DAMTP MASt at Cambridge: A Student's Perspective

[electroweak]

Can anyone tell me what they know about the DAMTP MASt program at Cambridge?

I'm presently a fourth year undergraduate at an American university, and I intend to work toward a PhD in Physics from another American school. My plan was to apply to these programs this fall, but recently another option crossed my mind: I could take a year off to study math (and a bit of physics) at Cambridge.

I'm wondering how well the MASt program prepares one for physics research, in particular work on quantum gravity. Does the program offer anything I couldn't get out of selectively auditing math classes at wherever decide I get my PhD?

Any information, anecdotes, etc about DAMTP, MASt, Cambridge related stuff would interest me. Thanks for your input!

 

[LBloom]

The DAMTP program does have courses for theoretical physics. You can look up the course catalog online but it includes topics like QFT & Strings, Continuum mechanics, and Cosmology. You can take 17-19 credits for examination, so if you try to take every course from the QFT & Strings category that would probably fill it up. If you're interested in more mathematical topics then there's always courses in topology and geometry, Lie groups and the like.

Anything you can learn at Cambridge you can learn anywhere else. That being said, Part III is famous for a reason and I'm sure it would be a good experience. In terms of QG, they offer a course on strings, but last year it focused on holography and its applications. If you're interested in String Theory, it obviously has a topnotch program. If you're interested in LQG I would recommend Perimeter.

Finally I'd keep in mind that its a masters program and you are not funded. It costs a lot of money (~$40,000 to live and pay tuition/fees). There are scholarships you can apply for. One is the Churchill Scholarship which you might be eligible for.