The core courses in the physics major's teaching track prepare you for the topics you're likely to be teaching in your own classroom.

Core courses for physics teaching

These courses don't include all requirements for the physics major. For more about the physics major, see the physics major fact page.

For the purpose of this quick overview, we've grouped the core courses into three categories.

• General science core

Principles of Astronomy
Introductory Biology
Principles of Chemistry I & II

Calculus I, II & III
Introductory Linear Algebra
Differential Equations
Introduction to Statistical Methods
Biometry

• Physics core

Physics for Scientists and Engineers I & II
Modern Physics I & II
Environmental Physics
Electronics

TWO FROM THE FOLLOWING:
Mechanics
Thermal Physics
Electricity and Magnetism I

• Physics teaching

Methods of Teaching Science
Special Problems: Observe Physics 101 & 102
Physics and Society

ONE FROM THE FOLLOWING:
Science in Western Civilization through Newton
Science in Western Civilization from Newton to Einstein
Technology and Social Change to 1950
Society and Technology
Domain of the Sciences

Graduation requirements

See the WSU Catalog for degree requirements and talk with your academic advisor about planning and scheduling your courses. All students must meet requirements as outlined in the catalog in order to graduate.

For the full sequence of teacher certification courses, see the Teacher Education Program's web page.

To qualify to teach physics in middle school and high school, you'll need a bachelor's degree in physics and secondary education teacher certification.

The physics teaching program at WSU integrates the physics major's requirements with teacher education courses that prepare you to pass the Washington state teacher certification exam and run a classroom of your own.

Secondary education core requirements

The professional education course work begins with three prerequisite courses:

Writing and Research
Learning and Development
Initial Practicum Experience

After successfully completing the prerequisites, you can apply to the teacher education program in the College of Education.

Curriculum, Instruction and Content Literacy Methods
Teaching English Language Learners for Secondary Teachers
Secondary Methods of Educational Technology

Adolescence, Community, School
Classroom Assessment for Secondary Students
Advanced Practicum
Special Education, Transition, and Classroom Management for Secondary General Education Teachers
Student Teaching

For the full sequence of teacher certification courses, see the Teacher Education Program's web page.

Graduation requirements

See the WSU Catalog for degree requirements and talk with your academic advisor about planning and scheduling your courses. All students must meet requirements as outlined in the catalog in order to graduate.

Because physics students at WSU work closely with faculty in small classes, and all physics majors do mentored research in faculty physics labs, you have opportunities to use advanced equipment that you wouldn't get to see at other universities.

The extensive physics facilities at WSU include:

• Spectrometers for measuring energy of particles and light waves
• Several lasers
• Ultra high-vacuum equipment
• Mass spectrometers
• High-speed data acquisition instruments
• Gas guns
• Auger and photoelectron spectrometers
• Electron spin-resonance and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers
• X-ray spectrometers
• Transmission and scanning electron microscopes

Physics research also makes use of the University's nuclear reactor facility.

Materials science — a collaborative effort between the physics program and the materials science and engineering program — is a particular strength of WSU. The physics department studies atomic-scale structures of solids and surfaces using scanning tunneling microscopy and nuclear probe techniques. The department also carries out nanometer studies of surfaces using atomic force microscopy.

A computer laboratory with a wide variety of computers and terminals is open to all physics majors.

A variety of state, federal, and university-sponsored programs are available to help students with educational costs.

For all students at WSU

Washington State University awards millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships to students every year based on financial need, academic merit, or a combination of the two.

To get all the financial help WSU can provide, you'll need to do these two things:

• Complete the University's general scholarship application so you can be eligible for scholarship consideration.
• Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) so WSU can consider you for aid (scholarships, grants, loans, etc.) based on financial need.

More about scholarships and financial aid

For students in physics teaching

Scholarships specifically for physics majors include the Paul and Dian Bender Freshman Physics Scholarship, the Claire May Band Freshman Physics Scholarship (for women), the Physics Transfer Student Scholarship, the Paul Anderson Award for Excellence in Physics, the Edward E. Donaldson Surface Science Scholarship, the George Duvall Scholarship in Shock Compression Science, and the Physics Textbook Scholarship. For information contact the physics department at 509-335-1698.

Physics majors are also eligible for scholarships from the College of Arts and Sciences, which awards more than $50,000 in scholarships each year.

The College of Education distributes funds from 13 endowed scholarships to approximately 100 teacher preparation students every semester. For more information about these scholarships, call the College of Education at 509-335-7843 or e-mail beateacher@wsu.edu.

Suggested strengths and interests

Physics teaching may be a good fit for you if you:

• Care about children and have the desire to make a real difference in the world.
• Enjoy working with children and their parents
• Have mathematical aptitude or are willing to develop it
• Enjoy exploring the scientific principles and theories that explain the nature of the universe and our everyday world

Suggested preparation

Future physics teaching majors should:

• Take high school math through one year of calculus
• Take high school physics courses
• Take two years of a foreign language in high school (which will help meet a WSU graduation requirement)
• Develop good interpersonal skills and communicate well in writing

Physics

The Physics Club brings students together to watch films, visit laboratories, and do experiments.

Physics club members also organize the WSU Pumpkin Drop, a popular annual event in which the community is invited to watch physics club members drop pumpkins from the top of Webster Hall. It's all for the sake of science, of course. Well, science and the timeless joy of seeing pumpkins meet pavement at the end of a 12-story fall.

Education

The Educators Club is a pre-professional organization run by education students for education students. The club is affiliated with the Student Washington Education Association (SWEA), which serves as the student program of the Washington Education Association and the National Education Association. All future teachers are invited to join and participate in club activities.

The Alhadeff Future Teachers of Color program supports and mentors multicultural students who intend to teach elementary or secondary school. Kappa Delta Pi, the teaching honors society, offers networking opportunities and academic support to future teachers.

More about education student orgs

Physics teachers may teach in public or private schools worldwide. Further study opens up possibilities as a coach, counselor, principal, or other administrative positions in schools.

During the 2015–2016 school year, the standard starting annual salary for a nine-month school year was $35,069 for Washington state teachers with a bachelor's degree, according to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. With experience and additional education, salaries can be much higher.