Physics Themes & Undergraduate Course Selection Guidelines

Information for First-Year Students

Course Selection Road Map:
Major in Physics (for students admitted to the first year in 2018−19 and thereafter)
Major in Physics (Intensive) (for students admitted to the first year in 2018−19 and thereafter)
Minor in Physics (for students admitted to the first year in 2018−19 and thereafter)
Minor in Astronomy (for students admitted to the first year in 2018−19 and thereafter)

Course Selection Flow Charts

Below provides the course selection advices for some career choices for Physics students. For each career choice, you would find a flow chart showing the recommended courses for each career.

* The course labeled in pink are compulsory.
* Please note that the flow chats are some general recommendation only. You are encouraged to contact our course selection advisors directly to obtain the personalized course selection advices.
* If you have questions on a particular course, you are encouraged to contact course coordinator directly.
* The below flow charts are for 4−yr cohort students admitted between 2015−16 and 2017−18.

* The below flow charts are for 4−yr cohort students admitted to the first year in 2018−19 and thereafter.

Major in Physics / Major in Physics (Intensive) - Notes:

1. Those who want to specialize in the astrophysics theme should pass any three of the following courses: PHYS3650 Observational astronomy, PHYS3653 Astrophysics, PHYS3660 Astronomy laboratory, PHYS4652 Planetary science, PHYS4653 Cosmology, PHYS4654 General relativity, PHYS4655 Interstellar medium, and PHYS4656 Advanced astrophysics, out of which at least one must be a 4000+ level course, as well as passing either PHYS3999 Directed studies in physics or PHYS4999 Physics project with topics of study in astrophysics.
2. Those who want to specialize in the computational physics theme should pass any three of the following courses: PHYS3150 Theoretical physics, PHYS3151 Machine learning in physics, PHYS4150 Computational physics, and PHYS4151 Data analysis and modeling in physics out of which at least one must be a 4000+ level course, as well as passing either PHYS3999 Directed studies in physics or PHYS4999 Physics project with topics of study in computational physics.
3. Those who want to specialize in the experimental physics theme should pass PHYS3760 Physics laboratory, plus any two of the following courses: PHYS3660 Astronomy laboratory, PHYS3750 Laser and spectroscopy, PHYS3850 Physical optics, PHYS3851 Atomic and nuclear physics, PHYS4151 Data analysis and modeling in physics, PHYS4551 Solid state physics, and PHYS4850 Particle physics out of which at least one must be a 4000+ level course, as well as passing either PHYS3999 Directed studies in physics or PHYS4999 Physics project with topics of study in experimental physics.
4. Those who want to specialize in the theoretical physics theme should pass any four of the following courses: PHYS3150 Theoretical physics, PHYS3350 Classical mechanics, PHYS3351 Quantum mechanics, PHYS3450 Electromagnetism, PHYS3550 Statistical mechanics & thermodynamics, PHYS4351 Advanced quantum mechanics, PHYS4450 Advanced electromagnetism, PHYS4551 Solid state physics, PHYS4654 General relativity, PHYS4850 Particle physics, PHYS7351 Graduate quantum mechanics, PHYS7450 Graduate electromagnetism, PHYS7550 Graduate statistical mechanics out of which at least two must be 4000+ level courses, as well as passing either PHYS3999 Directed studies in physics or PHYS4999 Physics project with topics of study in theoretical physics.
5. Upon prior approval, one may use PHYS4966 Physics internship to replace PHYS3999 Directed studies or PHYS4999 Physics project to fulfill the specialization in a theme.
6. No double counting is allowed if one wants to specialize in more than one theme. In this case, one is allowed to replace the PHYS3999 Directed studies in physics or PHYS4999 Physics project requirement in one of the theme specializations by a regular course in the same theme of specialization.

Sample Curriculum

- Major in Physics Year 1 and 2 curriculum for students with HKDSE Physics and Extended Mathematics Module 1 or 2 (taking minimum number of courses), click here.
- Major in Physics Year 1 and 2 curriculum for students with HKDSE Physics BUT NOT Extended Mathematics Module 1 or 2 , click here.
- Major in Physics Year 1 and 2 curriculum for students with HKDSE Physics and Extended Mathematics Module 1 or 2 (intended for students who would like intensive training in Physics), click here.
- Major in Physics (astrophysics theme) or Major in Physics + Minor in Astronomy Year 1 and 2 curriculum for students with HKDSE Physics and Extended Mathematics Module 1 or 2, click here.