Columbia University in the City of New York · Courses
PHYS UN
39 courses with the subject PHYS UN, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
PHYS UN1001PHYSICS FOR POETS3.00
Prerequisites: high school algebra. Prerequisites: high school algebra. This course does not fulfill the physics requirement for admission to medical school. No previous background in physics is expected. An introduction to physics taught through the exploration of the scientific method, and the application of physical principles to a wide range of topics from quantum mechanics to cosmology
Prerequisites: high school science and math. Prerequisites: high school science and math. A review of the history and environmental consequences of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons of mass destruction (WMD); of how these weapons work, what they cost, how they have spread, how they might be used, how they are currently controlled by international treaties and domestic legislation, and what issues of policy and technology arise in current debates on WMD. What aspects of the manufacture of WMD are easily addressed, and what aspects are technically challenging? It may be expected that current events/headlines will be discussed in class
This course is a one-semester journey across cosmological history, from the beginning of time to something akin to its end. We will explore the origin of inanimate physical structures (the cosmos as a whole, as well as that of galaxies, stars, planets, particles, atoms and complex molecules), the origin of life (replicating molecules, the first cells, as well as more complex life forms), the origin of mind (self-reflective conscious awareness) and the origin of culture (language, myth, religion, art, and science). We will then consider what science in particular tells us about the very far future, where we will encounter the likely demise of all complex matter, all life and all consciousness. In the face of such disintegration we will examine the nature of value and purpose. We will recognize that the deepest understanding of reality emerges from blending all of the accounts we discuss—from the reductionist to the humanist to the cosmological—and only through such amalgamation can we fully grasp the long-standing human search for meaning
PHYS UN1151Origins and Meaning: Independent Study1.00
The proposed independent study is a one-semester course that is in dialogue with the Origins and Meaning, Physics UN1111. Students in the independent study will further explore various issues raised in Origins and Meaning by (a) meeting once per week with the instructor, (b) completing a selection of readings and viewings, and (c) completing an end-of-term writing assignment
Prerequisites: some basic background in calculus or be concurrently taking MATH V1101x Calculus I. Prerequisites: some basic background in calculus or be concurrently taking MATH UN1101 Calculus I. The accompanying laboratory is PHYS UN1291-UN1292 The course will use elementary concepts from calculus. The accompanying laboratory is PHYS UN1291 - UN1292. Basic introduction to the study of mechanics, fluids, thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, optics, special relativity, quantum mechanics, atomic physics, and nuclear physics
Prerequisites: PHYS W1201, and some background in calculus or be concurrently taking MATH V1101x Calculus I. Prerequisites: This course will use elementary concepts from calculus. Students should therefore have had some high school calculus, or be concurrently enrolled in MATH UN1101. Taken with accompanying lab PHYS UN1291- PHYS UN1292, the sequence PHYS UN1201- PHYS UN1202 satisfies requirements for medical school. Electricity, magnetism, optics, and modern physics
