Maximizing Your Pre-Med Education: Essential Courses for Med School Success

[hariyo]

For the people having different background like engineering/math/computer science who has only taken 2-3 introductory physics course in 1st year of undergraduate and none after that, which book would you recommend for following field? I have compiled following in terms of popular book followed in US undergraduate university. Please suggest if you have some thoughts.

1> Classical Mechanics --Taylor
2> Quantum Mechanics --Griffiths
3> Electrodynamics -- Griffiths
4> Statistical Mechanics --Reif

5>Partical physics --Griffiths

 

[PurpleSqueeze]

Hello everyone I am currently out of school ( graduated) and have recently found my love for engineering which has always been dormant due to the fact of my parents pressuring me to do law or purse something in the medical field.
I have always loved numbers but grew to hate them when i begin to fail in maths in high school.
I found that if i tried i could grasp the concepts of the topic but was too lazy to practice it when i was at home so i forgot everything.
I have now found maths and physics very interestings especialy the physics subject.
With physics and maths i find that many people fail because they try to memorise the subject and not try to understands it.

well that aside i have one year to prepare for my engineering course and i would like to know what to expect will be general topics ?
My interests are in mechanical or electrical engineering.
I have always been facinated by nuclear power but i hear the nuclear engineering class is a ball buster...

What e books can i get ?
i plan on self teaching my self calculus but what else would i need to get familar with apart from calculus and physics any other math related topics?

Thank you very much for help and i will search rest of forum for more info

 

[l'Hôpital]

Is this possible?

I'm sort of going through a crisis phase in my life, where I realized I probably don't want to become professor but I still want to study a lot of math. So far, I'm going into my third year, with a bunch of math coursework. The only thing remotely close to Applied Math I've done is taken a C++ class and a graduate sequence in ODEs. I'll be taking special topics in ODE next semester as well ( a sequel to the sequel).

This sort of crisis, coupled with the fact that my interests in math already lie in Applied-Math-like fields (like ODEs), is pushing me towards an Applied Math grad school. This is also furthered encouraged by the fact that many applied math students have told me their classes were very theoretical in their own right as well. So, I'm thinking about applying towards some of these applied math program (and I don't want to abandon pure yet, but making some room for applied).

However, my schedule for the third year is almost all filled up already (with a bunch of graduate level math classes) so I wouldn't really have any room for applied math classes up until senior year, but I fear that the admission committee won't look at my senior year classes and hence, they'll just see a pure math guy.

So, am I sort of screwed? I mean, I'd like to go to a top 20 school for sure, and not sure if my background would make it so that i could only get into a Top 20 school for pure math and not applied.

 

[Adyssa]

I'm just about to enrol in my final year of CS. I'm halfway through the computational maths major and I have 3 more (CS) electives to choose. I'm not sure what kind of career I'm pushing for, but my course choices so far have been my gut instinct. I'd like to round out my degree a bit, but I want to pursue a path in CS that won't waste all those hours I'm spending on calc! My initial desire was to do Games Programming, where the maths is very useful, and I took an OpenGL course, but I don't want to follow that stream any further.

My second choice for a major was Crypto & Security, but with only 3 electives left I can't go as deep into that now unless I can swindle my way out of a few pre-requisites and do the harder courses.

I like the sound of Software Architecture: Design & Implementation, and Web Servers & Web Technology, as I feel they will give me a good grounding in enterprise level systems but I won't do any maths there (not necessarily a bad thing).

And I'm interested in a Data Warehousing course, but I think if I do that I should pick up at least one more DB course and maybe Unix Sys Admin and give it a good go. Not really sure how maths will fit into this.

Should I change program and do more maths?! Maybe I should do some finance and stats courses? Confusion reigns. Maybe it doesn't really matter what I choose, it's only a undergrad. degree anyway.

I should mention that the maths courses I've taken (and will take) are:

done:
Discrete Maths
Maths for Adv. Computing (trig, algebra, calc, vectors, matrices and transformations)
Numerical Methods (Bisection, Newton's, Runge-Kutta, some theory, more application, just had a brief look at DE's)

next year:
Linear Algebra & Vector Calculus
Numerical Solutions of DE

 

[TheEigenvalue]

Hi. This is a bit of a follow up to this topic:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=544643"
which describes my struggle to pass a tough graduate Analysis class while dealing with the cognitive side-effects of medications I take for treatment-resistant Bipolar Disorder.

