Can a Math Major Transition to a Physics PhD?

[amesoeurs]

hey all,

i'm currently in australia about to go into my second year of uni. last year i did the standard first year physics and maths courses, astro II and a couple of philosophy electives. i'd always wanted to do physics but after taking the e&m course, i think i am a bit offput. i enjoy maths a lot more. so i hate things like fields, thermo, etc, but love quantum and astro. the former courses would be required for a physics major and i really do not want to do them.

anyway, to my point. would it be feasible for me to do the required maths courses for a maths major, still take the quantum/astro/dynamics/computational courses I'm interested in, and then do honours and my phd in some kind of mathematical based astro topic?

 

[Pengwuino]

You can't avoid those subjects. Not knowing thermodynamics and e/m and wanting to do astrophysics is not possible.

 

[ttyu6]

hey all,

i'm currently in australia about to go into my second year of uni. last year i did the standard first year physics and maths courses, astro II and a couple of philosophy electives. i'd always wanted to do physics but after taking the e&m course, i think i am a bit offput. i enjoy maths a lot more. so i hate things like fields, thermo, etc, but love quantum and astro. the former courses would be required for a physics major and i really do not want to do them.

anyway, to my point. would it be feasible for me to do the required maths courses for a maths major, still take the quantum/astro/dynamics/computational courses I'm interested in, and then do honours and my phd in some kind of mathematical based astro topic?

FWIW, I contacted the ANU astrophysics honours coordinator last year about the required background for honours and he said that a major in astrophysics and applied mathematics with a minor in physics would give a very good knowledge base for honours. At Monash they also expect you to complete at least a minor in physics. I don't know what uni you're at but you should talk to the coordinators of the astrophysics honours program and ask for the back ground requirements.