# Undergrad Definition and 64 Discussions

Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and prior to postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-level university student is known as an undergraduate, while students of higher degrees are known as graduate students. In some other educational systems, undergraduate education is postsecondary education up to the level of a master's degree; this is the case for some science courses in Britain and some medicine courses in Europe.

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1. ### Courses Is Pure Mathematics required to be a top-tier Physics student?

Hey y'all, I'm starting college as a Physics major this fall and I started working through Steve Warner's Pure Mathematics for Beginners in my downtime because I love the math courses I've had, wanted to learn more about proofs and how those things came to be, and most importantly had nothing...
2. ### Schools University Search for a Physics Major

I will be applying to schools for a physics major in about a year or so. And so far my list of Unis consists of ridiculously competitive schools. Of course I realize that this is not realistic for most if not all people. I know about the extraordinary schools like MIT, Princeton, etc. But I was...
3. ### I General relativity - covariant superconductivity, Meissner effect

I am doing a project where the final scope is to find an extra operator to include in the proca lagrangian. When finding the new version of this lagrangian i'll be able to use the Euler-Lagrange equation to find the laws of motion for a photon accounting for that particular extra operator. I...
4. ### Admissions SULI DOE Summer 2021 Admissions

Hi everyone, This thread is for people to post whether or not they received any offerings from SULI 2021 program. I am very anxious for this internship as I really want to get a position at Argonne Lab doing Condensed Matter Theory research or Quantum Computing research. I am a junior physics...
5. ### Programs Major in Chemistry or Physics?

As with probably a lot of pure science undergrads, my dream goal is to become a researcher, academia or industry. As far as I know at the moment, I'm interested in the area of research that straddles physics and chemistry, and I'm not sure which one I should major in. Should I major in chemistry...
6. ### Learning Nothing from my E&M Course

Summary:: Griffiths' Electrodynamics Text is Worthless for Teaching It seems like Griffiths just makes things up as he goes along. There's no reasoning. Sometimes he does things one way, sometimes another. Solutions are never really explained, whether I look up homework solutions online or...
7. ### Engineering Undergraduate textbooks and lectures

Hi, so I'm a first year undergraduate in engineering science. I guess my main question is, are all undergrad textbooks purposely convoluted to scare us from our degrees? Let me explain. I enjoy my lectures, I feel like the notes are very useful, but whenever my tutors or lecturers refer us to...
8. ### Intermediary projects in Python (Biophysics)

Hello, I am an Undergraduate student looking for ideas for a project in Python. The project should contain a library filled with modules, classes (and preferably something with inheritance), and the unittest module. I would like to do something as follows: First, some kind ob WebScraping to...
9. ### Quantum Alternative Undergraduate Quantum Mechanics book

Hi everyone, was just wondering what people think is a good undergraduate QM book is as opposed to Griffiths. I've read through it, and I have looked and many people say it is good for people who've never been exposed to QM before, but when it comes to solving problems I struggle a lot, and...
10. ### Engineering What is the best EE route for someone living in North Texas (DFW)?

Good afternoon, I will be graduating with an EE bachelors in a year. To keep this brief, next semester I will be taking courses that branch off from general Electrical Engineering. I have the options of Telecom, Electronics, Control Systems, or Power Systems. Living in the DFW area, what would...
11. ### Courses How difficult is an undergraduate course in GR?

Just wondering if I'm going to be in over my head here, as I'm not sure what to expect. A notoriously "difficult" professor as my school is teaching a senior level undergraduate course "Introduction to General Relativity Physical consequences of Einstein's equations, including the principle of...
12. ### Schools Ohio State Physics

Does anybody here have any experience with Ohio States’s undergraduate physics program? If so, what stuck out to you and what did you like/dislike about it?
13. ### Studying Is this math book enough for self-studying undergrad physics?

I'm talking about "Mathematical Tools for Physics by James Nearing". https://www.amazon.com/dp/048648212X/?tag=pfamazon01-20 it seems it cover lots of math... but it feels like it's just a reference book.. will it be enough? or should i get more specialized books to learn each subject thoroughly?
14. ### Tangential Component of Centrifugal Acceleration

The thing is in page p.347 Taylor, it is said that the component is: g_tan = Omega^2*Rsin(theta)cos(theta) However the angle between the centrifugal Force and the axis normal to the direction of the grav Force is actually 90 - theta, I am not really getting where I am going wrong understanding...
15. ### Classical Book for research of the photoelectric effect?

Hi, I am not sure if this is the right place to post this but i need help finding resources for the photoelectric effect? I need to write a research paper but I do not know what I could read. The paper is for an undergrad physics course so I don't need much detail, I just need to explain the...
16. ### I General Q: How do you measure a Galaxy's distance?