So I am trying to pick classes to take next semester (should they not kick me out). Here are some of my options:

1. Algebra I (Abstract/ Modern Algebra)- theory of groups and rings. I am taking this one for sure. I love Abstract Algebra and did really well in it as an undergraduate even while taking the same medications I take now. So I am confident I can do well.

2. Analysis II- measure theory and analytic function theory...also complex variables. I want to take this class, but it is with the professor I have for Analysis I this semester in which I have a 20% in. I don't know if it is a bad idea to tackle this class next semester or to wait until Spring 2013 when another person is teaching it. Let me know.

3. Extremal Combinatorics: This is an advanced class and suggests prerequisites of courses I never took. So I don't think it is a good idea. But feel free to tell me what topics are in Extremal Combinatorics.

4. Finite Element Exterior Calculus:This class is lower-level (600 level) and says that no prerequisites are needed other than mathematical maturity. Tell me about this course.

 

[quintillaz]

Hello,

I am a graduate student in Optics with a Physics bachealors. I am very interested in learning about and eventually doing research in gravitational physics, but unfortunately the university I am attending does not offer class in GR. This brings me to my question, does anybody know of a university offering a course in GR during the summer?

I have searched for a program but all I can find are mini-courses in gravitational waves, which is not what I am interested in.

Thank you in advance

 

[JVanUW]

So long story short, next semester I am taking 19 credits of science and math, and I'm
looking for an honest and sincere opinion, maybe some advice. Please do not be harsh. These are the classes I will be taking

Intro EM:Purcell
Mechanics:Thornton
Calc 3/Differential equations:Apostol
Cosmology: Ryden
QM: Griffiths

From what I've read, advanced knowledge of differential equations isn't completely necessary for Thornton or Griffiths. Furthermore, this winter break I've been studying differential equations rigorously on my own as well as well as general mathematical methods of physics.

I'm wondering if this is doable given my preparation. Will I have to know more differential equations for these textbooks? Burning out isn't really a concern of mine right now. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, whether about the books or classes. thanks

 

[PhizKid]

A couple years ago when I first went to college, I attended a private Christian school and ended up failing 6 classes there in my freshman year, all related to Christianity (i.e. classes on the foundations of being a Christian, how to be a better Christian, learning about the school's denomination of Christianity in general, etc.; basically the core classes required of the school's definition of a Christian faith).

I have applied to go back to community college now, and I had considered leaving out this transcript but I didn't want this to come back and bite me in the rear and get me in trouble during my education so I included the transcript, which means I have several 0.0 GPAs being averaged into my cumulative overall GPA which I fear will affect my scholarships in the future (some of them require a minimum GPA of like 3.5) and especially my graduate school prospectives.

I haven't been formerly accepted yet (this community college isn't open-registration because it's part of CUNY) so I haven't spoken with an advisor yet, but can anyone give me any advice in advance about how I should go about discussing my failed classes since they are not available to retake at this school (or mostly any school around here, I guess)? Or is my only option to take as many classes as possible to get my GPA up in order to get scholarships and accepted into special programs that I am interested in?

Edit: Sorry, I just realized this post is almost out of context with this forum, so I'd like to add that I want to go into the studies of Physics (almost a given) but I would like the 0.0 GPAs removed and thought re-taking those classes would replace the grades but not sure if all schools offer that option.

 

[Jolb]

I'm finishing my first year as a graduate student. I was wondering: do any schools offer graduate-level physics courses over the summer? I'm particularly interested in schools on the east coast. Classes I have in mind are quantum field theory, solid state physics, general relativity, etc.

It just seems as though the only summer physics courses are intro undergrad courses. However, I know many math departments offer advanced mathematics courses during the summer--why don't physics departments do that?

 

[Guan]

Hello all, I was graduated with B.Sc. of Nuclear science and currently working as a NDT technician. I'm very much interested to further my study in MSc degree in Nuclear Engineering in the future, perhaps in 2-3 years time.

And, I was thinking, before enroll in the graduate course, I might need to study and revise back some of my undergraduates textbooks and courses in preparation of the Nuclear Engineering graduate course.

So, would like to ask for suggestion, what should I focus on, like, is it necessary to revise all my basic atomic/nuclear physics, high energy physics, nuclear and radiochemistry, nuclear electronics and instrumentation, reactor technology, plasma physics, etc etc...Or, do I need to start studying engineering subjects like thermal hydraulics, thermodynamics, metallurgy, fluid mechanics etc etc?

