Why the catalog year matters
Your catalog year is the year you started at SDSU, and it decides which rules apply to your degree, not the current semester's course list. A class that is offered this term may not count toward your requirements, and one that counts for a newer catalog year may not be on an older list at all. Always check the requirements for your own catalog year, not the newest one.
Prerequisites
Required Courses
- PHYS 197 - Principles of Physics
- PHYS 197L - Principles of Physics Laboratory
- MATH 342A - Methods of Applied Mathematics I
- PHYS 311 - Electronics for Scientists
- PHYS 350 - Classical Mechanics
- PHYS 354 - Modern Physics
- PHYS 360 - Thermal Physics
- PHYS 400A - Classical Electromagnetism
- PHYS 406 - Optics
- PHYS 410 - Quantum Mechanics
- PHYS 499 - Special Study
- PHYS 552 - Modern Optics and Lasers
- PHYS 564 - Nuclear Physics
This checklist reflects San Diego State's published catalog for 2025-26 and may not capture every substitution, waiver, or advisor-approved exception. Confirm anything that affects graduation with your own advisor or degree audit.