If I am given the variable of time (observed), and diameter is it possible to measure the distance of a galaxy? Or do I need more variables? Just trying to figure out the most simple way to go about doing something like that.
17. ### Programs Undergraduate Minors that are helpful for petroleum industry careers

I am currently a Sophomore, studying chemical engineering at Drexel University. After college, I want to pursue a career in the downstream petroleum industry. However, I am unsure of what minor would help me get closer to reaching my goal. I have heard business and mathematics minors are great...
18. ### Studying Higher Year Physics Studies with a Shaky Foundation

I have just finished my first semester of third year undergraduate physics, and have a 3-4 week break before my next semester, in which I will be taking a third course in electromagnetism (classical electrodynamics). It is my second course with a full focus on electromagnetism, since in first...
19. ### Programs Switching from a biomedical physics major to physics

I'm currently doing a biomedical physics major because it's the best choice to follow the med school track in something physics related, and is a really good fallback plan as my advisor described it. Now my true passion is in physics and I really want to get a PhD later on, so if I didn't make...
20. ### Schools Colorado Boulder physics undergrad

So recently I was accepted into CU Boulder COS&A for physics :) I was wondering how good is the physics program( I know its good but I have heard bad things as well). how good is it education wise(research-wise I know it's near the NIST), however, its a large state school does this impact it...
21. ### Physics How to decide on my career path?

I do like science a lot and I am good at it when i study. I also enjoy research as i have had 2 research internships which i enjoyed. But recently, for my physics 103, i had a professor that seemed to like have answers to everything, and it made me somewhat uninterested in the subject for...
22. ### Other Transitioning from Physics to Bio-mechanical Engineering

I know this isn't "EngineeringForums" but I'm curious if anyone has any experience with taking a physics undergrad degree and then studying engineering for their masters. I have a couple engineering friends and the math is basically the same so far, though is there anything I should know? Study...
23. ### Courses What math to take?

Hello! I am an undergraduate physics major with a minor in mathematics. I'm very interested in accelerator physics and would like to pursue a PhD in it eventually. However, I am not sure what math classes would be best to take for this. For our math minor, we can take any five upper division...
24. G

### Programs Should I pursue a Physics Major?

I am currently in 9th grade and have been into astronomy and basic physics for a few years now. I'm thinking about (once enrolled obviously) majoring in physics. Only problems are: 1: Pretty good at math but struggle a bit and end up forgetting a lot of information (at least in algebra) and I...
25. ### Schools Undergraduate level summer schools

I am searching for an undergraduate level summer school, not the ones where you are being taught like an ordinary semester, but preferably the ones where you take a fast 1-2 week concentrated courses, and maybe some research. Something like Plasma Surf. I want something that is either related...
26. ### Courses Gaps in my mathematical foundations

I'm going to start my first year as a Physics major in University, so I'll be taking first year Physics with one variable Calculus with Linear Algebra. I have taken math up to Calculus but I found that I have some gaps in Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry. Not any serious gaps, I know most of...
27. ### Schools UCB vs UCSD?

Im debating between Berkeley and UCSD and I am not sure what to do, I plan to go to grad school, and I am worried that it might be difficult to get a lot of research done at UCB whereas I've heard its easier to get into research at UCSD. Furthermore I'd start a semester late at UCB because I...
28. ### Other A module choice between Cosmology and Fluid Mechanics....

Hi all, I study Mathematics and Theoretical Physics at university. Next year, I'll have a choice between three modules; Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics Cosmology Fluid Mechanics My main interest is Condensed Matter Physics; therefore, thermodynamics and statistical physics is a given...
29. ### Schools Stony Brook for Undergrad?

Hi everyone, I have a choice between Stony Brook and Cornell for my undergraduate education in physics and I am at a cross-roads. I want to show my father that I'm a grown man and willing to allow him and his wife to remain financially not-bankrupt so to speak (also not psyched about the student...
30. ### Physics project ideas undergrad

Hello, I need some project ideas for my course in BSc Physics level 2. I need something which is creative and interesting. Anything from fluids, wind... Regards, Jadaav
31. ### Chemistry Calculating the number of water molecules in trans. metal complex

Homework Statement [/B] I had an inorganic lab this week which involved making VO(acac)2 from VOSO4⋅xH2O. In order to calculate the percentage yield, I need to work out x, that is, the number of water molecules coordinated with the vanadyl sulfate n-hydrate before the reaction. I'm stuck...
32. ### Finding sum of infinite series: sums of two series together

Homework Statement Find the sum of the following series: $$\left( \frac 1 2 + \frac 1 4 \right) + \left( \frac 1 {2^2} + \frac 1 {4^2} \right) +~...~+ \left( \frac 1 {2^k} + \frac 1 {4^k} \right) +~...$$ Homework Equations  \sum_{n = 1}^{\infty} \left( u_k+v_k \right) = \sum_{n =...
33. ### Intro Physics Seeking a good Undergraduate physics textbook

First off, sorry for posting yet another one of these threads. I've scavenged through this forum for undergrad textbook recommendations and have been somewhat overwhelmed. I'm beginning first year soon and would like a textbook that I can rely on as either my main textbook, or at least a...
34. ### Other Interesting side project ideas for an undergrad (beginner)?