What about maths? what skill would I need to focus on?

 

[monmon_4]

netmath.illinois.edu/courses

Does anyone have experience with these online courses?

As an extension of my previous thread, I've just graduated from undergrad with a CS degree with Calc I, Calc II, and Linear Algebra under my belt. Eventually, I would like to pursue a master's degree in applied mathematics.

I'm starting a full-time job in July, and these online courses might be my only way to beef up my mathematics background. Assuming I do well, would showing proficiency in these courses be enough coursework to get into a top 10 applied math program (besides GRE scores)?

PS. I was also told that research is significantly less important for master's degrees than PhDs.

 

[chhan92]

Hi!
I usually choose my courses in advance then prepare for those courses before term starts.

Background: I have taken: Multivariable Calculus (little spivak), Real Analysis (Pugh), Abstract Algebra (Dummit and Foote chapters 1-5,7-9,13,part of 14(including FTGT)), Ordinary Differential Equations (Hirsch & Smale & Devaney, half being linear system, half nonlinear (existence & uniqueness, some other stuff, linearization, bifurcation, Lyapunov)

Note: I did not take point-set Topology by Munkres, but I have self-taught myself enough point-set Topology.

Before september, I will have undergraduate probability background from a course (from Whittle's Probability via Expectation)

Goal: Since I am becoming 3rd year in upcoming September, I would like to get as much background grad level math as possible, so that it will help me decide my specialization.

Achevements: I will take Complex Analysis (Stein & Shakarachi) 1 year, Graduate Differential Topology (John Lee's Smooth Manifolds), Graduate Algebraic Topology (Hatcher)

Constraints: I do not know whether it is beneficial for me to still take point-set topology course (in terms of applying to graduate school)

Possibilities:
1. I have prerequisite to take 2 half-year courses in Graduate Algebra (Dummit and Lang), where 1st term does Groups/Rings/Modules, 2nd Term does D&F chapters 13-19
2. I have prerequisite to take 2 half-year courses in Real Analysis (textbook of choice is usually Stein/Shakarachi, Folland and/or Lieb/Loss), where 1st term covers Measure Theory, Hilbert Space, L^p space?, and 2nd term covers Banach Space, Baire Category Theorem and its cousins (Open mapping, uniform boundedness), Fourier Analysis, L^p space?
3. I have prerequisite to take 1 year course in Undergraduate Partial Differential Equations (Strauss). Alternatively, I can take 2 half-year courses in Graduate PDE (Evans), where 1st term is pretty much condensation of 1 year undergraduate course (but this still is intended for people without any background), and 2nd term is Evans chapter 5 and beyond. I can try graduate option safely if I do option 2 at the same time (or I have to make sure I work on Folland/Rudin regularly without falling behind as 2nd term requires a great deal of Real Analysis)
4. I will have prerequisite to take 2 half-year courses in Graduate Probability (Rosenthal, https://www.amazon.com/dp/9812703713/?tag=pfamazon01-20), where two terms combined pretty much goes through whole book
5. Miscalleneous courses such as K-theory and C* algebras (where course description says I have all prerequistie, but I do not believe this), Set Theory and Model Theory, Linear Operator Course (Peterson), which I am unlikely to try out.

Sorry to write such a lengthy post that is not even done yet!
Up to now I showed positive sides pretty much, but:

Problems (Constraints)
1. Undergraduate PDE overlaps with Algebraic Topology for 1 out of 3 hours (in 2nd term), which I am willing to sacrifice (so this is not too much big deal)
2. 1st Term Graduate Real Analysis overlaps with 1st term of Complex analysis (undergraduate level) for 2 out of 3 hours! This is a serious problem. (maybe I should wait till 4th year to take graduate real analysis). But then I cannot take 2 real analysis if I do not take 1st term one, which means that it is likely that I have to give up on Graduate PDE
3. 2nd Term of Graduate Algebra overlaps with Algebraic Topology for 1 out of 3 hours, which seems to be somewhat big deal (also because 2nd term of Graduate Algebra gets to cover all interesting algebraic geometry, representation theory of groups)
4. 2nd Term of Graduate Probability overlaps with Algebraic Topology for 1 out of 3 hours! To make it worse, this overlaps with 2nd term of Graduate Algebra ENTIRELY.

