Chemical Physics vs Physical Chemistry

[John Jones]

I've always wondered what the difference was.

Chemical Physics was taught in the Physics department.
Physical Chemistry was taught in the Chemistry department.

I always suspected they were the same course with different emphasis but I never knew anyone who took or taught both courses.

[Neverfly]

I've always wonder what the difference was.

Chemical Physics was taught in the Physics department.
Physical Chemistry was taught in the Chemistry department.

I always suspected they were the same course with different emphasis but I never knew anyone who took or taught both courses.

Well..
In MY School..:

Chemical Physics was the course in determining the ballistic trajectories of chucked experiments by angry chemists.
Physical Chemistry was the politically correct name for the sex ed class.

[Swift]

I've always wondered what the difference was.

Chemical Physics was taught in the Physics department.
Physical Chemistry was taught in the Chemistry department.

I always suspected they were the same course with different emphasis but I never knew anyone who took or taught both courses.

Well, you still don't. I was a chemistry major, so I took Physical Chemistry. Actually, that is not a single course. When I was an undergraduate there were actually four courses under the general title of Physical Chemistry: P. Chem 1 and 2, an experimental/lab course in P. Chem., and Quantum Mechanics. I can't say I know exactly what Chemical Physics is, but I suspect it is close to P. Chem.

Here is what wikipedia says, and it seems to make sense:

Chemical physics is a subdiscipline of chemistry and physics that investigates physicochemical phenomena using techniques from atomic and molecular physics and condensed matter physics; it is the branch of physics that studies chemical processes from the point of view of physics. While at the interface of physics and chemistry, chemical physics is distinct from physical chemistry in that it focuses more on the characteristic elements and theories of physics. Meanwhile, physical chemistry studies the physical nature of chemistry. Nonetheless, the distinction between the two fields is vague, and workers often practice in each field during the course of their research.