Spring 2026: PHYS UN1203 Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment PHYS 1203 001/13997 M 6:10pm - 7:00pm 313 Pupin Laboratories Mark Ross-Lonergan 0.00 21/22 PHYS 1203 002/13998 T 5:10pm - 6:00pm 411 Kent Hall Mark Ross-Lonergan 0.00 16/22 PHYS 1203 003/13999 T 6:10pm - 7:00pm 425 Pupin Laboratories Mark Ross-Lonergan 0.00 7/22 PHYS 1203 004/14000 W 6:10pm - 7:00pm 224 Pupin Laboratories Mark Ross-Lonergan 0.00 20/22 PHYS 1203 006/14002 Th 4:10pm - 5:00pm 411 Kent Hall Mark Ross-Lonergan 0.00 12/22 PHYS 1203 007/14003 T 4:10pm - 5:00pm 425 Pupin Laboratories Mark Ross-Lonergan 0.00 16/22 Fall 2026: PHYS UN1203 Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment PHYS 1203 001/12387 M 4:10pm - 5:00pm 424 Pupin Laboratories P. Michael Tuts 0.00 28/28 PHYS 1203 002/12388 M 5:10pm - 6:00pm 424 Pupin Laboratories P. Michael Tuts 0.00 26/28 PHYS 1203 003/12389 M 6:10pm - 7:00pm 424 Pupin Laboratories P. Michael Tuts 0.00 24/28 PHYS 1203 004/12390 T 4:10pm - 5:00pm 255 International Affairs Bldg P. Michael Tuts 0.00 26/25 PHYS 1203 005/12391 T 5:10pm - 6:00pm 308a Lewisohn Hall P. Michael Tuts 0.00 22/25 PHYS 1203 006/12392 T 6:10pm - 7:00pm 308a Lewisohn Hall P. Michael Tuts 0.00 12/25 PHYS 1203 007/12393 W 4:10pm - 5:00pm 705 Pupin Laboratories P. Michael Tuts 0.00 28/28 PHYS 1203 008/12394 W 5:10pm - 6:00pm 705 Pupin Laboratories P. Michael Tuts 0.00 21/28 PHYS 1203 011/12395 T 4:10pm - 5:00pm 705 Pupin Laboratories Eric Raymer 0.00 28/28 PHYS 1203 012/12396 T 5:10pm - 6:00pm 227 Seeley W. Mudd Building Eric Raymer 0.00 28/28 PHYS 1203 013/12397 T 6:10pm - 7:00pm 325 Pupin Laboratories Eric Raymer 0.00 21/25 PHYS 1203 014/12398 W 4:10pm - 5:00pm 814 Pupin Laboratories Eric Raymer 0.00 20/20 PHYS 1203 015/12399 W 5:10pm - 6:00pm 814 Pupin Laboratories Eric Raymer 0.00 20/20 PHYS 1203 016/12400 W 6:10pm - 7:00pm 308a Lewisohn Hall Eric Raymer 0.00 25/25 PHYS 1203 017/12401 Th 4:10pm - 5:00pm 224 Pupin Laboratories Eric Raymer 0.00 28/28 PHYS 1203 018/12402 Th 5:10pm - 6:00pm 224 Pupin Laboratories Eric Raymer 0.00 23/28
Spring 2026: PHYS UN1204 Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment PHYS 1204 001/14004 M 4:10pm - 5:00pm 224 Pupin Laboratories P. Michael Tuts 0.00 22/22 PHYS 1204 002/14005 M 5:10pm - 6:00pm 224 Pupin Laboratories P. Michael Tuts 0.00 22/22 PHYS 1204 003/14006 M 6:10pm - 7:00pm 224 Pupin Laboratories P. Michael Tuts 0.00 20/22 PHYS 1204 004/14007 M 7:10pm - 8:00pm 222 Pupin Laboratories P. Michael Tuts 0.00 11/22 PHYS 1204 005/14008 T 3:10pm - 4:00pm 325 Pupin Laboratories P. Michael Tuts 0.00 22/22 PHYS 1204 006/14009 T 4:10pm - 5:00pm 325 Pupin Laboratories P. Michael Tuts 0.00 22/22 PHYS 1204 007/14010 T 5:10pm - 6:00pm 325 Pupin Laboratories P. Michael Tuts 0.00 17/22 PHYS 1204 008/14012 T 6:10pm - 7:00pm 325 Pupin Laboratories P. Michael Tuts 0.00 22/22 PHYS 1204 009/14011 T 7:10pm - 8:00pm 325 Pupin Laboratories P. Michael Tuts 0.00 13/22 PHYS 1204 011/14013 W 3:10pm - 4:00pm 304 Hamilton Hall Jeremy Dodd 0.00 18/22 PHYS 1204 012/14014 W 4:10pm - 5:00pm 224 Pupin Laboratories Jeremy Dodd 0.00 16/22 PHYS 1204 013/14015 T 5:10pm - 6:00pm 425 Pupin Laboratories Jeremy Dodd 0.00 21/22 PHYS 1204 014/14017 T 6:10pm - 7:00pm 313 Pupin Laboratories Jeremy Dodd 0.00 15/22 PHYS 1204 016/14019 M 3:10pm - 4:00pm 424 Pupin Laboratories Jeremy Dodd 0.00 22/22 PHYS 1204 017/14021 M 4:10pm - 5:00pm 424 Pupin Laboratories Jeremy Dodd 0.00 13/22 PHYS 1204 019/14020 Th 4:10pm - 5:00pm 212d Lewisohn Hall Jeremy Dodd 0.00 21/22
Corequisites: PHYS UN1201 Corequisites: PHYS UN1201 This course is the laboratory for the corequisite lecture course and can be taken only during the same term as the corresponding lecture
Corequisites: PHYS UN1201,PHYS UN1202 Corequisites: PHYS UN1201,PHYS UN1202 This course is the laboratory for the corequisite lecture course (PHYS UN1201 - PHYS UN1202) and can be taken only during the same term as the corresponding lecture
Corequisites: MATH UN1101 Corequisites: MATH UN1101 Fundamental laws of mechanics, kinematics and dynamics, work and energy, rotational dynamics, oscillations, gravitation, fluids, temperature and heat, gas laws, the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Corequisite: MATH UN1101 or the equivalent
