Courses Calc III and Solid State Physics courses in same semester?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the feasibility of taking Solid State Physics and Calculus III concurrently. The original poster has successfully completed a summer Calc II course and has a background in upper division Linear Algebra. Participants emphasize the importance of time management, suggesting that the combined workload could require 40-50 hours per week. They recommend consulting an academic advisor for personalized guidance based on the university's course structure.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Calculus III concepts
  • Familiarity with Solid State Physics fundamentals
  • Knowledge of Differential Equations and Partial Differential Equations
  • Time management skills for balancing multiple courses
NEXT STEPS
  • Consult with an academic advisor for course planning
  • Review Differential Equations and Partial Differential Equations
  • Obtain a math for physics textbook for additional support
  • Explore time management strategies for academic success
USEFUL FOR

Students pursuing physics and mathematics, particularly those considering a challenging course load in a semester, as well as academic advisors guiding students in course selection.

JustSomeWiggle
Hi! So I just breezed through a summer Calc II course (took E&M and Modern Physics last semester) and will be approaching Solid State Physics and Calc III this coming semester together. I've taken my school's upper division Linear Algebra course and passed before last semester and continue to do well in math, so do any of you think I'll have trouble with Solid State Physics in the coming semester considering I'll be taking Calc III concurrently? I'll also be taking an applied electronics course and a object orience programming course, but I have little worries about those classes based off of what I've heard from other students.
 
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I would recommend speaking with your advisor. They know how these courses are structured at your university, and are familiar with your particular situation. We would just be guessing. For example, I would have thought it would be impossible to take E&M and modern physics prior to calc II and actually pass the classes (I don't think I could have!), but it seems to have worked out fine for you.

jason
 
It all depends on how you manage your time. My object oriented class took me 5-10 hours a week. Calc 3 took me 10 hours easy. Electronics and SSP can both take similar time scales. If you think you can put in 40-50 hours a week plus class time without getting burned out go for it. If not, you might want to ease up.
 
jasonRF said:
I would recommend speaking with your advisor. They know how these courses are structured at your university, and are familiar with your particular situation. We would just be guessing. For example, I would have thought it would be impossible to take E&M and modern physics prior to calc II and actually pass the classes (I don't think I could have!), but it seems to have worked out fine for you.

jason
Ah, to the advisor it is then!
That's the tricky part as I've had little problem following an nontraditional education path thus far. I found very little difficulty in understanding the concepts of fields in E&M and from what I'm aware I shouldn't really be exposed with that until Calc III. I know that I'll run into some diffEq and partial diffEq in Solid State that I'm a little worried about, but I will be getting a math for physics textbook to help guide my way and spend a lot of extra time out of class on it. I'm no math savant, so it won't be easy by any stretch; I'm just hoping due to course offering/scheduling that I can clear through this course this semester.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I'd be hesitant to take an upper level physics course with so little math, but it seems you've done okay so far.
 

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