PHYS 435 :: Physics Illinois :: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Physics 435 Course Description

Lectures

Lectures are in-person only; there is no Zoom or asynchronous option. Lecture notes from Prof. Angela Kou (Fall 2025) will be posted on the course schedule. 

Homework

There will be one homework set assigned each week. Homework is available on the course schedule and will be due at 5 pm on Wednesday. A 20% penalty will be charged for late homework handed in up to 5pm on Friday, the same week. After that time, no credit will be given. Homework will be handed in, graded, and returned using Gradescope. Please create a Gradescope account, if you do not have one already.

Discussions

Discussion sections are structured so you will break up into tables of 3-4 people and work E&M problems. There will be four 1-hour sections. The purpose of Discussion is to get you talking physics with your classmates and the TAs, which is an important part of how real problems get solved. Grading is pass-fail and based on whether you engaged with other people and succeeded in solving the problem.

Exams

There will be two midterm exams as indicated on the course schedule. You will be allowed to bring your own single-page two-sided formula sheet and you will additionally be provided with this formula sheet. They will take place in person in class and will be handed in on paper, and returned during your Discussion section.

Academic Integrity

All activities in this course, including documentation submitted for petition for an excused absence, are subject to the Academic Integrity rules as described in Article 1, Part 4, Academic Integrity, of the Student Code.