What prerequisites should i study?

In summary, the individual is an undergraduate student who wants to take a graduate course in Quantum Mechanics. They are unsure if their previous physics courses are enough preparation and ask for specific courses from the undergraduate course list that they need to take before enrolling in the QM course. They are advised to consult with an academic advisor and are also given recommendations for specific courses to take. The individual mentions they have taken an undergraduate modern physics course and are currently taking an undergraduate quantum mechanics course. They are reminded to focus on doing well in their undergraduate QM classes before considering taking graduate level courses. The graduate QM course syllabus is provided and it is noted that it may be similar to an undergraduate QM course.
  • #1
unsung-hero
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Hi, currently I am an undergrad. I really want to take an graduate course in Quantum Mechanics, but I am not sure if the physics I have already taken is sufficient enough. So, now I am wondering what courses I should take before taking the Quantum Mechanics course. I have listed the necessary link below. Please tell me, specific courses from the undergraduate course list that I need for the QM course.
(ignore the dates)

Syllabus for the Grad QM course. link
List of undergraduate Physics Courses. link (if you click on course, it will give short descriptions)

Don't worry about mathematical background.

Please, if you know and are capable of, look at the undergrad courses and tell me the ones i absolutely need. Thanks.
 
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  • #2
Don't you have an academic advisor for you to consult? He/she is the perfect person to answer this because not only will he/she know what level the course will be taught, but he/she is also able to know you current academic standing (i.e. How well you have done in you previous physics classes) to judge if you are capable for doing well in such classes.

Even at the very least, ask the instructor that is going to teach the class.

Zz.
 
  • #3
Typically one would take the entire undergraduate physics major prior to taking graduate level courses. This includes an introductory physics sequence, followed by a couple semesters each of classical mechanics, electricity & magnetism, and quantum mechanics, plus a semester of thermal and statistical physics, and a couple of upper level physics labs.

As already mentioned, the best person to consult on this issue is an academic adviser. They'll be able to tell you whether or not it's possible.
 
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  • #4
unsung-hero said:
List of undergraduate Physics Courses. link

Which of these courses have you taken already?
 
  • #5
Typically a graduate level QM course expects you to have taken two semesters of undergrad QM first. That's where they pick up. It doesn't look like your school offers two semesters of QM; that's odd if they also offer graduate courses in the subject.
 
  • #6
jtbell said:
Which of these courses have you taken already?
I've taken undergrad modern physics(not advanced) and currently taking undergrad quantum mechanics
 
  • #7
unsung-hero said:
I've taken undergrad modern physics(not advanced) and currently taking undergrad quantum mechanics

Don't you think that, with this question, you are putting the cart waaaaay before the horse? Try to do well in your undergraduate QM classes first, and then you may start thinking about taking graduate level courses.

Zz.
 
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  • #8
unsung-hero said:
Hi, currently I am an undergrad. I really want to take an graduate course in Quantum Mechanics, but I am not sure if the physics I have already taken is sufficient enough. So, now I am wondering what courses I should take before taking the Quantum Mechanics course. I have listed the necessary link below. Please tell me, specific courses from the undergraduate course list that I need for the QM course.
(ignore the dates)

Syllabus for the Grad QM course. link
You need almost no physics to study Gasiorowicz. I mean, you should understand Coulomb's law, and how to find the motion of a classical particle moving under the influence of a force F=-kx, but you could probably learn those things while you're taking this QM course.

I'm surprised that you're describing this as a graduate course. This was the first intro to QM we got at the start of my third year at the university. The next year we had a second QM course (based on Sakurai) that also started from the beginning, but skipped some stuff that was covered by Gasiorowicz.

If Gasiorowicz is the graduate course, then what's in the undergraduate course?
 
Last edited:
  • #9
That's what I was thinking, Fredrik. The syllabus looks like the syllabus for my Quantum I and II courses (undergrad) combined. Which makes sense, if the OP's school doesn't offer a second-semester QM course in undergrad. Maybe they are expected to take graduate quantum?
 

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