The School of Physics runs several different courses at First Year level. These are summarised in the "Summary of Courses" link [www.phys.unsw.edu.au/COURSES/FIRST_YEAR/courses.html].

Choosing Your First Year Physics Course

Students in most Engineering degrees are required to complete either Physics 1A (PHYS1121) or Higher Physics 1A (PHYS1131). The follow-on courses, Physics 1B (PHYS1221) and Higher Physics 1B (PHYS1231) are required for some programs and available as a first year elective in others [see www.eng.unsw.edu.au/rules/elective.htm].

PHYS1121/1221/1131/1231 are the main courses studied by most students taking physics. They provide an all-round introduction to physics. They are each single semester courses, with Physics 1A taken before Physics 1B. The approach is calculus based.

Physics or Higher Physics?

In most cases you are free to choose whether to take the Higher version or not. However, students of Computer, Electrical, Photonic, Photovoltaic, Renewable Energy Engineering or Telecommunications should at least try Higher Physics 1A. Students in these programs who do not attempt Higher Physics 1A should consult with their School before going ahead. Many combined degree programs also will require you to take the Higher Physics courses. You should check with your Program Authority if you are unsure of the requirements for your program.

Do not think that you will get a higher mark by taking the ‘easier’ course. You will not be able to obtain a higher grade, because allowance is made for the extra difficulty in the Higher course. Fundamentally your education will benefit if you tackle the challenge of the higher level course.

The Physics 1A / Higher Physics 1A (and 1B) are taught with the same lectures. However, the assessment exercises for Higher Physics 1A/1B are more advanced than for the Physics 1A/1B course.

Students in Higher Physics are generally streamed in the same tutorial and laboratory classes.

In general, we encourage all students to take the opportunity to try the Higher Physics courses. However, if your previous results in physics were weak, take the PHYS1121/1221 courses.

Inadequate previous study of Physics

If you have not previously studied physics, we recommend taking "Fundamentals of Physics" (PHYS1111) first. Physics is a challenging subject; if you have not met it before, you will struggle (very likely fail) Physics 1A. Prior study is best accomplished by taking PHYS1111 the semester before you tackle Physics 1A.

Alternately, you could attempt the Physics Bridging course in the summer months before semester, but this concentrates on revising the HSC syllabus, and not on being the first physics course studied.

The course PHYS1111 is specifically designed to be an introduction to physics for those who have not studied the subject before, notably at school. The approach is algebra based; it does not involve calculus

The above is based on extracts (some verbatim) from Choosing First Year Physics Course by UNSW School of Physics [http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/COURSES/FIRST_YEAR/student_guide.html] which should be consulted for more information.