First-Year Physics at the Politecnico di Milano: What to Expect

There is no single course called "Fisica I" at the Politecnico di Milano: the first physics course is named differently in each degree programme -- Fisica (code 051124, 12 CFU, ICT area), Fondamenti di Fisica Sperimentale (12 CFU, Mechanical Engineering), Fisica Sperimentale per Gestionali (10 CFU) -- but all cover the same core: mechanics and thermodynamics, with an introduction to elementary interactions (gravitational and Coulomb). It is taught in the second semester of year 1, with explicit prerequisite Analisi Matematica 1: the mathematical formalism is mandatory, not optional as in high school. Waves, full electromagnetism, optics and modern physics are not in the first-year programme -- they come in Fisica II in year 2.

Every year, students arriving at the Politecnico expecting "Fisica I" face two surprises. The first: the course is named differently in each degree, with different codes and CFU. The second, more important: from day one, derivatives and integrals are used systematically -- no longer as "tricks" applied occasionally as in high school. Politecnico physics is not high school physics "done faster" -- it's a different thing, expressed in a different language.

This guide is written for students about to start the Politecnico or already in their first year who want to understand what to truly expect. All the data here is taken from the official 2025/26 Polimi regulations and from individual course pages. No "in my opinion" on contents and modalities: the programmes are public and we report them as they read.

In this guide:

• The course names: why "Fisica I" doesn't exist at Polimi
• The FISICA 051124 course (12 CFU, ICT)
• Fondamenti di Fisica Sperimentale (Mechanical Engineering)
• The real programme: mechanics and thermodynamics
• What is NOT covered in year 1 (and comes later)
• The real difference from high school physics
• Exams and textbooks
• How to prepare before and during the course
• FAQ

The course names: why "Fisica I" doesn't exist at Polimi

One of the first sources of confusion for incoming students is the variety of names of the first physics course at the Politecnico. Searching for "Fisica I" in the regulations turns up nothing -- the course exists, but under different names depending on the degree.

Here is the map of the real names in year 1 according to the 2025/26 Polimi regulations:

All these courses are placed in the second semester of year 1, share Analisi Matematica 1 (taught in the first semester) as a strict prerequisite, and cover the core "first-year classical physics" -- with small variations in scope that we will see in the following paragraphs.

Practical note for students and families: when people talk about "preparing for Fisica I", they almost always mean one of these three courses. The central content is the same; they differ in some peripheral topics and in the weight given to electrostatics and magnetostatics.

The FISICA 051124 course (12 CFU, ICT)

To make it concrete, let's take the most cited course: FISICA, code 051124, 12 CFU, year 1 second semester, in Italian, valid for Computer, Electrical, Electronic and Automation Engineering. The official Politecnico course sheet describes structure and content very precisely.

Official course data (Polimi 2025/26, scheda incarico 051124):

• CFU: 12 (physics is worth more than almost any other year 1 course)
• Scientific-disciplinary sector: PHYS-03/A
• Total in-class hours: 120 in the classroom (72 lectures + 48 exercises) + 180 of individual study, for a total of 300 student hours
• Year and semester: year 1, second semester
• Language: Italian
• Explicit prerequisite: "The course uses the mathematical formalism developed in the Analisi Matematica 1 course"
• Assessment: written exam with open questions (numerical and theoretical); option of two mid-term partial assessments; possible supplementary oral exam

Translation: 300 hours of total study in a single semester, including lectures, exercises and work at home. It is a load close to the maximum foreseen for an Engineering year 1 course, and it makes sense only if Analisi 1 has already been digested -- because every line of reasoning, from kinematics to the first law of thermodynamics, is expressed as derivatives, integrals and differential equations.

Fondamenti di Fisica Sperimentale (Mechanical Engineering)

For Mechanical Engineering, the counterpart is called Fondamenti di Fisica Sperimentale, 12 CFU, also in the second semester of year 1. The hour breakdown and student workload are similar (300 total hours), and the Analisi Matematica 1 prerequisite is identical.

The main difference from FISICA 051124 lies in scope: according to the official descriptions and the Politecnico Department of Physics page (fisi.polimi.it/it/offerta-formativa), the Mechanical Engineering course covers electrostatics and magnetostatics more systematically than 051124, including them as standalone blocks rather than as a closing chapter. That said, the main core -- mechanics of point and rigid body, fluids, classical thermodynamics -- is the same.

For Management Engineering, the 10 CFU course has a more compact schedule and less time for deep dives, but it stays within the same conceptual perimeter.

