My Semester: A Look Into My Academic Year

[Kalimaa23]

Greetings,

For a while I've been doing this little thing where everyone goes on and describes their semester for all to see.

I'm a little late this time for those in the US, but the academic year over here only starts next week.

I'll go first : I'm entering my last year of my master this year (woot!). The courseload for this semester will be :

General Relativity & Application in Cosmology
Elementary Particle Physics Theory : the Standard Model
Quantum Field Theory : Functional Quantisation
Mathematical Methods of Physics II : Integral Equations

In addition, my advisor has already given quite some stuff to read (like Weinberg's GR book, and Green, Schwarz & Witten's book on String Theory ).

So, fellow college students, what are you up to this semester?

 

[Smurf]

Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, English

 

[matthyaouw]

I'm on the second year of my Physical Geography Masters.
My modlues are:
Core skills in physical geography (experimental, labwork and fieldwork techniques.)
Physical environment (Landforms and landform processes)
Sedimentology.
People, land and time (Recent landscape development encompassing human and physical processes)

 

[cefarix]

I'm taking Operating Systems, Advanced Programming in Java, Data Structures and Algorithms, and Ordinary Differential Equations. It's been more than two weeks since the quarter started, and I've only been to 3 or 4 classes

 

[Gale]

Sophmore astrophysics and math majors.
Calc 4: advanced calc, Fundmentals of math theory: (intro to set theory, number theory group theory... ect..) Complex Variables Calc, Physics: Mechanics, Physics lab, Physics Colliqium, and Brave New World, (a comp lit course.)

... full course load,

 

[rachmaninoff]

2nd year university:

Advanced Electrodynamics
Statistical Mechanics
Modern physics lab.
Algebraic Topology
Russian language

 

[Entropy]

Calculus II w/Analytical Geometry (I'm currently failing this class , we've only had three quizes but I failed two of them. Just a bunch of crazy integrals I tell ya!)
Discovering Physics
General Physics B w/o Lab
Freshman Composition and Rhertoric
Ancient Mythology

 

[mattmns]

3rd year.

Intro to astronomy
Intro to Java
Discrete Structures
Abstract Algebra 1

 

[Kalimaa23]

2nd year university:

Advanced Electrodynamics
Statistical Mechanics
Modern physics lab.
Algebraic Topology
Russian language

Statistical Mechanics? Algebraic Topology? I knew Russian universities were tough, but DAMN!

 

[rachmaninoff]

Statistical Mechanics? Algebraic Topology? I knew Russian universities were tough, but DAMN!

I'm not in Russia, I'm learning Russian the language.

 

[Townsend]

2nd year university:

Advanced Electrodynamics
Statistical Mechanics
Modern physics lab.
Algebraic Topology
Russian language

You're nuts...

Are you working towards a second degree or what?

 

[rachmaninoff]

You're nuts...

Are you working towards a second degree or what?

I don't see what the fuss is about. This is an undergraduate schedule, in which subjects are watered-down and the matter condensed into a semester (half-year). Everyone should study topology.

 

[Townsend]

I don't see what the fuss is about. This is an undergraduate schedule, in which subjects are watered-down and the matter condensed into a semester (half-year). Everyone should study topology.

I'll cover all those things too...but not in my second year...

What do you plan to take for the next two years after this year is done?

 

[Archon]

I don't see what the fuss is about. This is an undergraduate schedule, in which subjects are watered-down and the matter condensed into a semester (half-year). Everyone should study topology.

I would love to take topology next semester, but it probably won't work with my schedule.

Right now: High School Senior, taking Abstract Algebra.

 

[gravenewworld]

Thats because at a lot of foreign universities you don't have to take courses outside of your field or that are related to your field. Most US institutions emphasize a liberal arts education and breadth. There is no way a normal college US soph would be doing algebraic topology they would be studying something like literature, philosophy, ethics, humanities etc. instead.

 

[zanazzi78]

Year 2, Level 1;

Dynamics, Vibrations and Waves
Electricity and Magnetism
Introduction to Astronomy and Cosmology
Thermal Physics
Experimental Techniques I (20 credit points)
Experimental Techniques II
Introduction to the Analysis of Scientific Data and Modelling of Physical Systems

 

[Townsend]

I would love to take topology next semester, but it probably won't work with my schedule.

Right now: High School Senior, taking Abstract Algebra.

Do you attend a private school? I only ask because I find it hard to believe very many California high school math teachers are capable of teaching through calculus III let alone abstract algebra or topology. That and there would hardly be enough high school students enrolled in such classes to justify their existence. And for that matter...why are you still in high school? You should be in college...

 

[Archon]

Do you attend a private school? I only ask because I find it hard to believe very many California high school math teachers are capable of teaching through calculus III let alone abstract algebra or topology. That and there would hardly be enough high school students enrolled in such classes to justify their existence.

I go to a public high school, but I take this class at UC Berkeley after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. That's also why I probably won't be able to take topology next semester: it would have to start at or after 3:00 pm, and that's not very likely.

And for that matter...why are you still in high school? You should be in college...

I'm only this far ahead in math. And I wouldn't skip any years of high school even if I had the chance. Its just too much fun.

 

[enigma]

Second year masters program:

Aeroelasticity (how aircraft structures react when subjected to aerodynamic loads)
Engineering Optimization

and of course, the everpresent research.

 

[whozum]

hehe Physics junior..

Art History
Social Psychology
History of film

its going to be tough!

 

[Ba]

Physics: E&M
Calc III
Engineering Graphics
Soccer
Beginning Piano

 

[Smurf]

Beginning Piano

Ha, newb.

 

[rachmaninoff]

Beginning Piano

Ha, newb.

Ha, two newbs.

 

[JasonRox]

This term I have...

Calc. III
Linear Algebra II
Applied Abstract Algebra
Introduction to Combinatorics

I dropped my Finance class.

 

[Kalimaa23]

hehe Physics junior..

Art History
Social Psychology
History of film

its going to be tough!

You poor thing...

 

[Archon]

hehe Physics junior..

Art History
Social Psychology
History of film

its going to be tough!

What!? You're not taking History of the Toothpick? You're missing out. 'Tis the best class ever.

Fascinating stuff: did you know that the first toothpick manufacturing machine was patented on February 20, 1872? You'll never know these things unless you take History of the Toothpick (or unless you have access to a dictionary, an encyclopedia, a library, the internet, a phone, or the prophecies of Nostradamus).

 

[loseyourname]

Early British Lit, Literature of Love (advanced analysis class), Pre-Socratic Greek Thought and Language, Philosophy Seminar, German, and service credit for mentoring elementary school kids that are below grade level in reading. I also started an Irish language study group. Probably sounds easy to you guys, but personally I find math and physics just as easy, and at least the seminars give me a reason to actually go to class. Full load this semester; they let me take 22 credits.