Prerequisites: PHYS UN1401 PHYS W1401. Corequisites: MATH UN1102 Prerequisites: PHYS W1401. Corequisites: MATH V1102 or the equivalent. Electric fields, direct currents, magnetic fields, alternating currents, electromagnetic waves, polarization, geometrical optics, interference, and diffraction
Prerequisites: PHYS UN1402 PHYS W1402. Corequisites: MATH V1201 or the equivalent. Prerequisites: PHYS UN1402 PHYS W1402. Corequisites: MATH V1201 or the equivalent. Classical waves and the wave equation, Fourier series and integrals, normal modes, wave-particle duality, the uncertainty principle, basic principles of quantum mechanics, energy levels, reflection and transmission coefficients, applications to atomic physics
Prerequisites: PHYS UN1401 and PHYS UN1402 PHYS W1401 and W1402. Prerequisites: PHYS W1401 and W1402. Laboratory work associated with the two prerequisite lecture courses. Experiments in mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, optics, wave motion, atomic physics, and nuclear physics. Note: Students cannot receive credit for both PHYS W1493 and W1494
Prerequisites: Corequisite: MATH UN1102 Calculus II or equivalent. Fundamental laws of mechanics, kinematics and dynamics, work and energy, rotational dynamics, oscillations, gravitation, fluids, introduction to special relativity and relativistic kinematics. The course is preparatory for advanced work in physics and related fields
Prerequisites: PHYS UN1601 PHYS W1601. Prerequisites: PHYS UN1601 Corequisite: MATH UN1201 or equivalent. Temperature and heat, gas laws, the first and second laws of thermodynamics, kinetic theory of gases, electric fields, direct currents, magnetic fields, alternating currents, electromagnetic waves. The course is preparatory for advanced work in physics and related fields
Prerequisites: PHYS UN1402 or PHYS UN1602 PHYS W1402 or W1602. Prerequisites: PHYS UN1402 or PHYS UN1602 Corequisite: MATH UN1202 or equivalent. Classical waves and the wave equation, geometrical optics, interference and diffraction, Fourier series and integrals, normal modes, wave-particle duality, the uncertainty principle, basic principles of quantum mechanics, energy levels, reflection and transmission coefficients, the harmonic oscillator. The course is preparatory for advanced work in physics and related fields
Fall 2026: PHYS UN2603 Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment PHYS 2603 001/12579 T 6:10pm - 7:10pm C01 Knox Hall James McIver 0.00 24/30
Prerequisites: Advanced Placement in physics and mathematics, or the equivalent, and the instructor's permission. (A special placement meeting is held during Orientation.) Prerequisites: Advanced Placement in physics and mathematics, or the equivalent, and the instructor's permission. (A special placement meeting is held during Orientation.) This accelerated two-semester sequence covers the subject matter of PHYS UN1601, PHYS UN1602 and PHYS UN2601, and is intended for those students who have an exceptionally strong background in both physics and mathematics. The course is preparatory for advanced work in physics and related fields. There is no accompanying laboratory; however, students are encouraged to take the intermediate laboratory, PHYS UN3081, in the following year
Prerequisites: PHYS UN2801 PHYS W2801. Prerequisites: PHYS UN2801 This accelerated two-semester sequence covers the subject matter of PHYS UN1601, PHYS UN1602 and PHYS UN2601, and is intended for those students who have an exceptionally strong background in both physics and mathematics. The course is preparatory for advanced work in physics and related fields. There is no accompanying laboratory; however, students are encouraged to take the intermediate laboratory, PHYS UN3081, in the following year
PHYS UN3002From Quarks To the Cosmos: Applications of Modern Physics3.5
This course reinforces basic ideas of modern physics through applications to nuclear physics, high energy physics, astrophysics and cosmology. The ongoing Columbia research programs in these fields are used as practical examples. The course is preparatory for advanced work in physics and related fields.
