- #1
coreyjwade
- 2
- 0
Currently I am back in school taking some math courses to finish an undergraduate degree while getting credit for a master's program in math. I am fairly competent in calculus and did well in the first half of an introductory physics class that I had to withdraw from for other reasons. My long term interests are in astronomy. When it comes to math, I am more of a theoretical person. The reason that I can never fit the general physics classes into my schedule is because of the time consuming labs that I have no interest in taking (I currently work as well). I am very interested in taking the 2nd-3rd year theoretical classes like Electromagnetism, Analytical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics and Relativity. I am wondering if I would be able to handle such classes, or if they would be over my head because my physics background is not strong enough.
A parallel that I would like to make is with the math course Analysis. Calc III is a requirement to take this class. But the reality is that you learn Calculus from the beginning in Analysis in a much more theoretical way. Knowing Calculus helps, but it's not essential to succeed in such a class since you technically learn it from a proof-only mathematical perspective. Are classes like Electromagnetism similar? Is having a basis in electromagnetism with some self study enough to take such a class? Would auditing the class, but not taking the lab cut it? Any advice would be appreciated. I sent a similar but shorter message to the physics chair of the department several weeks ago and was ignored.
A parallel that I would like to make is with the math course Analysis. Calc III is a requirement to take this class. But the reality is that you learn Calculus from the beginning in Analysis in a much more theoretical way. Knowing Calculus helps, but it's not essential to succeed in such a class since you technically learn it from a proof-only mathematical perspective. Are classes like Electromagnetism similar? Is having a basis in electromagnetism with some self study enough to take such a class? Would auditing the class, but not taking the lab cut it? Any advice would be appreciated. I sent a similar but shorter message to the physics chair of the department several weeks ago and was ignored.