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2022 Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences

1,194 Colleges in the United States
32,457 Bachelor's Degrees
$35,669 Avg Early-Career Salary
Physical Sciences is about average in terms of popularity for bachelor's degrees programs. That is, it ranks #17 out of the 38 majors across the country that we analyze each year. As such, the degree program isn't offered at every college in the United States, but there are schools that do have a program in the field that are top-notch when it comes to quality.

For its 2022 ranking, College Factual looked at 1,194 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the most popular for physical sciences students pursuing a bachelor's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 32,457 bachelor's degrees in physical sciences during the 2019-2020 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Other Rankings

Choosing a Great Physical Sciences School for Your Bachelor's Degree

Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences Your choice of school for getting your bachelor's degree in physical sciences matters. We created our Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences ranking to make it a little easier to choose the right one for you.

Being popular does not always equate to overall quality, but a school with a large number of physical sciences students usually has them for a reason. This may be due to it being a great value, it offering a stellar educational experience, or the subject is a major focus of the school.

More Ways to Rank Physical Sciences Schools

Associate Degrees in Physical Sciences
Master's Degrees in Physical Sciences
Doctor's Degrees in Physical Sciences
Overall Popularity in Physical Sciences

This is not our only ranking, nor the only degree level we have ranked. In addition to this ranking, you may want to take at the rankings for different degree levels as called out above. You can also narrow your search by location by filtering for a certain area of the country. On top of that, you can visit our other rankings for physical sciences.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.


 

Below you'll see a list of the most popular colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in physical sciences. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Most Well Attended Schools for Physical Sciences Students Working on Their Bachelor's

1
459 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In WA
#1 Best Quality In WA

University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a popular decision for individuals interested in a bachelor's degree in physical sciences. Located in the city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a fairly large student population. This isn't the only ranking where the school placed. It's also #1 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Washington.

There were roughly 459 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Washington - Seattle Campus

2
377 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In CA
#3 Best Quality In CA

You'll be surrounded by many like-minded peers at University of California - Berkeley if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in physical sciences. UC Berkeley is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley. You also may be intersted to know that the school ranks #3 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in California.

There were roughly 377 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - Berkeley

3
366 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#2 Most Popular In CA
#8 Best Quality In CA

Any student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in physical sciences has to check out University of California - San Diego. UCSD is a very large public university located in the large city of La Jolla. Potential students might also be interested to know that the school ranks #8 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in California.

There were about 366 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - San Diego

4
330 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#3 Most Popular In CA
#4 Best Quality In CA

University of California - Santa Barbara is a popular decision for students pursuing a bachelor's degree in physical sciences. Located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a very large student population. This isn't the only ranking where the school placed. It's also #4 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in California.

There were approximately 330 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent data year.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - Santa Barbara

5
309 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In IL
#3 Best Quality In IL

Located in the small city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a very large student population. Potential students might also be interested to know that the school ranks #3 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Illinois.

There were about 309 physical sciences individuals who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

6
296 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In TX
#2 Best Quality In TX

Located in the large city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a very large student population. You also may be intersted to know that the school ranks #2 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Texas.

There were approximately 296 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from The University of Texas at Austin

7
255 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#4 Most Popular In CA
#7 Best Quality In CA

UC Irvine is a very large public university located in the large city of Irvine. Potential students might also be interested to know that the school ranks #7 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in California.

There were approximately 255 physical sciences individuals who graduated with this degree at UC Irvine in the most recent data year.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - Irvine

8
239 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In CO
#1 Best Quality In CO

CU - Boulder is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Boulder. You also may be intersted to know that the school ranks #1 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Colorado.

There were approximately 239 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at CU - Boulder in the most recent data year.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Colorado Boulder

9
238 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In WI
#1 Best Quality In WI

Located in the city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a very large student population. This isn't the only ranking where the school placed. It's also #1 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Wisconsin.

There were approximately 238 physical sciences individuals who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent data year.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Wisconsin - Madison

10
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
236 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In FL
#2 Best Quality In FL

Located in the city of Gainesville, UF is a public university with a very large student population. This isn't the only ranking where the school placed. It's also #2 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Florida.

There were about 236 physical sciences individuals who graduated with this degree at UF in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Florida

11
219 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In NC
#2 Best Quality In NC

UNC Chapel Hill is a very large public university located in the small city of Chapel Hill. Potential students might also be interested to know that the school ranks #2 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in North Carolina.

There were roughly 219 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at UNC Chapel Hill in the most recent data year.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

12
218 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In AZ
#2 Best Quality In AZ

Located in the large city of Tucson, University of Arizona is a public university with a fairly large student population. This isn't the only ranking where the school placed. It's also #2 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Arizona.

There were about 218 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at University of Arizona in the most recent data year.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Arizona

13
206 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#5 Most Popular In CA
#11 Best Quality In CA

UC Santa Cruz is a large public university located in the small city of Santa Cruz.

There were about 206 physical sciences individuals who graduated with this degree at UC Santa Cruz in the most recent data year.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - Santa Cruz

13
206 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In MN
#2 Best Quality In MN

Located in the city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public university with a fairly large student population. You also may be intersted to know that the school ranks #2 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Minnesota.