So I'm entering my second year in uni doing a physics degree. We're just about to tackle on some of the interesting topics like EM (which I've self-learnt before), Classical Mechanics(we've already covered Newtonian) and QMech. Apart from my core academics, I'm interested in pursuing some...

So I am transferring from a community college to the university after this coming semester for a physics degree. Being a transfer student I am expecting to be at a disadvantage when compared to the other students at the school. I have had Calculus based physics 1 and 2 which mainly is focused...
36. ### Intro Physics Textbook recommendations for someone new to physics?

Here's the issue: I am a junior chemistry major and the time has come for me to take a physics class called "Physics for Scientists". I have never taken a physics class before and I hear from my peers that not only is this particular subject extremely difficult, but so is the ONLY PROFESSOR...
37. ### Physics vs. Engineering

So I know that this kind of discussion comes up somewhat regularly but I'm hoping to gain a better insight before I have to make a decision. I currently am finishing up my pre-reqs at a community college and am getting ready to submit my application for the university. For the longest time I...
38. ### Admissions What are the requirements to study theoretical physics?

I am a high school student (still in grade 11) I want to study theoretical physics in USA or Switzerland but I am from the middle east (Lebanon) and I want to know what I need to be accept in theoretical physics what subjects I need and please tell me the grade for each subject I need example ...
39. ### Programs Undergrad Physics vs Engineering Physics

Hello,i always wanted to be a physicist no matter how hard of a time i may have finding actual research work,i am particularly interested in particle physics so my end goal would be a PhD in particle physics but i am having a hard time deciding whether to major in physics or engineering physics...
40. ### Independent study for lab work

Hi everybody, I'm a second semester physics major who was fortunate enough to get a position in a research group at my school. What I want to do is get a head start on learning the physics that this lab studies. Currently, I'm in the honors section of basic E & M and I do well in class, not...
41. ### MechE undergrad who also enjoys programming and eletronics?

I'm now at the second year of my MechE course. Until now, I've taken basic classes in physics, calculus, linear algebra and basic computer programming. I choose to undergraduate in Mechanical Engineering because I'm aware that it is a good and broad degree and it's a field that I like also. It...
42. ### REU applications with INC grade?

I'm a sophomore physics major and I've been filling out some REU applications, but I have an INC (incomplete) grade from last semester because I couldn't take a final due to medical reasons. The class was completely fine and I likely have an A-/B+, but I have to wait to take next semester's...
43. ### UK vs USA for an international undergraduate

I ask because I just received an offer from Cambridge and from a few great places in the US. I want to go on to do a PhD, probably in the United States. Finance isn't an issue. In your experience, does being from a place in the UK (albeit as great as Cambridge) put one at an automatic...
44. ### Is a Psychology degree really considered useless?

I am so fed up of majoring in IT. I have a decent GPA but I must say that I am miserable in the process. I was initially a Psychology major and that was something I was passionate about. I enrolled in Physics more than once and still do not have a firm grasp of the concept! Whether I utilize...
45. ### Schools Best undergrad school I got accepted to?

I was recently accepted into 5 universities Penn State University ( 2 years at Behrend then 2 years at main), Ohio University, Waynesburg University, Kent State University, and the University of Akron. I got into the physics programs in all of those schools. I was wondering which school would be...
46. ### Another Error Analysis Question - how to go about it?

Hi folks, apologies if this is in the wrong forum. I'm a new undergrad physics student and I'm having trouble figuring out how to 'do' error analysis. (I had a quick look through some similar posts here & am still none the wiser.) I'll use my recent lab experiment on Resonance in a Tube as an...
47. ### Transverse Velocity of Wave, given position & time

Can't see where I'm going wrong here - would greatly appreciate if anyone can point it out! I've gotten the other parts of the question right, so I know that: ω = 125.66 rad/s A = 2.50 * 10-3m k = 3.49 rad/m The wave is moving in the +x direction. The general equation for the position of a...
48. ### Schools Learning Disability and Grad School

Hello fellow good people. I feel like i am suffering from a delima in my life and for my future, so i am reaching out for any guidence. I'm currently a junior at the University of Texas at austin studying my BS in physics. I transferred recently, and it is going stellar for me to my surprise...
49. ### Schools Best UC Colleges for Physics?

I'm 17 years old and going to be applying to colleges next month. I plan to major in physics. My UC/CSU GPA is a 3.8 (probably will be a 4.0 or higher by the end of this semester due to AP and community college courses), whereas my accumulative weighed GPA is a lousy 3.2. Therefore, my only real...
50. ### Programs How hard is it to get a physics degree?

How hard is it to get through university studying physics? Do you lose your social life and spend crazy amounts of time on it or is it managable? Also is it a big problem if you are missing the basics and can you ever catch up during Undergrad?