uwloo

SCI 207Physics, the Universe, and Everything

Units
0.50
Faculty
Science
Subject
Science

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 2 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

How does the universe work? How can it even exist? What is the ultimate nature of reality? This course explores big picture questions that connect humanity to the nature of the physical world. Beginning with introduction to Einstein's ideas and the quantum nature of the universe, this course considers how physicists tackle some of the mysteries (e.g., existence itself) and challenges (e.g., the world's energy problem) in science today.

Prerequisites

  • Students must be in level 2A or higher

Antirequisites

None listed.

Notes

  • No mathematics or other specialized knowledge is required.

Leads to

No course lists it as a requisite.

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 00168560 / 80TTh 14:30–15:50
LEC 701256956 / 9999Online or by arrangement
TUT 10168630 / 40M 09:30–10:20
TUT 10268640 / 40M 08:30–09:20

Reviewed on UW Flow

90% liked it69% easy78% useful

From 29 ratings and 13 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • If this is a bird course, it would be a penguin.

    Apr 2023 · liked it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • NOT a bird course. Although the content isn't too difficult, there are 6 research essays, mandatory tutorials, two term tests, and a three final research essays. Term tests test you pretty thoroughly, so you will need to study for those but they're weighted so that your best test is marked higher. Research essays are ~1k words each.
    If you're actually interested in asking deeper questions and are okay with writing, take it. Just don't take this as a bird course; there are much easier bird courses out there. You'll spend more time than expected on this course and regret it even though you enjoy the content and the prof's lectures.

    Feb 2023 · liked it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Really cool course. If you like thinking deeply (without having to do any tough computation) about life, aliens, existence, and big questions about reality, this course is for you. Prof. Epp really brought it to life. There are reports to write and two multiple choices tests, but the grading is generous - they want you to do well as long as you turn things in! I'd recommend this course to anyone. Super interesting!

    Apr 2026 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • This is not bird, the TA's mark very harshly, at least they did this term

    Apr 2023 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • This course puts the "Universe" in University!

    Jan 2018 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

50 posts and comments in 41 threads mention SCI 207, November 2015 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 2023

Winter 2023

Fall 2022

Fall 2021

Question for those that have transferred into another program 8 points, 4 comments

“Where did you transfer from/to? What made you want to transfer? Do you regret your decision?”

u/the_garden_waste: “… In 2B, I took SCI 207 (Physics, the Universe and Everything) with Richard Epp and that changed my life. From that term, I took every pre-required PHYS course possible and was officially transferred into Honours Physics in my 3B term. I don’t regret a single moment. …”

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SCI 207 work load? 1 point, 2 comments

u/excalibur138: “I'm looking for a light course to balance out a couple of heavier ones. SCI 207 looks interesting, but unsure of its difficulty: Do the weekly written reports require high effort? Are exams MC or long answer? Is it common to end with marks of 90+?”

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What's a course you've taken that made you think "everyone needs to take this course" and why? 77 points, 48 comments

“Whether it had a lot of applicable information for daily life, really changed your point of view on something, or was just extremely interesting. …”

u/Coolcoolxx: “SCI 207 with Richard Epp. Intro to Physics, the Universe, and Everything. Not only is Epp extremely passionate about the topic, the course is a beautiful reminder of how Earth and humans came to be, the vast brilliance of space. Made life feel magical”

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Winter 2021

SCI 201 vs SCI 207 vs CLAS 104 2 points, 7 comments

u/blanket456: “I heard that traditionally those 3 courses are supposed to be easy, but with COVID and the recent posts, it might not be the case anymore. Can anyone currently taking any of those courses just give a brief review about the difficulty level? …”

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Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar