University courses that require physics?

[Ruizy]

Ds wants to do biology and chemistry next year but not physics. I just want to give him a list of courses he then won’t be able to do later, so he is making an informed choice. He is only 13 now so not sure he has thought it through properly

so physics, astrophysics etc, civil engineering? Mechanical engineering, architect maybe?

I actually did higher physics without doing standard grade (can’t recall the name for the equivalent now). It is possible it the school agrees and not too hard if you’ve got a good grasp of maths and chemistry. I did higher maths and chemistry in 5th year and higher physics in 6th year.

Yes redhelenb I definitely want it to be his decision which is why I want to provide all the info and then let him decide. Thinking maybe if he dropped a language he could perhaps do all three if the school allows it

OP, you might get different replies of you post this in Scotsnet?

Unless your child is at one of the private schools & doing the English curriculum?

He can do a crash Higher Physics in 6th year if he changes his mind about engineering. You are wrong that H Biology is much easier than H Physics, the curriculum haas changed a lot since you were at school @Ruizy .

Let him do Nat 5 biology and chemistry if thats what he enjoys. Im sure it’s through the best of intensions but It’s wrong that you are pressurising him to do the same subjects you did.

Most schools will NOT allow him to drop French/ Spanish for Physics as a MFL is part of BGE.

I haven’t really approached the subject yet with him. Will be careful not to pressure him. I found biology so much easier than physics when I was at school but maybe that was my actually my own preferences really

You do all 3 to GCSE.

On the one hand you are saying that you absolutely want it to be his decision which subjects he takes, and on the other, you are going out of your way to try and find as many reasons as you possibly can as to why he shouldn't drop physics.

It’s just the way he spend his spare time just now constantly building things in his spare time. That to me speak “physics”

If all he did was paint or read in his spare time I wouldn’t even mention physics

Whats your problem with him picking it up at S6 if he needs it? You seem very fixed in your view that he’s ruining his career chances at the age of 13 by not doing the same subjects as you.

He has several months yet to choose his S3 subjects. Does he have another rotation of physics before then?

Have you even talked to your DS about it ? It might be something as simple as he doesn’t like his teacher or what his best friend wants to study .

He says it’s not that he doesn’t want to do physics he just like chemistry and biology more

I didn’t think he could do it at s6. It’s a long time since I went through secondary

Hi OP, we're in England but DSS's are in Scotland..........DSS2 only took Chemistry at Nat 5 and Higher, then left to go to college to take an HNC/HND as a route to uni as he didn't want to stay for Advanced Highers. He's having to do a foundation course in science before he can go onto the HNC/HND as there is an element of physics and biology which he doesn't have the background in.
From memory (DSS2 is 18 and DSS1 22 so fairly recent) if they didn't have Nat 5 in a science then they weren't able to move onto Highers.

DD has just started A levels so her choices were partly based on what she wants to do at uni, and anything to do with physics needs both maths and physics at A level (or Advanced Higher for your DS) plus quite a few of the engineering courses require physics and maths as well.

Hope that helps.......and good luck to your DS in his choices

I worked for over a decade as a Masters qualified specialist civil engineer - without maths or physics at A level. There are different routes in.

There are plenty of RG civil engineering courses that don't specify physics A level. In fact you can find electrical and mechanical engineering courses that don't specify physics as a requirement.

Chemical engineering doesn't require physics.

I imagine you have a GCSE or equivalent qualification in Physics, though? OP is asking about Scottish National 5, equivalent to GCSE, not A level.

Basic physics is a bit dull. If you've got a physics/engineering sort of brain, school physics isn't difficult.

I have DC a year ahead in school in Scotland. The curriculum is way more flexible than it was back in my time at school. It's possible to pick up a subject and do Nat 5 in S5 then go onto Higher in S6.

its more common to do 2 sciences than 3 and I honestly think they get more out of school and get better grades if they enjoy the subject. I always think as long as they do either chemistry or physics along with maths then that gives a good grounding for most university courses.

I scraped a C in both maths and physics O level. Neither of my degrees required physics at O level. I get fed up with people saying that you can't do engineering without X qualifications when it isn't true.

I'm very familiar with the Scottish system as DS was was the first cohort of CfE.

When DS was choosing Nat 5s you could only take two of the three sciences. If you wanted to do all three sciences at Higher level then the advice was generally to choose chemistry and physics at Nat 5 level and do biology as a crash Higher, but it's something you'd to talk to the school about.

Thanks everyone for all your help. There is a lot to learn re courses. I only recently realised that some courses ask for specific grades but they also have to be taken in the same year altogether. They won’t count them if taken later on. So there is that to think about too

Luckily the only courses that require the Highers to be in one sitting are Medicine, Dentistry and Vet Medicine. None of which require Higher Physics.

And its not that the subject doesn't count, its just that they have to reach at least the minimum entry requirement in one sitting. So if they need a min of

AAAAB with A in H Biology and A in H Chemistry in S5 and B at Advanced Higher in Biology or Chemistry plus another AH at B in S6

They can still apply with French A Chemistry A Maths A Physics A English B in 5th year and A in H Biology, B in AH Chemistry and B in AH French in 6th year.

They CANT apply ( or rather theres no point as they won’t get an offer ) with AAAB in S5 and a higher at A and 2 AH at B in 6th year.

The universities are not trying to penalise applicants who chose the “ wrong “ science half way through S2. They are trying to choose students who can handle the workload of 5 Highers in one year ( usually with 3 sciences ) and get the required grades AND who have the required grades in the key subjects.

Thanks for that clarification really appreciate it

He can pick up physics in 5th or 6th yr if he needs it, a crash higher will be possible as covers different stuff than nat 5 course.

If he demonstrates attainment in the sciences that he takes, eg chemistry or biology at higher, there's no reason why he wouldn't be allowed to crash physics at higher in s6.

Entry requirements for crashing physics in senior phase may also include higher maths or subjects like engineer science.