder courses that have prerequisite links. 45 more PHYS courses have no recorded prerequisites. They are listed under Tracks below, not drawn as loose dots here.
The concentrations and majors that build on PHYS, and how their requirements are structured. Expand a program to see which courses satisfy each group, then plan it in the Planner.
Prescribed Courses2 required · verify with the official sheet
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
Additional Courses2 required · verify with the official sheet
Select 2-3 credits from the following:; Select 3 credits from the following:; Select 3-4 credits from the following:; Select 3-4 credits from the following:; Select 3-4 credits from the following:; Select 4 credits from the following:; Select 3-5 credits from the following:; Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better; Select 5-8 credits from the following:
Prescribed Courses2 required · verify with the official sheet
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
Upper-level clusters, grouped by the gateway that opens them.
The deepest prerequisite chains in PHYS. These are the routes that take the most semesters to climb.
2 courses deep, ending at PHYS 237H
2 courses deep, ending at PHYS 430
Additional Courseschoose 1
Select 3 credits from the following:; Select 6-8 credits of GN courses from two of the following groups:; Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better; Select 3 credits from the following:; Select 3-5 credits from the following:
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
All ofall required
All ofall required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
Additional Courses2 required · verify with the official sheet
Select 3 credits from the following:; Select 3-4 credits from the following:; Select 3-4 credits from the following:; Select 8-12 credits from the following:
Supporting Courses and Related Areas1 required · verify with the official sheet
Select 3 credits in Global, Social, and Personal Awareness from department approved course list in consultation with adviser; Select 3 credits in Teamwork and Interpersonal Communication from department approved course list in consultation with adviser; Select 6 credits of 400-level courses; Select 13-20 credits from program list; Supporting Courses and Related Areas: Require a grade of C or bette
Additional Courseschoose 1
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better; Select 8-12 credits from the following:; Select 4-5 credits from the following:; Select 5-6 credits from the following:
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
All ofall required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
Supporting Courses and Related Areas2 required · verify with the official sheet
Supporting Courses and Related Areas: Require a grade of C or better; Select 3 credits of Social Studies selection:; Select 3 credits in Literature:; Select 3 credits of US History:; Select 9 credits: 3 credits each (including one course with a lab) from biological science, earth science, and physical science:; Biological Science:; Earth Sciences:; Physical Sciences:; Select 6 credits of education
1 course from1 required
Additional Courseschoose 1
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better; Select 12 credits of the following:
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
Additional Coursesall required
Select 8 credits of the following:; Select 3-6 credits of the following:
Additional Courseschoose 1
Select at least 15 additional science credits from department approved list
All ofall required
All ofall required
All ofall required
All ofall required
All ofall required
All ofall required
All ofall required
Additional Courses2 required · verify with the official sheet
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better; Select 3 credits from the following:; Select 3 credits from the following:; Select 3 credits from the following:; Other 300-400-level international business course
Additional Courses2 required · verify with the official sheet
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better; Select 3 credits from the following:; Select 3 credits from the following:; Select 3 credits from the following:
Additional Courseschoose 1
Select three of the following:; Select 12 credits of the following:
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
1 course from1 required
Additional Courseschoose 1
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better; Select 4-5 credits of life science with lab:
1 course from1 required
Choose 1choose 1
Choose 1choose 1
1 course from1 required
All PHYS courses in the Penn State catalog
Grade medians are for verified students. Sign in with your school email to see them.
Use your school emailNo section schedule with instructor names for PHYS yet.
No clubs or organizations on record under PHYS yet.
This shows once five students share their club memberships.
Physics does not run a page here yet. When it does, its events show up here and on the Penn State campus feed.