Why are these problems? Because when things are grouped together, 2nd term of whatever is usually pickes up where 1st term left off (sometimes profs try different organization in 1st term, then 2nd term gets greately influenced). So it is somewhat risky to take only 1 term counterpart instead of doing all year thing (also because I have to wait till 4th year winter from 3rd year fall, to finish the 2-term combination). Of course, probability is somewhat exception, because I am doing probability as one of sidekicks, so maybe just taking 1 term might be okay.

I am sighing myself so much, because I thought core graduate courses (Real Analysis, PDE, Complex Analysis, Algebra, Differential Topology, Algebraic Topology) would not overlap, but I was wrong.

What are your advices? Thank you for reading.

P.S. If my course description is vague, then here is link:
http://www.math.toronto.edu/cms/tentative-2012-2013-graduate-courses-descriptions/
where MAT1000/1001 are Graduate Real Analysis, MAT1002 is Complex Analysis, MAT1100/1101 are Graduate Algebra, 1060/1061 Graduate PDE, 1300/1301 Topology, STA2111/2211 Grad Probability
and http://www.artsandscience.utoronto.ca/ofr/calendar/crs_mat.htm#APM351Y1 for undergraduate PDE with course website: http://www.math.toronto.edu/almut/APM351.html

 

[dustbin]

I'd appreciate advice on a small predicament. I'm applying to transfer to Universities this fall semester. I have very few GE classes left to take (actually, only one) and a handful of math classes. I plan to apply to UCSD, UC Berkeley, two other UC's (just because I can apply to four simultaneously with the same application- probably UCSB and UCD), Caltech, and Stanford. The latter two are more just dream applications and the Caltech entrance exam gives me a good motivator for self study.

Anywho... This semester I have a spare spot for a course in order to maintain my full-time status, but I don't NEED to take anything. I am considering physics, C++ programming, a foreign language (lots to choose from), and I have the option of doing a "selected topics in math" where I can essentially work with an instructor on chosen material (this is non-transferable). I am equally interested in all of these.

Here is what I'm going to take in the fall:

Linear Algebra or Transition to Higher Mathematics (cross enrollment at university) for 3 units
Calculus II for 4 units
Advanced Composition (English) for 3 units
-BLANK-

I could take two more classes, but I don't need to and I'd like to have a lot of time to study on my own, work on college/scholarship applications, and tutor. As a pure math major (I'm interested in grad school and doing an REU this summer), as well as considering my upcoming applications, what would be most beneficial for me to take? I've noticed some schools prefer physics courses and some computer science, while some grad programs recommend foreign language (I've taken 2 years spanish). I'm leaning towards C++ simply because it is an online class (I do very well teaching myself and with self-direction), which would free up a lot of time for me.

Opinions, recommendations, advice, etc. greatly appreciated.

 

[acabus]

"Subject to validation" course

Hi,

I'm looking at Mathematics and Physics university courses, and one, from Surrey University, is "subject to validation".

Sorry if I'm being stupid here, but I can't find out what that actually means. Is it that the course is new, and hasn't been "approved" yet? Will the course definitely be available, or may it be scrapped? If this does happen, what would happen if I applied for it, and it was scrapped?

Thanks, and sorry if this is the wrong sort of question.

 

[samdude3]

Hey Guys,

Been around the forums for a couple years now and was hoping I could get some advice regarding math courses I need to take.

I currently attend a CC in Illinois and will be looking to transfer next spring. I am currently enrolled in Calc 1 after having to take Pre-calc over the summer since I took a few years off after high school to work and figure out what I wanted to do with my life.

My question is whether I should take calc 3 over the summer so I can take Diff equations in the fall or just wait to take Calc 3 in the fall and Diff Eq at the school I transfer to? It won't be feasible for me to stay an additional semester after that since all of my classes except that one will be finished. The summer teacher for Calc 3 has horrible ratings on ratemyprofessors.com as well. I would be working around 30 hours a week during the summer as well.

Also, is this schedule do-able working 30 hours a week? I need to work to pay for school and my other expenses.

Calc 2- 5 semester hours
Chem- 5 semester hours
Physics 1/Mechanics- 5 semester hours.

15 total semester hours.

Thank you for all of your help!

