Princeton University Physics
Demographics
Princeton undergrads: ~1260/yr
Physics faculty: 41
Physics grad students: ~120
Physics majors (declare at end
of sophomore year:
29 seniors
28 juniors
Undergrads taking intro/service
courses: ~550/yr
Program
Service Courses
enrollment 2009-10
103-4: Intro, calc-based,
engineers, phy&sci majors
250
101-2: Premed, non-calc
100
105-6: Intro “honors”
75
115: Non-scientists (formerly “poets”) 60
116: Physics of music (fr sem)
15
191: Intro Eng/Mat/Phy (boutique for
selected engineers)
40
231: Integrated Science (boutique for
Phy/Chm/Bioquant bio
30
Majors
• Require 11 1-semester courses (including 4 math) after intro-level
• Require 3 “Independent Work” projects: 2 junior papers + senior
thesis for all majors
Strengths
• Intro courses taught mostly (3 of 4 hours/wk) in small classes (~20
students), all taught by faculty.
• Independent work brings research experience to all majors, from
essentially all faculty, essentially all the time, integrates research and
teaching sides of house.
• Independent work requirement  faculty experience with putting
undergrads to work on research  faculty interest in hiring
undergrads  large numbers of undergrads (≥30) working in
Department over the summer, mostly potential majors.
Problem/concern
Action
Outcome
103-4: poor attendance,
Various tech solutions:
falling effectiveness of
clickers, online problem
ungraded homework, general sets
time-pressure on students
Surface success,
pedagogical
success less
clear
Drop in majors in mid-’90s
Recruitment czar,
intervene with
admissions, shadow
advisor, boost majors
from 103-4, pay
attention
More physics
majors than ever
Few majors from 103-4
Better communication,
revamp of soph mech
course
Now a modest
flow of majors
from 103-4
<half of entering students
who list physics as first
choice of major end up in
physics
Contact all entering
freshmen, shadow
advising, sophomore
seminars
(no recent
numbers)
Problem/concern
Action
Outcome
Grants facing shortfall in funds
to hire summer undergrads
Ask University to
raise money (before
crisis!)
Summer awards to
students and
rebates
Fading enrollment in “Physics
for Poets”
Overhaul, emphasize
modern physics,
societal problems,
critical thinking
Some success?
First years of major too
abstract/theoretical/“problem
setty”
Sophomore seminars Seems good when
(strictly optional,
advertised enough
pass-fail, “real”)
Perennial freshman lab issues
Free-form/creative/
open-ended/multiweek/seminars
Failure