PHYS 122Electricity and Magnetism
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Science
- Subject
- Physics
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 4 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 3 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
An introductory course in electricity and magnetism for students intending to concentrate their future studies in the physical sciences or mathematics. Concepts include electrostatic force and potential, electric current and power, capacitors, DC circuits, magnetic force and fields, and Faraday’s Law.
Prerequisites
Corequisites
Antirequisites
- Not completed any of the following:
Leads to
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 6779 | 0 / 200 | MWF 12:30–13:20 |
| LEC 002 | 6780 | 0 / 200 | MWF 08:30–09:20 |
| LEC 701 | 2542 | 294 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
| TUT 101 | 6781 | 0 / 100 | F 10:00–11:20 |
| TUT 102 | 6782 | 0 / 100 | T 11:30–12:50 |
| TUT 103 | 6783 | 0 / 100 | F 16:00–17:20 |
| TUT 104 | 7396 | 0 / 100 | T 10:00–11:20 |
| TST 201 | 6977 | 0 / 400 | Feb 23 19:00–20:50 |
Reviewed on UW Flow
54% liked it41% easy73% useful
From 230 ratings and 39 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
I thought Phys122 was going to be a easy mark booster (95+) given my mark in Phys121 (I took it with Cummings and Epp). Never could I have been so wrong because of GUENTER SCHOLZ [online]. This guy out of no-where just gives the most demonic exam I've ever done. I swear even if I saw and completed every single question before the exam, I would struggle with completing the exam within the 2 hour 30 min because of the amount of computation, question and parts. Think for more than 1 second per question and ur COOKED (oh, and he doesn't curve :D).
Other than that, the course was easy and is semi-useful in gaining an introductory intuition on how many things in our world work.Aug 2024 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Awful class. Take PHYS 112 instead. Save your average. [Update 2022]: Just don't take with Dr. Guenter Scholz.
Feb 2020 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Great course, but the first two units harmonic motion and waves are boring.
Apr 2023 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
I really liked this course. I did IB physics, and found electricity to be the hardest unit, simply because they crammed basically a whole course in it over a period of 6 weeks - and as a result, I failed my HS unit test. That made me extremely nervous for this course, because electricity was never something I've ever understood well.
Boy, was I wrong. Lectures were clear and alongside the textbook the concepts were introduced in an excellent manner. I actually understood electrical laws and circuits for the first time ever, and even enjoyed doing them. The course was fun, and aside from the 8:30am starting time, it was fully worth it. I enjoyed having Prof. Cummings as a lecturer and look…May 2022 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Difficult course, make sure you attend classes and pay attention no matter how boring they may seem.
May 2020 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
371 posts and comments in 296 threads mention PHYS 122, April 2011 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Fall 2024
How cooked am I next term 33 points, 27 comments
“https://preview.redd.it/sja2uyioa4ae1.png?width=652&format=png&auto=webp&s=da6f9cb5427cd275561128caa48f6851333be88b I am probably going to regret this. Is this too big of a course load?”
u/OkEconomist2080: “Very doable if you want to regular version of classes. Advanced ones are not that worth it imo.”
