From Civil Engineering undergrad to Physics grad

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on a Civil Engineering undergraduate student seeking to transition to a Master's degree in Physics. The student plans to take a minor in Physics, including courses such as Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, and Electromagnetism. Forum participants confirm that the selected minor courses provide a solid foundation for graduate studies, emphasizing that while advanced courses like Theoretical Physics and Cosmology are beneficial, they are not strictly necessary for admission to a Master's program. The consensus is that the student’s current coursework will adequately prepare them for graduate-level Physics.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Classical Mechanics
  • Fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics
  • Basic Electromagnetism
  • Knowledge of Mathematical Methods in Physics
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the requirements for Master's programs in Physics at various universities
  • Explore advanced topics in Theoretical Physics and Cosmology
  • Study Computational Physics techniques relevant to theoretical applications
  • Review the prerequisites for advanced undergraduate courses in Physics
USEFUL FOR

Students transitioning from engineering to physics, prospective graduate students in Physics, and individuals interested in the foundational knowledge required for advanced studies in theoretical physics.

Joker93
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Hello,i am an undergraduate Civil Engineering student.When i finish my undergrad studies i want to pursue a masters degree in Physics(my ultimate goal is to get a PhD in Physics).Due to limitations in money i couldn't drop out of civil engineering and pursue an undergrad degree in Physics,so i am stuck with Civil Engineering.
My biggest concern is that i might not be able to be good enough at Masters level studies because i won't have the knowledge on basic physics that a physics major degree graduate will have,so i decided on doing a minor degree.The courses that i have decided to follow in the minor degree are
1)Classical Mechanics
2)Quantum Mechanics 1 and 2
3)Electromagnetism 1 and 2
4)Mathematical Methods in physics 1 and 2
5)Statistical Physics(includes Thermodynamics)
6)Waves and Oscillations.

As a Civil engineer i have taken courses on
1)fluid mechanics(many courses)
2)linear algebra
3)Differential equations
4)basic calculus
5)statistics and probabilities(math)
6)basic physics and basic calculus
7)Various courses on programming(also programming on oscillating systems)
8)Solving problems using Numerical Methods

What i want to ask you is this: do these courses cover the basic knowledge that one needs in order to successfully pursue a Master's degree in physics?I am afraid maybe these are not enough as the Physics department also offers more advanced courses on an undergrad level like:
1)Theoretical Physics(Basics on string theory,relativistic QM,etc)
2)Cosmology and General Theory of Relativity
3)Condensed Matter Physics
4)Theoretical particle Physics(QM electrodynamics,chromodynamics,etc)
5)Nuclear Physics
6)Electronic Systems/Physics(two different courses)
7)Atomic and Molecular Physics
8)Computational Physics

These advanced courses are all 4th year courses,so its like they use them in order to give the student the freedom to pursue his own goals in physics(choose where he goes from there) but i can only get one to three courses from these courses.
Problem is that i am doing the minor degree in an extra year so i only got one year to get every course that i want,so i might find some of these advanced courses a bit difficult due to the fact that i will be taking their prerequisite courses in the same term!Its i bit crazy,i know.

So,to sum it all up,keeping in mind the courses that i already decided to take,which of the more advanced courses of you think that are essential for graduate studies?
Also,will these even be enough or will i have additional problems while doing my Master's degree because i won't have taken every course that a physics major has?Also,keep in mind that i almost certainly become a theoretical physics rather than an experimental physicist.

Thank you
 
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The courses you are taking for a minor are more than the courses I'm taking for a major in physics... I'd say you'll be fine.
 
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Dishsoap said:
The courses you are taking for a minor are more than the courses I'm taking for a major in physics... I'd say you'll be fine.
What about the more advanced ones?(the lowest list)
Wouldn't i need them?
 
Adam Landos said:
What about the more advanced ones?(the lowest list)
Wouldn't i need them?

I'm sure they wouldn't hurt, but every physics program I've seen has the requirement of a physics or related (e.g. Engineering) degree along with a year of classical mechanics, Electromagnetics, and quantum mechanics.
 
Adam Landos said:
What about the more advanced ones?(the lowest list)
Wouldn't i need them?

I'd say no. I'm taking computational courses at my school because my major is computational physics as opposed to general physics, but generally speaking, they have useful information but are not at all required to apply for a master's.
 
axmls said:
I'm sure they wouldn't hurt, but every physics program I've seen has the requirement of a physics or related (e.g. Engineering) degree along with a year of classical mechanics, Electromagnetics, and quantum mechanics.
They might not be REQUIRED but my problem is,if i don't know those information contained in those courses,will i have a problem understanding something in my Master's degree?
 

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