The real programme: mechanics and thermodynamics

Let's get to what is really studied. The official programme of FISICA 051124, as reported on the official course sheet, includes 13 macro-topics in teaching order:

1. Introduction to the study of Physics: physical quantities and their measurement
2. Kinematics of the point mass
3. Principles of Dynamics of the point mass and forces
4. Work and energy
5. Kinematics and Dynamics in non-inertial reference frames
6. Elementary interactions between masses and between electric charges
7. Dynamics of systems of point masses
8. Elements of Rigid Body Dynamics
9. Fluid mechanics
10. Introduction to Thermodynamics
11. First Law of Thermodynamics
12. Second Law of Thermodynamics
13. Kinetic Theory of Gases

The message is clear: the first physics course at Polimi is a mechanics and thermodynamics course, with an introduction to gravitational and Coulomb interactions as a sketch of fundamental forces. There is no optics, no dynamical electromagnetism, no wave physics in the full sense: all of that comes later.

Polimi mechanics is broader than that of high school for two specific reasons. First: rigid body dynamics, with moment of inertia, Euler's equation, pure rolling, is treated in depth -- in high school it is usually only sketched. Second: non-inertial reference frames, with apparent forces (centrifugal, Coriolis), get a chapter of their own at Polimi and are almost absent from high school. To consolidate the high school basis of kinematics and dynamics before university, our guide to high school mechanics: kinematics and dynamics is the natural starting point.

Polimi thermodynamics goes beyond high school "p·V = n·R·T": you reach the kinetic theory of gases with statistical derivation, the second law treated formally (entropy, irreversibility), and the full thermodynamic cycles.

What is NOT covered in year 1 (and comes later)

A common surprise for those expecting "more complete physics" in year 1: waves, electromagnetism, optics and modern physics are not in the Polimi Fisica I programme. All of this enters in year 2, in separate courses that may be called Fisica II, Onde, Elettromagnetismo or Ottica depending on the degree.

In particular, year 1 does NOT include:

• Mechanical waves (strings, sound waves, superposition principle)
• Electromagnetic waves (Maxwell equations, propagation)
• Electromagnetic induction (Faraday, Lenz, self-induction)
• Time-varying circuits (RLC, resonance phenomena)
• Physical optics (interference, diffraction, polarization)
• Modern physics (relativity, quantum physics, atom, structure of matter)

For geometric optics, advanced electrostatics and elements of magnetostatics there is an elementary treatment in year 1 (especially in the Mechanical Engineering course). But the complete picture -- what high school covers in the second half of year 5 -- at the Polimi is year 2 material.

Practically speaking: if in high school you enjoyed electromagnetism more than mechanics, know that year 1 brings mechanics back. It's not a problem -- it's just useful to know to avoid arriving with the wrong expectations.

The real difference from high school physics

It's worth being explicit on this point, because it's where the difference between a first-year student who starts well and one who struggles by March is decided. Polimi physics is not "harder" because it treats more exotic topics (on the contrary: as we have seen, year 1 is mechanics and thermodynamics, the same topics as high school). It is different in how it treats them.

Difference 1 -- The mathematical formalism is mandatory. The 051124 syllabus prerequisite is explicit: the course uses the Analisi 1 formalism. Velocity is dx/dt, written and used as a derivative, not as "Δs over Δt". Work is ∫F·ds, computed as an integral, not as "F times s when force is constant". Newton is m·d²x/dt² = F, i.e. a differential equation that must be interpreted. Students who studied physics in high school as a "list of formulas" feel lost; those who studied mathematics as a tool for physics are at an advantage -- a theme we dig into in mathematics and physics: the connection.

Difference 2 -- Non-inertial reference frames. In high school you almost always work in inertial frames; Polimi devotes an entire chapter to non-inertial ones, with apparent forces (centrifugal, Coriolis). It's a conceptually new chapter that you should face knowing it's normal to struggle in the first weeks.

Difference 3 -- The rigid body is treated seriously. Moment of inertia, inertia tensor (at least introduced), pure rolling and rolling with slipping, gyroscope dynamics. In high school it is often skipped; at the Polimi it is a central block worth several exam points.

Difference 4 -- Kinetic theory and the second law. High school thermodynamics stops at "pV = nRT". At the Polimi, you enter the statistical derivation of pressure and the formal formulation of the second law (entropy as a state function). It's an important conceptual jump: physics also becomes probabilistic.

Difference 5 -- The workload. 300 hours in one semester means 18-20 hours a week for physics alone (lectures + exercises + study). Add the other courses of the semester and you understand why, without an effective study method, students get overwhelmed.

Exams and textbooks

The FISICA 051124 exam is a written test with open questions, both numerical and theoretical. The official sheet also notes the possibility to take the exam as two mid-term assessments (one at the midpoint, one at the end of the semester), a route widely used by first-years because it splits the load. A supplementary oral may be requested at the lecturer's discretion. The recommended bibliography in the sheet lists several manuals -- all optional but with useful selection criteria:

• Focardi, Massa, Uguzzoni, Villa -- *Fisica Generale*: broad and theoretical, an excellent reference for those who want a complete background that goes beyond the programme.
• Mazzoldi, Nigro, Voci -- *Fisica Vol. I*: probably the most widespread textbook at the Polimi, well balanced between theory and exercises.
• Duò, Taroni -- *Fisica: Meccanica e Termodinamica*: explicitly designed for course 051124, it closely follows the programme.
• Problem books by Longhi-Nisoli-Osellame-Stagira, Magni-Cerullo, Zani-Duò-Taroni: all from the Politecnico area, indispensable for practising on typical exam problems.

