Fall 2026

General Physics

GENERAL PHYSICS introduces mechanics, heat, and waves at the non-calculus level with applications to various fields.

offering recorded4 credits
Recorded instructors · Fall 2026 Stanislav Boldyrev3.1/5Carrie Francis2.9/5Daniel Thurs2.8/5 +13 more

Summary

1 / 7

Exams are fair but include one or two tough questions that require significant thought and effort.

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
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F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

MATH 112, 113, 114, 171, placement into MATH 211 or 221, or special student standing. Not open to students with credit forPHYSICS 201, 207, or 247.

PHYSICS 103 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

Professors

Fall 2026

Stanislav Boldyrev

/5Adjusted rating
/5RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 2.62/5 from 24 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2018: 3.19 GPA, 51.1% A/AB (n=653 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.09 GPA, 44.6% A/AB (n=691 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Carrie Francis

/5Adjusted rating
/5RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 1.58/5 from 12 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

No course-specific feedback yet.

Daniel Thurs

/5Adjusted rating
/5RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 2.48/5 from 58 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 4.0/5 raw quality · 2.0/5 difficulty · 1 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Daniel Thurs is described as an amazing lecturer who provides clear examples and explains topics further when needed. His lectures include jokes, and exams are considered fair with a few tough questions requiring thought.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2023: 3.07 GPA, 43.2% A/AB (n=696 letter grades); Fall 2024: 3.09 GPA, 44.3% A/AB (n=681 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.09 GPA, 44.6% A/AB (n=691 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

No course-specific feedback yet.

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

Historical reviews of Benjamin Spike, Mitch McNanna : Benjamin Spike delivers clear lectures, though he may disappear for weeks and leave Piazza questions unanswered, with tough exams that require independent work. Mitch McNanna is highly praised for making challenging material easy to understand and for his accessibility and care for student success.

ALBRECHT KARLE is recorded teaching in Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

BENJAMIN SPIKE is recorded teaching in Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

DANIEL THURS is recorded teaching in Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024, Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

LAWRENCE WATSON is recorded teaching in Spring 2014. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

PETER TIMBIE is recorded teaching in Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2020. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

STANISLAV BOLDYREV is recorded teaching in Fall 2018, Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

VICTOR BRAR is recorded teaching in Fall 2017, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Spring 2022, Fall 2023, Spring 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

WESLEY SMITH is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Fall 2010, Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Fall 2017. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

YIBIN PAN is recorded teaching in Spring 2010, Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2019. 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

Fall 2026

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction280 / 2803
LEC 002Classroom Instruction257 / 2802
DIS 302Classroom Instruction24 / 242
DIS 303Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 306Classroom Instruction25 / 240
DIS 308Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 311Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 313Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 314Classroom Instruction22 / 240
DIS 317Classroom Instruction22 / 241
DIS 321Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 326Classroom Instruction24 / 241
DIS 328Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 602Classroom Instruction24 / 242
LAB 603Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 606Classroom Instruction25 / 240
LAB 608Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 611Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 613Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 614Classroom Instruction22 / 240
LAB 617Classroom Instruction22 / 241
LAB 621Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 626Classroom Instruction24 / 241
LAB 628Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 319Classroom Instruction20 / 240
LAB 619Classroom Instruction20 / 240
LAB 627Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 309Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 327Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 609Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 330Classroom Instruction22 / 241
LAB 630Classroom Instruction22 / 241
DIS 301Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 316Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 601Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 616Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 320Classroom Instruction23 / 242
DIS 331Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 620Classroom Instruction23 / 242
LAB 631Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 312Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 612Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 322Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 622Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 329Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 629Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 332Classroom Instruction25 / 240
LAB 632Classroom Instruction25 / 240
DIS 334Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 634Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 336Classroom Instruction25 / 240
LAB 636Classroom Instruction25 / 240
DIS 338Classroom Instruction19 / 240
LAB 638Classroom Instruction19 / 240
LEC 003Classroom Instruction245 / 2803
DIS 324Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 335Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 624Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 635Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 315Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 615Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 310Classroom Instruction25 / 241
DIS 318Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 337Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 610Classroom Instruction25 / 241
LAB 618Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 637Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 639Classroom Instruction23 / 230
DIS 339Classroom Instruction23 / 230
LAB 651Classroom Instruction1 / 00
LAB 652Classroom Instruction0 / 00
LAB 653Classroom Instruction2 / 00
DIS 351Classroom Instruction1 / 00
DIS 352Classroom Instruction0 / 00
DIS 353Classroom Instruction2 / 00

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

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Daniel Thurs is an amazing lecturer who provides clear examples and explains topics further when needed, making the course accessible.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.05 GPA, 44.0% A/AB (n=423 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.09 GPA, 44.6% A/AB (n=691 letter grades); Spring 2026: 2.95 GPA, 36.6% A/AB (n=456 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Exams are fair but include one or two tough questions that require significant thought and effort.

Reviewers appreciate the clear lectures and fair exams, noting that PowerPoint slides contain jokes.

Topics

  • Mechanics
  • Heat
  • Waves

Skills

  • Understanding principles of mechanics, heat, and waves.
  • Applying physics concepts to various fields.

Grades

Historical instructor

Fall 2026 · Projected

Before grades are released

– average GPA

Approximate 80% prediction interval

About this estimate

The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade. The center uses 5 same-season terms, weighted toward recent results.

The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.

8 earlier forecasts · 0.04 GPA average error.

Grades over time

Through Fall 2026

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1283 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

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
PHYSICS 103 · Fall 2026

General Physics

Recorded 2026-09-07
Raw records
[
  {
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "semester": "1272",
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1272:754:015589",
    "course_id": "PHYSICS 103",
    "course_uid": "course_0102faba3a6a173105857f06",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "015589",
    "source_subject_id": "754",
    "title": "General Physics",
    "credits_min": 4,
    "credits_max": 4,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring, Summer"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-09-07

Download the original dataset
Model outputs & technical records
nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1Download part 2
Model & dataset provenance
{
  "model": "nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4",
  "model_revision": "1355db6a052410cfd62085d94b58866fd0f2c3c5",
  "task_version": "14",
  "output_id": "96ad5a5528fae89dda3ff206b0ae65327eec8f26955a037f9e4562d81528a9c7",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349",
  "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00"
}