Which Intro Physics Course is right for me?

Below is a comparison of the three major introductory Physics courses offered at Harvard. Students with a solid preparation in physics and mathematics at the level of the advanced placement curriculum should also look into the Physics 16 sequence which is not listed in this table.

Before using the table to make a choice, please check the requirements for your concentration. For further details, consult one of the instructors or the Course Catalog.

	Physical Sciences	Physics 11	Physics 15
Semesters	3	2	3
Level	basic	intermediate	more advanced
Meets premed requirements?	yes	yes	yes
Meets Physics requirements?	no	no	yes
First semester math prerequisite	1b or equivalent	21a or 22a	1b or equivalent
High-shool physics background	not required	not required	advisable, but not required
Math level	algebra trigonometry vectors basic calculus	algebra trigonometry vectors calculus	algebra trigonometry vectors calculus differential eqs. linear algebra
Predominant enrollment	Premedical students Life Science majors	Premedical students Life Science majors Chemistry majors Engineering majors	Physics majors Chemistry majors Engineering majors
	5% first-years 15% sophomores 65% juniors 15% seniors	10% first-years 50% sophomores 35% juniors 5% seniors	70% first-years 25% sophomores 5% juniors 0% seniors
Class size	170	100	120