u/OkEconomist2080: “Phys 122 is pretty fked, consider 112 instead of”
u/Surprised-Egg: “… Phys122 in my opinion was pretty good, I enjoyed a lot of the topics (like the waves and simple harmonic motion stuff). …”
u/swaggyrabbit145: “I took a similar schedule to you last year, but with STAT230 and ECON102 instead of PHYS122 and PHYS175. Difficulty wise I think that if you find MATH145 and MATH147 okay then the 1B advanced classes should be doable. Time-wise for me was rough. …”
Where did I go wrong 44 points, 5 comments
“1A ECE. I feel so lost. I posted here previously about midterms and how I did pretty poorly on them, after your guys help I was determined to bounce back. I studied up, and worked damn hard. …”
u/ehhthing: “… Do note that ECE 105 can be replaced with PHYS 121 and 122 (https://uwaterloo.ca/engineering/undergraduate-students/first-year/approved-courses-clearing-1a-and-1b-failed-courses::text=PHYS%20121%20and%20122%20%2D%C2%A0%20no%20lab%20component%20required) which I'm told are much …”
phys 121 average exam 1 point, 1 comment
u/avistie: “… the two midterm tests and final exam, please be aware that you may not be well prepared for PHYS 122 or PHYS 124. Consult with your academic advisor for strategies to succeed" hypothetically..... if someone got an average of 60% but did not pass for the average exam.... …”
Spring 2024
PHYS 122 Final 29 points, 9 comments
u/Merichinwo: “It feels like an assault. 14 questions each with parts a b c d left me with no time to finish. Even the questions I wrote solutions for I was making up equations on the spot. 1/3 of them I haven’t even understood the question before the exam was over. …”
Easy physics courses for a minor in physics 1 point, 2 comments
u/waterloobitch: “I am a SCIAVIA student looking to minor in physics. Currently in my 3rd year. Courses I have taken: Phys 121, 122, 225, 275, 234 Math 127, 128, 228, taking 227 next term. Suggestions will be appreciated.”
Materials and Nanoscience? 8 points, 12 comments
“Hi, I am a grade 12 student that is interested in Waterloo’s Materials and Nanoscience program and want to know a little more about what it entails. …”
u/NoThisIsPatrick-1671: “… MATH 127 and 128, PHYS 121 and 122, CS 114, etc.). …”
PHYS 122 Online during spring term? 4 points, 3 comments
u/Cloudy_Whale: “I am planning to take PHYS 122 online with Guenter Scholz this term. Anyone took it before? How was it? Any comments would be appropriated.”
Winter 2024
Phys 122 Final Information 7 points, 2 comments
u/Excellent-War1319: “Hi! I was hoping someone had any information on how this course's final is usually formatted (how many questions, what type of questions, etc.) since the prof has not responded to any piazza questions on it, has not posted any information on the final (but had for midterms) and …”
u/Konnorsaurus: “Many questions for my online phys122 exam were related to directions of the force/acceleration of a particle in a magnetic field. Here are some questions from my exam: 1. …”
what happens when you don’t meet ur program requirements 13 points, 13 comments
“i’m in my 1b term and it’s actually kicking my ass, and i don’t think i’m gonna meet my program requirements (60 in my special major courses, and overall 60 average). …”
u/eranand04: “What program are you in? Your advisors will likely give u a chance considering you're in first year. Like the other guy said you can take some bird courses and I can recommend a few”
u/eranand04: “Earth 122 was really ez w all open book(except final) multiple choice and over 80 avg final grade. Avoid phys 121/122(speaking from experience). Geog 101, sci 201, 206, maybe 238, math 106, 225”
After phys 122 for depth (math faculty) 1 point, 5 comments
u/primary_sloth: “For context, I'm in cs(finished 2A, gonna go into 2B) and I have finished phys 122 (and trying for a depth in physics). But choosing a third course is a little more difficult than I thought it'd be lol. …”
Fall 2023
Actually failing out of waterloo 💀 76 points, 25 comments
“Somehow i was convinced to take SE over CS, i just screwed up the calc midterm and now we have ece105 coming up. …”
u/ehhthing: “They can't fail too many people in ECE 105/106 otherwise the class sizes for next year balloon too high and that causes chaos. Expect up to the bottom 20 percent or so failing ECE 105/106. …”
u/Maremesscamm: “Cs would have been so much easier lol”
u/Organic_Midnight1999: “Yeah it’s pretty fucked. Took it a while back and then took 112 cuz I wasn’t bout to subject myself to the bs that is phys 122.”
First year physics 1 point, 7 comments
“Why is it just grade 11 repeat? If we got into gr 12 physics, then waterloo, we obviously know gr 11 physics. They’re reteaching kinematics and impulse?? Why??? …”
u/kalashnikovgobrrrr: “Canadian high schools don't teach concepts like complex numbers, etc as well. That's why a lot of the math/physics is gonna be review. …”
u/kalashnikovgobrrrr: “… for electric fields was touched upon in PHYS122 which you take next semester, and in PHYS242 we definitely covered some more of them. …”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them