Creating a Balanced Timetable for Second Year Physics: Tips and Advice

[anubis01]

Hello, I'm little bit confused on how I should set up my timetable for second year physics because some advice I'm getting is not agreeing with the "suggested course sequence" provided by the university. The courses I have to take are

Linear Algebra I, Calculus III for Engineers, Ordinary Differential Equations and the Laplace Transform(or Numerical Methods), Waves and Optics, Electricity and Magnetism, Mechanics, Modern Physics, Practical Physics(Lab), and two elective courses.

My two main questions are which differential course is better to take (Laplace transform or numerical methods) and what order should I take all my courses in.

I was thinking of taking in the first semester.

Linear Algebra I, Calculus III for Engineers, Ordinary Differential Equations and the Laplace Transform (or Numerical Methods), Waves and Optics, elective course.

Second Semester.

Electricity and Magnetism, Mechanics, Modern Physics, Practical Physics (Lab), elective course.

So is this a balanced schedule or should I make a couple changes to this.

 

[Vanadium 50]

This looks very difficult to me.

Is not Calc 3 a prereq for DiffyQ? Is not Mechanics a prereq for Waves? Is not Mechanics a prereq for E&M? Is not E&M a prereq for Modern Physics?

 

[anubis01]

This looks very difficult to me.

Is not Calc 3 a prereq for DiffyQ? Is not Mechanics a prereq for Waves? Is not Mechanics a prereq for E&M? Is not E&M a prereq for Modern Physics?

and this is why I came here. According to my "suggested course sequence sheet" the only prerequisites I needed for those classes is Calculus 2 or 3, physics 2 and intro linear algebra.

For reference here is my http://www.science.uottawa.ca/fac/seq_phy_specappanglais_120cr.html"

and the course listing with http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/info/regist/calendars/programs/738.html"

So using you advice I could take diffQ in semester 2, mechanics in semester 1 with optics in semester 2 but I would still have to take E&M and modern physics in semester 2 because I need calculus 3 for those classes.

Is there anything more I could do with this or is this the best sequence I can manage.

 

[HallsofIvy]

Both Linear Algebra and Calculus III should be considered pre-requisites for differential equations. Personally, I would prefer "numerical methods" to "Laplace Transform". The Laplace Transform is just a very mechanical way of solving non-homogeneous linear differential equations with constant coefficients when there are other methods of doing that.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Now that I see that, I see that these are upper division classes, not the intro sequence. So I withdraw my concern that Mechanics and E&M being prereqs. However, now I see that you are trying to cram in most of a physics major into two semesters. I think this is a very bad idea. Even if you manage to pass, it's unlikely that your foundation will be as solid as it would have been if you took them over the more typical time.

 

[anubis01]

thank you both for the information. I've found out that I can take E&M and Differential equations in the summer of second year. Doing that would leave me with three hard courses and an elective each semester. It's still a good amount of work but at least this way I'm not behind in my program and I'm not craming to many courses in each semester.