There were about 206 physical sciences individuals who graduated with this degree at UMN Twin Cities in the most recent data year.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

15
195 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#2 Most Popular In TX
#1 Best Quality In TX

Located in the city of College Station, Texas A&M College Station is a public university with a fairly large student population. Potential students might also be interested to know that the school ranks #1 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Texas.

There were approximately 195 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at Texas A&M College Station in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Texas A&M University - College Station

16
189 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#2 Most Popular In AZ
#3 Best Quality In AZ

ASU - Tempe is a fairly large public university located in the city of Tempe. You also may be intersted to know that the school ranks #3 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Arizona.

There were approximately 189 physical sciences individuals who graduated with this degree at ASU - Tempe in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Arizona State University - Tempe

16
189 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In OH
#3 Best Quality In OH

Ohio State is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Columbus. Potential students might also be interested to know that the school ranks #3 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Ohio.

There were about 189 physical sciences individuals who graduated with this degree at Ohio State in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Ohio State University - Main Campus

18
188 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#6 Most Popular In CA
#5 Best Quality In CA

Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population. Potential students might also be interested to know that the school ranks #5 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in California.

There were roughly 188 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent data year.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - Los Angeles

19
SUNY Stony Brook crest
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY
184 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In NY
#10 Best Quality In NY

Located in the suburb of Stony Brook, SUNY Stony Brook is a public university with a very large student population.

There were roughly 184 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at SUNY Stony Brook in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Stony Brook University

20
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA
179 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In VA
#3 Best Quality In VA

Located in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Tech is a public school with a fairly large student population. You also may be intersted to know that the school ranks #3 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Virginia.

There were about 179 physical sciences individuals who graduated with this degree at Virginia Tech in the most recent data year.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Virginia Tech

21
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
175 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In UT
#1 Best Quality In UT

U of U is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Salt Lake City. Potential students might also be interested to know that the school ranks #1 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Utah.

There were roughly 175 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at U of U in the most recent data year.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Utah

22
172 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In PA
#3 Best Quality In PA

Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Pitt is a public university with a very large student population. You also may be intersted to know that the school ranks #3 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Pennsylvania.

There were about 172 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at Pitt in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

22
172 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Most Popular In MD
#2 Best Quality In MD

UMCP is a fairly large public university located in the large suburb of College Park. Potential students might also be interested to know that the school ranks #2 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Maryland.

There were approximately 172 physical sciences individuals who graduated with this degree at UMCP in the most recent data year.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Maryland - College Park

24
156 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#2 Most Popular In FL
#9 Best Quality In FL

FIU is a very large public university located in the suburb of Miami. Potential students might also be interested to know that the school ranks #9 in quality for bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in Florida.

There were approximately 156 physical sciences individuals who graduated with this degree at FIU in the most recent data year.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Florida International University

25
SUNY Empire crest
SUNY Empire State College
Saratoga Springs, NY
154 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#2 Most Popular In NY
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

SUNY Empire is a fairly large public college located in the small suburb of Saratoga Springs.

There were roughly 154 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at SUNY Empire in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from SUNY Empire State College

25
SUNY Empire crest
SUNY Empire State College
Saratoga Springs, NY
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26
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, NY
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30
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
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Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
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Remaining Award Winners

