Current Students

Non Majors Switching to the Physics Major

E-mail physics-advisers@physics.ucsb.edu using your UCSB email address. Type "major change forms" in the subject line. A Change of Major petition and a major requirement sheet will be sent via DocuSign. Make sure that you indicate which program you will be following (BA or BS) and the catalog year (i.e. 2021-2022).

 Processing time may take four weeks, although delays are likely during certain times of the academic year and if volume is unusually high. The Registrar's Office also requires time to process the paperwork.

Requirements for Changing to the Physics Major

Freshman admits may declare after fall quarter. Complete MATH 3A and MATH 3B or an equivalent prior to fall quarter, otherwise the program may take longer to complete. PHYS 8 is required if you have not taken MATH 3A-B or received a score less than 5 of the Advanced Placement Calculus BC exam. PHYS 8 is only offered during the summer and fall quarter.

At the time of petition, you must have a 2.0 or higher grade point average in all lower division physics lectures and all upper division physics courses attempted toward the major.

Switching from Physics to Another Major

Make an appointment with an adviser in the other department or in the College of Letters and Science to discuss switching and to discuss courses needed to complete the new major. The adviser in the other department will initiate the process.

The following majors complement the preparatory courses taken in physics: Chemistry BA, Chemistry BS, Earth BA, Earth BS Geophysics Emphasis, Geography BA, Geography BS, Mathematics BA, Mathematics BS, Actuarial Science, Financial Mathematics and Statistics and Statistics and Data Science.