Combined Honours Physics and Another Science Subject

If your interests combine Physics and another field in Science for which a combined honours program does not already exist, academically strong students may be able to create their own combined Honours program. Some combinations are not possible. The requirements from Physics are listed below. Close consultation with advisors in both departments will be required. Please be aware that the official program requirements are to be found in the UBC calendar. For more details consult the relevant calendar section.

First Year
Communication Requirement1 6
CHEM 121 (111) 4
MATH 100 or 102 or 104 (or 120 or 180 or 184) 3
MATH 101 or 103 or 105 (or 121) 3
PHYS 106, 108, 119 (or 117,118,119, or 131, 118, 119, 117) + 129 is recommended2 7
Other subject credits or electives3,4

10  

Total Credits 33
Second Year
MATH 215, 2175 7
MATH 221 or 223 3
PHYS 200, 203, 216 11
PHYS 219, 229 3
Other subjects credits or electives3,4 9
Total Credits 33
Third and Fourth Years
MATH 300, 316 6
Required upper-level credits in the other science subject3,6 21
PHYS 301, 304, 306 9
PHYS 309 or 319 3
PHYS 401 or 408 3-4
PHYS 4496 6
Electives1,4,7 18-17
Total Credits 66
Total Credits for Degree 132

1A total of 6 credits of coursework is required to meet the Communication Requirement. ENGL 112 is recommended. For a full list of acceptable courses see Communication Requirement.Three credits of first-year English may be deferred to second year.

2Advanced Credit or Placement in Physics are provide excellent preparation but they are NOT a substitute for these courses, which are required prerequisites for all second year Physics and Astronomy courses. Students with AP credits should contact the Department for advice. Students without Physics 12 must take PHYS 100 prior to PHYS 131 or 106, or 117. Students who took PHYS 131 may enter the specialization but will need to take PHYS 106, 117, or 170 before the required PHYS 216. Qualified students are encouraged to take PHYS 106/108/119/129. Students must complete PHYS 119 lab before they can take PHYS 129 Enriched lab. The PHYS 129 Enriched lab is recommended for all PHAS program specializations.

3Other subject credits must be chosen in consultation with the advisor for the other subject.

4 Elective credits together with required courses must fulfill the Faculty of Science’s:
a) Foundational Requirement;
b) Laboratory Science Requirement;
c) Science Breadth Requirement;
d) Science and Arts Requirements;
e) Upper-level Requirement;
f) General Degree Requirements.
Honours specializations have additional requirements, see Introduction to Degree Options.

Chem 123 and CPSC courses or PHYS 210 are also recommended electives.
Some course alternates have different credit value. The number of electives in each year is chosen to balance the total number of credits (i.e., make the yearly total equal to 33). However, since the number of available elective credits may not be a multiple of three, students are permitted to move elective credits between years. A minimum of 30 credits must be taken each Winter Session.

5MATH 217 may be replaced by MATH 226 and 227 or MATH 200 and 317.

6If the Honours thesis (449) is chosen from the other discipline, replace PHYS 449(6) by PHYS 409 (3), and adjust electives accordingly.

7The following courses are recommended: CPSC 302, PHYS 400, 401, 402, 403, 407, 408, 410, 473, 474; MATH 301, 318, 400.