The Core
Physical Sciences
Students majoring in fields in the Physical Sciences fulfill their Core requirement through their major coursework.
General education courses in the Physical Sciences benefit from a rich tradition of scientific discovery at the University of Chicago. Under the designation PHSC, the Physical Sciences Collegiate Division offers several sequences of courses from the Astronomy and Astrophysics, Chemistry, Geophysical Sciences, and Physics Departments, tailored to provide an interesting and useful education for non-scientists in their goal of satisfying their general education requirement in the physical sciences. The goal of general education in the physical sciences is to engender in the student the ability to understand and assess our understanding of the physical world.
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Physical Sciences Curriculum
Students build an understanding of Earth, its biota, and its place in the cosmos through an introduction to earth, atmospheric, planetary, and evolutionary sciences.
From the Big Bang to the present day, students explore planets, stars, galaxies, and the elements.
Students learn about the chemistry underlying energy technologies and human life through courses that introduce relevant topics and incorporate hands-on lab experience.
Students explore how our everyday world relates to the key concepts of classical and quantum physics, applying physics concepts to modern society.