Prerequisites: general physics, and differential and integral calculus. Prerequisites: general physics, and differential and integral calculus. Newtonian mechanics, oscillations and resonance, conservative forces and potential energy, central forces, non-inertial frames of reference, rigid body motion, an introduction to Lagranges formulation of mechanics, coupled oscillators, and normal modes
Prerequisites: general physics, and differential and integral calculus. Prerequisites: general physics, and differential and integral calculus. Electrostatics and magnetostatics, Laplace's equation and boundary-value problems, multipole expansions, dielectric and magnetic materials, Faraday's law, AC circuits, Maxwell's equations, Lorentz covariance, and special relativity
A detailed study of a selected field of active research in physics. The motivation, techniques, and results obtained to the present, as well as the difficulties and unsolved problems. For Physics majors only. Priority given to seniors; juniors by permission of the instructor
Prerequisites: PHYS UN2601 or PHYS UN2802 PHYS W2601 or PHYS W2802. Primarily for junior and senior physics majors; other majors must obtain the instructor's permission. Prerequisites: PHYS UN2601 or PHYS UN2802 Primarily for junior and senior physics majors; other majors must obtain the instructors permission. Each experiment is chosen by the student in consultation with the instructor. Each section meets one afternoon per week, with registration in each section limited by the laboratory capacity. Experiments (classical and modern) cover topics in electricity, magnetism, optics, atomic physics, and nuclear physics
Subject
PHYS UN
Credits (min)
2
Credits (max)
2
Credit unit
points
Type
course
Repeatable
May be repeated for credit by performing different experiments.
Prerequisites: PHYS UN3003 or PHYS UN3007 PHYS W3003 or W3007. May be taken before or concurrently with this course. Prerequisites: PHYS UN3003 or PHYS UN3007 May be taken before or concurrently with this course. A sequence of experiments in solid-state electronics, with introductory lectures
PHYS UN3084Quantum Simulation and Computing Lab3.00
The “Quantum Simulation and Computing Lab” will give students hands-on experience in quantum optics, quantum simulation and quantum computing. The course combines lectures, tutorials, and two lab sections. In one lab section, students will do experiments with entangled photons. In the second lab section, students will program quantum computers and run algorithms on them using the IBM Qiskit platform. The course starts with a recap of linear algebra and quantum mechanics, followed by an introduction to quantum optics and quantum information. Two-level systems, Bloch sphere, quantum gates, and elementary quantum algorithms will be discussed. Quantum teleportation and quantum key distribution will be introduced as applications of entanglement. The lecture content will be directly applied in experiments with entangled photons. In the following, state-of-the-art quantum algorithms will be discussed, related to cutting-edge research results in quantum computing. This includes quantum Fourier transform, quantum simulation of the Schroedinger equation, and the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) algorithm. During the course students will do one experimental project with entangled photons and one quantum programming project. Students will be guided to implement a quantum algorithm of their choice and run it on a quantum computer (IBM, IonQ, QuEra)
Prerequisites: the written permission of the faculty member who agrees to act as supervisor, and the director of undergraduate studies permission. Readings in a selected field of physics under the supervision of a faculty member. Written reports and periodic conferences with the instructor
Prerequisites: Permission of the departmental representative required. For specially selected students, the opportunity to do a research problem in contemporary physics under the supervision of a faculty member. Each year several juniors are chosen in the spring to carry out such a project beginning in the autumn term. A detailed report on the research is presented by the student when the project is complete
