A major declared by sophomore year
Dartmouth says students do not need to declare a major until sophomore year. The pages read describe no separate admission to Physics.
Undergraduate · Dartmouth College
Dartmouth Physics: a B.A. major, declared by sophomore year
Dartmouth students do not need to declare a major until sophomore year, and Physics is a B.A. major run by the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The department says a student can begin it with no earlier physics and points those who want practical applications to the Engineering Physics major. For an A-level or IB applicant, the useful questions are how the major starts, how it differs from Engineering Physics and Engineering Sciences, and what Dartmouth says about testing.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Dartmouth says about Dartmouth Physics
Taken from Dartmouth Admissions' Majors & Minors and Testing Policy pages and the Department of Physics and Astronomy's Physics and Engineering Physics undergraduate pages, read on 1 November 2026. The pages carry no entry-year label, so for a 2028-entry application every statement below is evidence for the previous cycle and may change; check Dartmouth's pages for the 2028-entry details.
No earlier physics required to begin
The department says you can begin a physics major even if you have never had any physics before, with sequences for advanced-placement students too.
Electives tailor the major
A wide variety of upper-level electives lets each student tailor the major to their interests.
Engineering Physics is separate
It is offered jointly by Engineering Sciences and Physics and Astronomy with a 5/5 split in courses.
The SAT or ACT, or an international alternative
US high school students submit the SAT or ACT. Students outside the US can meet the requirement in one of five ways, including predicted or final A-level or IB results.
Official sources
- Dartmouth Admissions: Majors & Minorsadmissions.dartmouth.edu
- Dartmouth Physics and Astronomy: Physics Majorphysics.dartmouth.edu
- Dartmouth Physics and Astronomy: Engineering Physics Majorphysics.dartmouth.edu
- Dartmouth Admissions: Testing Policyadmissions.dartmouth.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on Dartmouth Admissions' Majors & Minors and Testing Policy pages and the Department of Physics and Astronomy's Physics and Engineering Physics undergraduate pages, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. Dartmouth's Organization, Regulations and Courses catalogue, the full Physics requirement list, the Engineering Sciences A.B./B.E. pages, deadlines and financial aid were not read and are not stated.
The major
What the department says the Physics major is
The department defines physics as the study of the part of Nature that can be understood in mathematical terms, and says the major gives a foundation in analytic thinking, problem solving and the fundamentals of physics. Introductory courses are offered at several levels, so the major can start from no earlier physics or from advanced placement in mathematics or in mathematics and physics. Later electives let each student tailor the programme. The department says graduates go into business, industry, law, teaching and medicine, as well as graduate study. This guide does not list the required courses.
Is it the right major?
Physics, Engineering Physics or Engineering Sciences
Dartmouth lists these as separate majors, so the choice is made after admission. Avandy's comparison is general.
Physics fits if
you want the fundamentals of the subject, with electives chosen to your interests, and may head into many fields.
Engineering Physics fits if
you want a joint programme drawn equally from Physics and Astronomy and from engineering. The department describes a 5/5 course split.
Engineering Sciences fits if
your interest is engineering. Avandy's Dartmouth Engineering A.B./B.E. guide covers it.
Admission and testing
A Dartmouth application, an SAT or ACT and A levels or the IB
Dartmouth requires students who attended high school in the United States to submit the SAT or ACT. Students who attended high school outside the United States may fulfil the requirement in one of five ways, which include predicted or final results from British A-Levels or the IB Diploma. Physics is not a separate application. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Dartmouth's.
Do you want physics itself or an engineering application?
The department points the second group to Engineering Physics.
Are you comfortable deciding by sophomore year?
Dartmouth students do not need to declare until then.
Which route will you use to meet the testing requirement?
Outside the US, Dartmouth lists five ways, including A-level and IB results.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Dartmouth's pages carry no entry-year label, so nothing on them is confirmed for 2028 entry. Use them to understand the structure of the application, then check Dartmouth's own pages for the 2028-entry details.
The requirements and descriptions on the pages read on 1 November 2026, which carry no entry-year label
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Dartmouth has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any department prerequisites not quoted here: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Dartmouth for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Read the department's Physics page and decide which testing route you will use for Dartmouth.
Support
Independent support with planning your own application
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with Dartmouth College or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here is limited to understanding the requirements and planning the applicant's own work; Avandy does not write or edit essays, does not submit any materials and has no partnership with Dartmouth College. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Can I apply directly to Dartmouth Physics?
The pages read describe admission to Dartmouth. Students do not need to declare a major until sophomore year.
Do I need physics before arriving?
The department says you can begin the major even if you have never had any physics before.
How is Physics different from Engineering Physics?
Engineering Physics is a separate major offered by Engineering Sciences and Physics and Astronomy with a 5/5 course split.
Do A levels and the IB count for testing?
Dartmouth lists predicted or final British A-Level and IB Diploma results among five ways to meet the requirement for students who attended high school outside the United States.
Is the SAT or ACT required?
For students who attended high school in the United States, yes: they must submit either test.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Dartmouth's wording with no entry-year label. Check Dartmouth's pages again when Dartmouth publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Dartmouth Physics
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their mathematics and physics, how they weigh pure physics against engineering and their SAT or ACT plan, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.