The Grinnell Physics Department offers several different types of courses.

Courses that are primarily for non-science majors and do not count toward a physics major:
Physics in the Arts
The Universe and Its Structure
Physics: A Historical Approach
Bridges, Towers, and Skyscrapers

Courses that are required for the physics major and are taken in approximately the following order:
General Physics I
General Physics II
Modern Physics
Mechanics
Electromagnetic Theory
Optics and Other Wave Phenomena
Advanced Laboratory

Courses that are not required for the major but can be used for major credit:
Electronics
Computational Physics
Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics
Astrophysics
Solid State Physics
Introduction to Quantum Theory
Advanced Quantum Theory
Independent Study (several forms)

Additional details of these courses are available in the Academic Catalog. Information is also available on when particular courses are offered and on typical schedules for completing these course. The General Physics courses are offered in two different styles: a traditional class-plus-lab format and a workshop format that is more inquiry-based and collaborative. The two formats are academically equivalent but address the learning styles of individual students in different ways.