Are you planning to take an Introductory Physics course this year?   (Introductory Physics courses, for the purposes of this message, are Physics 106, 110, 115, 120, and 125.)   This message covers Physics Department policy on course exemption and placement; if you are interested read on.

Most students should start with Physics 106 (if you are interested in majoring in Physics or one of the 3/2 Engineering programs) or Physics 110 or 115 (if you are a Biology, Chemistry, or Geology major).   If you have had significant experience with physics already and are interested in skipping over one or more of these courses read on.

Did you get a score of 5 on either of the AP Physics C exams?   If so, you have an automatic exemption for Physics 110 or Physics 115 (if you took the Mechanics exam) or for Physics 120 or 125 (if you took the Electricity & Magnetism exam).  If you wish to use this exemption we encourage you to consult first with your academic advisor to make sure the exemption is appropriate for your major or program.  In particular, if your major or future plans (medical school, for instance) require any of these courses you should check with your departmental and/or pre-professional advisor before opting for the exemption.   To receive the exemption, bring proof of your AP exam score to the Physics Chair who will sign the prerequisite override form that will allow you to register.   This exemption is for placement purposes only; you will not receive course credit for Physics 106, 110, 115, 120 or 125 specifically.

Have you passed a college-level Physics course elsewhere?   If so the credits may transfer if the course was calculus based and had a lab component.   Bring the transfer credit form from the Registrar and the catalog description of the course (and its math prerequisites) to the Physics Chair.   In this case you will receive both exemption and course credit for the transferred course.

Exemption exams are available for Physics 106, 110/115, and 120/125 .   Passing one of these course-specific exams exempts you from the course.   For example, passing the Physics 110 exemption exam allows you to take Physics 120 (for which Physics 110 is a prerequisite).  

• This exemption is for placement purposes only; you will not receive course credit for Physics 106, 110, 115, 120 or 125 specifically.
• You may take more than one exam and be exempted from more than one course.
• If your major or future plans (medical school for instance) require any of these courses you should check with your departmental and/or pre-professional advisor to make sure that the exemption will work for you.
• It has been our experience that most people taking these exams do not pass them.   We encourage you to study.   Bring a #2 pencil and eraser.   Calculators are not allowed.   Equations are not provided.   The exam lasts one hour.
• You may not take the same exemption exam more than once.   We encourage you to study!

The Physics Exemption Exam is scheduled for Thursday, January 24th at 10:00 am, meet in the lobby of the Hameetman Science Center. For more information contact Professor Snowden-Ifft at ifft@oxy.edu

General Topics Covered in Physics 106:   Reflection, Refraction, Polarization, Mirrors, Lenses, Wave Models, Interference, and Diffraction.

Wolfson & Pasachoff Chapters: 35, 36, 34 (partial), 16, 17, 37, and 39.

General Topics Covered in Physics 110/115: Vectors, Linear and Rotational Motion, Forces, Work and Energy, Gravitation, Linear and Angular Momentum, Conservation Laws, and Oscillations.

Wolfson & Pasachoff Chapters: 1-15.

General Topics Covered in Physics 120:   Electric Charge, Electric Fields, Electric Currents, AC and DC Circuits, Magnetic Fields, Induction, and Electromagnetic Energy.

Wolfson & Pasachoff Chapters: 23-34.

Wolfson & Pasachoff is the text used for all of these courses: Physics with Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 3 rd edition, Richard Wolfson and Jay M. Pasachoff, Addison-Wesley.