For most students, the "textbook + problem book" pair from the same Politecnico authors is the most effective choice, because it aligns language and notation with what is used in class and at the exam.

How to prepare before and during the course

Effective preparation for Fisica I at the Polimi plays out on two fronts: arriving at February (start of the second semester) with solid high school basics and Analisi 1 in good shape, and keeping a steady pace of study throughout the semester rather than chasing the end of it.

Before the course starts (summer -- first semester):

• Consolidate Analisi 1. It's the explicit prerequisite. Derivatives, integrals and first- and second-order differential equations must be fluent. If Analisi 1 is shaky, Fisica I becomes much harder than it needs to be.
• Revise high school mechanics with a new eye. Not to repeat what you already knew, but to rewrite kinematics and dynamics in the language of calculus (v = dx/dt, F = m·d²x/dt², work as an integral). High school mechanics and TOLC-I physics are good bases.
• Vector fluency. Scalar product, vector product, decomposition along oblique axes. They are the daily bread of Fisica I, and if high school rushed past them, it's the moment to sort them out.

During the semester:

• Weekly study, not blocks. The 18-20 weekly hours of physics must be distributed: 6 hours of lectures, 4 of exercises, 8-10 of individual study split between exercises and theory. Skipping even one week means accumulating a debt that is hard to recover.
• Exercises before theory, but cleverly. The textbook and lectures give you theory; the exercises force you to use it. The typical mistake is to read the chapter, take notes and then attempt the exercises: better to reverse it -- skim the chapter, immediately try the exercises, return to theory when you get stuck.
• Use mid-term assessments. If the lecturer offers them, taking them reduces the risk of the final exam "all at once" and provides intermediate feedback on your preparation.

In our work with Politecnico students, the most frequent pattern is this: smart first-years who got through high school without a structured study method, and who at Fisica I have to build one for the first time. Our physics tutoring is often a dual-track on mathematics (formalism, guided exercises) and physics (concepts, typical Polimi problems), because that's where most students get stuck: where one supports the other. For those who also need to strengthen the analysis basis, we work in parallel on mathematics tutoring.

Effective preparation for Fisica I is not "study more" -- it's study better, with a method that recognises where high school ends and university begins.

FAQ

Is there a course called "Fisica I" at the Politecnico di Milano? Literally no. There are several courses corresponding to the first physics course in the various degree programmes: FISICA (code 051124, 12 CFU, ICT area), FONDAMENTI DI FISICA SPERIMENTALE (12 CFU, Mechanical Engineering), FISICA SPERIMENTALE PER GESTIONALI (10 CFU). All cover the same core: mechanics and thermodynamics.

When is physics taught in year 1? In the second semester. All year 1 physics courses at the Polimi are placed in the second semester, with Analisi Matematica 1 (taught in the first semester) as a prerequisite.

How many hours of study does Fisica I require? The 12 CFU course officially foresees 300 total hours of study (120 in class + 180 individual) in one semester. In practice: 18-20 hours per week, counting lectures, exercises and home study.

Are waves and electromagnetism studied in year 1? No. The year 1 programme covers mechanics (point mass, rigid body, non-inertial frames, fluids) and thermodynamics (first and second laws, kinetic theory). Waves, electromagnetism, physical optics and modern physics come in year 2 with courses such as Fisica II or Onde.

Are derivatives and integrals needed from day one? Yes. The official 051124 course sheet explicitly states that the course uses the formalism of Analisi Matematica 1. Velocity as derivative, work as integral, Newton as a differential equation: calculus is not optional, it's the language of the course.

How different is Polimi physics from high school physics? Very, but not because of the topics -- they are the same. It is different in mathematical formalism (mandatory from day one), in the extension of topics such as rigid body and non-inertial frames, and in the level of rigour in thermodynamics. It's normal for the first weeks to be uphill, even for strong students.

How to prepare before starting the course? Three things: consolidate Analisi 1 (it's an explicit prerequisite); revise high school mechanics rewriting it in the language of calculus; train with vectors (scalar and vector products, decompositions). If these basics are solid, the course becomes a normal challenge; if they are fragile, it becomes much harder.

Mid-term assessments or final exam? Almost always mid-term assessments are preferable if the lecturer offers them: they split the load and give intermediate feedback. The final exam "all at once" is a reasonable option only for those with a very solid study method who prefer to concentrate.

Continue reading:

• High School Mechanics: Kinematics and Dynamics
• TOLC-I Physics: Topics and What to Study
• Mathematics and Physics: the Connection
• Complete Guide to TOL Polimi Preparation
• Physics Tutoring in Milan