Spring 2027

Introduction to Polymer Physics

Introduction to polymer physics covering molecular weight, chain conformation, solution thermodynamics, glass transition, crystallinity, rheology, and viscoelasticity.

offering recorded2 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Nicole Zacharia

Summary

1 / 3

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2023: 3.53 GPA, 70.6% A/AB (n=17 letter grades); Fall 2024: 3.60 GPA, 70.0% A/AB (n=10 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.83 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=9 letter grades).

What you’ll be able to do

  • Explain and calculate how the molecular weight of polymers is described as a distribution.

  • Analyze outcomes of polymer materials such as aging based on properties such as viscoelasticity.

  • Diagnose issues in manufacturing and processing such as when an incorrect molecular weight or blend has been used to make a material or compound.

Source: UW Guide

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

Graduate/professional standing or declared in Capstone Certificate in Polymer Processing & Manufacturing

    • Graduate/professional standing
    • declared in Capstone Certificate in Polymer Processing & Manufacturing
    take one
EPD 636 used by

“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • Any of
    • Graduate/professional standing
    • declared in Capstone Certificate in Polymer Processing & Manufacturing

Professors

Spring 2027

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2023: 3.53 GPA, 70.6% A/AB (n=17 letter grades); Fall 2024: 3.60 GPA, 70.0% A/AB (n=10 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.83 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=9 letter grades).

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

NICOLE ZACHARIA is recorded teaching in Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024, Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Online Only0 / 200

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
Download part 1

Student experience

the class

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2023: 3.53 GPA, 70.6% A/AB (n=17 letter grades); Fall 2024: 3.60 GPA, 70.0% A/AB (n=10 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.83 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=9 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

No workload feedback recorded.

Topics

  • Polymer physical properties including molecular weight, chain conformation, solution thermodynamics, glass transition, crystallinity, rheology, and viscoelasticity

Skills

  • Calculating polymer molecular weight distributions
  • Analyzing polymer material aging based on viscoelasticity
  • Diagnosing manufacturing and processing issues related to molecular weight or blends

Grades

Latest available · Fall 2025— not enough history to project Spring 2027.

average GPA
A / AB grades
letter grades
Instructor

Grade distribution · % of letter grades

A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

Grades over time

Through Fall 2025

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Not enough comparable courses for Spring 2027 in UW–Madison.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

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Selected offering source records
EPD 636 · Spring 2027

Introduction to Polymer Physics

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
[
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:348:025699",
    "course_id": "EPD 636",
    "course_uid": "course_c9e4f89bbce9c97488b23a5a",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "025699",
    "source_subject_id": "348",
    "title": "Introduction to Polymer Physics",
    "credits_min": 2,
    "credits_max": 2,
    "typically_offered": "Not Applicable"
  }
]
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Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

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Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

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Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "d3f36a9aa0751a106c80c128d633b4f61f8545e306297db112e61a814b3d6ee1",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}