This list shows the remainder of the schools awarded a Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences badge. Showing in this list means the school was ranked in the top 15% of the 1194 different United States physical sciences schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
50 Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ
51 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA
52 Harvard University Cambridge, MA
53 University of Houston Houston, TX
54 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX
54 William & Mary Williamsburg, VA
56 University of Missouri - Kansas City Kansas City, MO
56 New York University New York, NY
56 University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA
59 Appalachian State University Boone, NC
60 California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA
60 California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA
60 Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA
63 Temple University Philadelphia, PA
64 Florida State University Tallahassee, FL
64 University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH
66 California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA
67 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
68 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA
69 The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL
70 College of Charleston Charleston, SC
71 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR
72 East Carolina University Greenville, NC
72 West Virginia University Morgantown, WV
74 Wayne State University Detroit, MI
74 Towson University Towson, MD
76 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA
76 San Jose State University San Jose, CA
78 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY
78 The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN
80 Western Washington University Bellingham, WA
80 University of Iowa Iowa City, IA
82 Princeton University Princeton, NJ
82 University of Georgia Athens, GA
84 Iowa State University Ames, IA
85 Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GA
85 Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO
87 Portland State University Portland, OR
87 Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN
87 University of North Carolina at Wilmington Wilmington, NC
87 University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez Mayaguez, PR
91 Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN
91 University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV
93 University of Alabama in Huntsville Huntsville, AL
93 University at Albany Albany, NY
95 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY
96 The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX
96 Ohio University - Athens Campus Athens, OH
98 The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX
98 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
100 Miami University - Oxford Oxford, OH
101 University of Kansas Lawrence, KS
102 Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS
102 Brigham Young University - Provo Provo, UT
102 SUNY Geneseo Geneseo, NY
105 University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
105 California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA
105 Williams College Williamstown, MA
105 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI
105 Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH
110 Brown University Providence, RI
111 University of Rochester Rochester, NY
111 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL
111 Northeastern University Boston, MA
111 Wesleyan University Middletown, CT
115 Auburn University Auburn, AL
115 The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX
115 University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC
118 Montana State University Bozeman, MT
118 University of Kentucky Lexington, KY
118 George Mason University Fairfax, VA
121 Ball State University Muncie, IN
121 James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA
121 Millersville University of Pennsylvania Millersville, PA
121 Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC
125 Humboldt State University Arcata, CA
125 Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO
125 University of Memphis Memphis, TN
125 University of Oregon Eugene, OR
125 Boston University Boston, MA
130 Stanford University Stanford, CA
131 Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg, PA
131 University of Northern Colorado Greeley, CO
131 Rowan University Glassboro, NJ
134 University of California - Merced Merced, CA
134 California State University - Northridge Northridge, CA
136 University of Mississippi University, MS
136 Kansas State University Manhattan, KS
138 Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA
138 Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH
138 University of Nevada - Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV
141 West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester, PA
141 Salisbury University Salisbury, MD
143 Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY
143 Yale University New Haven, CT
145 Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY
145 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI
145 Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN
148 Carleton College Northfield, MN
148 Duke University Durham, NC
148 Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, KY
148 University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras San Juan, PR
148 University of Minnesota - Duluth Duluth, MN
148 University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA
154 University of North Texas Denton, TX
154 St Olaf College Northfield, MN
154 University of New Mexico - Main Campus Albuquerque, NM
154 Illinois State University Normal, IL
154 Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY
159 SUNY Oswego Oswego, NY
159 Washington University in St Louis Saint Louis, MO
159 Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL
159 Boise State University Boise, ID
159 Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA
159 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
159 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL
166 Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA
166 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY
166 California State University - Fresno Fresno, CA
166 Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL
166 University of Delaware Newark, DE
171 The Graduate Center, CUNY New York, NY
171 Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI
173 Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH
173 College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA
175 Smith College Northampton, MA
175 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX
177 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
177 California State University - Channel Islands Camarillo, CA
179 California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA
179 California State University - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
179 Whitworth University Spokane, WA

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great schools for Physical Sciences students that almost earned our Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences award.

Rank College Location
182 Haverford College Haverford, PA
183 Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX
183 University of Maryland - Baltimore County Baltimore, MD
185 University of Wisconsin - River Falls River Falls, WI
185 The City College of New York New York, NY
185 East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN
185 Dartmouth College Hanover, NH
185 Clemson University Clemson, SC
185 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL
191 University of Wisconsin - La Crosse La Crosse, WI
191 Lehman College Bronx, NY
191 Montclair State University Montclair, NJ
191 Macalester College Saint Paul, MN
191 University of Akron Main Campus Akron, OH
191 SUNY New Paltz New Paltz, NY
191 San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA
191 Kalamazoo College Kalamazoo, MI
199 University of Louisville Louisville, KY
199 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA
199 University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK
199 Syracuse University Syracuse, NY
199 Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA
199 Brigham Young University - Idaho Rexburg, ID
205 Wright State University - Main Campus Dayton, OH
205 Marshall University Huntington, WV
205 Delaware State University Dover, DE
205 Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MO
205 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN
205 Northwestern University Evanston, IL
205 Rice University Houston, TX
205 Weber State University Ogden, UT
213 The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX
213 University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI
213 Wellesley College Wellesley, MA
213 Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO
213 Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO
218 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD
218 Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA
218 Utah State University Logan, UT
218 Colgate University Hamilton, NY
218 University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA
218 Austin Peay State University Clarksville, TN
218 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock, PA
225 University of North Carolina at Asheville Asheville, NC
225 Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA
225 Beloit College Beloit, WI
225 Radford University Radford, VA
225 University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL
230 University of West Georgia Carrollton, GA
230 University of Houston - Downtown Houston, TX
230 Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA
230 George Washington University Washington, DC
230 University of Puerto Rico - Humacao Humacao, PR
230 University of Idaho Moscow, ID
236 University of Central Arkansas Conway, AR
236 California State University - Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA
236 University of New Orleans New Orleans, LA
236 Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN
236 Drexel University Philadelphia, PA
236 Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI
236 Colby College Waterville, ME

Physical Sciences by Region

View the Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Great Lakes

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Physical Sciences Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Chemistry 15,411
Physics 8,542
Geological & Earth Sciences 6,087
Astronomy & Astrophysics 874
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology 739
Other Physical Science 311
General Physical Sciences 261
Materials Sciences 219
Physics and Astronomy 13

Related Major Annual Graduates
Biological & Biomedical Sciences 132,166
Engineering 130,534
Computer & Information Sciences 101,570
Mathematics & Statistics 32,075
Agriculture & Agriculture Operations 21,995
Natural Resources & Conservation 21,733
Engineering Technologies 19,688
Architecture & Related Services 9,187
Communications Technologies & Support 4,657
Science Technologies / Technicians 618

Notes and References

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