Modern Physics
Advanced standalone electives of the high school Physics Lyceum, beyond what a typical high school curriculum reaches.
Online from anywhere · or in-person in Princeton, NJ
- Each course
- Theory, problem-solving sessions, and homework, at a faster pace and a greater conceptual depth than the classical core.
- Formats
- In-person in Princeton, hybrid (one weekly session in person, one online), or online from anywhere.
- Length
- Three semesters a year: 16-week courses in fall and spring, an accelerated 8-week version in summer.
- Weekly commitment
- Two 1.5-hour sessions a week, plus roughly 4–6 hours of problem-solving on your own.
- Cohort
- Up to 12 students in person or hybrid, up to 8 online.
- Tuition
- $3,500 per course, whichever semester you take it in.
Taught by expert physicists. Meet the instructors.
Enrollment and Tuition
Tuition
- $3,500per course
- Semesters
- 16 weeks in fall or spring, or an accelerated 8-week summer version
- Where
- In-person in Princeton, NJ, or live online from anywhere
- Enrollment
- Open for the next semester
Payment and refunds
- Payment is due at enrollment
- We cancel, or the minimum cohort does not form: full refund
- You cancel 1+ week before the start: full refund
- You cancel less than 1 week before: no refund
What the Modern Electives Are
Four semester-long electives in the Physics Lyceum: High School curriculum, taught on the Deep Physics model that runs through the whole SoTS Physics Lyceum. They go beyond the topics a typical high school curriculum reaches, which the classical core handles.
A step up in pace and depth. These are advanced classes and they move faster than the classical core: more ground in a session, and ideas that sit further from everyday intuition than anything in classical physics. A student comfortable in a core course should expect to work harder here.
The landmark experiments carry the reasoning. Discussion of the experiments that forced physicists to accept each result, and what each one actually established.
Each elective has unique requirements. Each course page carries its own Texts and Requirements section, stating the book it works from and the maths it expects.
The Four Electives
Modern physics electives
4 coursesPrerequisites
Grade: open to students in grades 9–12.
Math: algebra, geometry, and basic trigonometry as a floor. Beyond that each elective differs, and each course page states its own.
Physics: prerequisite courses can be completed in the SoTS Physics Lyceum or elsewhere.
Certificates and Transcripts
Tuition covers the teaching and one in-person Pass/Fail evaluation. The evaluation is optional. After completing a course, a student may schedule it with the instructor. It may include solving problems and a conversation with the instructor about the course material. It may also take into account homework and classwork grades from the course. A passing evaluation earns a Lyceum Course Certificate in that course. Every enrolled student also has a cumulative transcript listing their coursework, research, and any certificates earned, useful for any student demonstrating substantial physics study on a college application.
Any two of the four electives, added to the classical core, earn Mastery in Classical and Modern Physics. See Certificates and Transcripts for the full credential structure and requirements.
Lyceum courses are taught by expert physicists. Meet the team.
Image on top of page: the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1300, imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA/ESA/STScI