Covers the origin and development of classical mechanics, including vector analysis, conservation laws, and Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms.
The class is very tough, but homework carries significant weight in the final grade, making the challenge worthwhile for student understanding.
All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors
(PHYSICS 202, 208, or 248) and (MATH 234, 321, or 376), or graduate/professional standing
“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.
Ilya Esterlis is praised for clear explanations, deep knowledge, and willingness to answer questions. Reviewers highlight his fantastic lectures and modesty. However, the course content based on Landau mechanics is described as very tough and not easy.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2024: 3.15 GPA, 49.1% A/AB (n=57 letter grades).
No course-specific feedback yet.
Ilya Esterlis is the current instructor. Historical reviews for Andrey Chubukov praise his understandable mechanics teaching, while Paul Terry is described as brilliant but fast-paced and difficult. Roman Kuzmin receives high marks for clarity, kindness, and generous grading.
ANDREY CHUBUKOV is recorded teaching in Spring 2013. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
ILYA ESTERLIS is recorded teaching in Spring 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
KEITH BECHTOL is recorded teaching in Fall 2021, Spring 2022. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
PAUL TERRY is recorded teaching in Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
ROMAN KUZMIN is recorded teaching in 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.
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| Section | Mode | Enrolled / capacity | Waitlist |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | Classroom Instruction | 94 / 96 | 1 |
| DIS 301 | Classroom Instruction | 32 / 32 | 0 |
| DIS 303 | Classroom Instruction | 31 / 32 | 1 |
| DIS 302 | Classroom Instruction | 31 / 32 | 0 |
Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.
Ilya Esterlis delivers fantastic, clear lectures on Landau mechanics, earning high praise for his caring nature and deep knowledge despite the course's inherent toughness.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.05 GPA, 42.3% A/AB (n=52 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.46 GPA, 75.6% A/AB (n=82 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.03 GPA, 45.9% A/AB (n=74 letter grades).
The class is very tough, but homework carries significant weight in the final grade, making the challenge worthwhile for student understanding.
Students appreciate Esterlis's willingness to answer questions and his clear explanations of complex topics like symmetry and conservation laws.
– average GPA
Approximate 80% prediction interval
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 · 0.15 GPA average error.
Through Fall 2026
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.
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.
Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.
Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.
Mechanics
Recorded 2026-09-07[
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"credits_min": 3,
"credits_max": 3,
"typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
}
]Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.
Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.
Explore recorded gradesRecorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.
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