 

[TDRR]

Upon completion of Calculus III (multivariable), we go right into the course using the Mary Boas book "Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences." Having flipped through the book and comparing it to a Linear Algebra+Diff Eq text, it seems like many topics have been left out in the Boas book (just comparing sections at a quick glance).

While I do trust the program outline, will what's covered in the Boas text truly be sufficient to cover material in these texts we'll be using for upper division courses?:
"Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems"- Thornton and Marion
"Introduction to Electrodynamics"- Griffiths
"Introduction to Quantum Mechanics"- Griffiths

Edit: I deeply apologize, I just saw this thread in a search: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=620131

 

[YAHA]

I am wondering what would be a good continuation of courses to take after QM 2 (taking it currently, both semesters Griffiths based, but using other books as supplements). I have an option of taking a Condensed Matter course (QM1 is a prereq) in Spring. There were also suggestions for a full semester course in Special Relativity with thoughts of preparing for QFT. Lastly, I was told a Classical Field Theory would also be a good idea (Landau based).

I don't have a specific interest yet. Condensed Matter is exciting, as well as Particle Physics.

 

[Dens]

So I will be taking Introduction to DIfferential Geometry for the first time and we are using a book called

"Elementary Differential Geometry, Andrew Pressley,"


And we will cover topics the first six chapters including: Geometry of curves, Gaussian Curvature and Gauss Map, Egregium, and Geodesics, Gauss-Bonnet Theorem

What other books/courses I should take to supplement my studies? I am a math major

I am also taking functional analysis, and going through "Analysis on Manifolds by Munkres" and "Calculus on Manifolds by Spivak" to supplement.

I have a pretty good foundation of rudimental computation in calculus already. Which area of Linear Algebra should I work on to further improve my success in Diff Geometry?

Thanks

 

[StatOnTheSide]

I am just curious to know as to what are the course requirements to get a PhD in Mathematics. Is there is a standard set of courses required or does it vary according to the university? Also, does it matter if it is pure math or applied math?
I simply googled and found that there is a list of courses that is listed as the requirement for Caltech. Kindly let me know if this list changes for other universities.

a. Logic, Set theory, Calculus, Analysis, Measure theory, Measure theoretic probability
b. Algebra (including Linear algebra), Representation theory
c. Topology, Algebraic topology, Geometric Topology
d. Linear differential equations, Partial differential equations, Non-linear differential equations
e. Number theory, Combinatorics, Computability and Complexity

Algebra, Analysis and Topology were considered as mandatory courses and the rest were like electives. 9 of the above on top of the mandatory courses are required.

 

[K29]

Hi, I need some help deciding which courses to choose for my postgrad and final year of university. I have enjoyed doing programming at a company that does VOIP systems, I have also enjoyed some work that involved setting up computer software that monitors electric motors and other machinery. I would like to get involved further in the networking field or in setting up systems connected to real life machinery. I have also been interested in security systems, like at a bank, since they have a high need for good security protocols and systems.

I DON'T want to be sitting behind a computer ALL day as a code monkey. I want to go to meetings, deal with clients, and possibly have to travel now and then for on-site issues. When I am done with my honours I would like my earnings to be at least the same as most PG computer science.

I have 5 topics to choose from the following list. Which will be best to help me achieve my goals?

Advanced Operating Systems[I kind of want to do this because I don't know much about operating systems]

Compilers (is this useful in general?)

Computational Complexity (Is this P/NP stuff? doesn't seem that useful unless you want to study even further?)

Computer Architecture (Not sure what this is about)

Networks[I kind of want to do this topic, even though I battled with my undergrad networking course (but my project was the BEST and got me guaranteed work after I finish my Postgrad). I'm interested in it, even though I struggle with the theory]

Introduction to research methods (since its not a compulsory topic, I'm assuming I won't really need this in order to do my research project)

Artificial Intelligence (useful if you're NOT going into the gaming industry?)

High Performance Computing and Scientific Data Management[I kinda want to do this for interests sake]

Image Processing[I kinda want to do this for interests sake]

Computational Molecular Biology[Seems like algorithms for string processing from what I've researched. Apparently useful in other Computer Science applications. I'm not all that interested in this. I have a compulsory Algorithms topic anyway]

So I have to choose 5 topics. Above there are 4 I'm interested in. But I'd like advice and possibly answers to what I'm unsure about. If anyone can help that would be great.

Thanks

 

[nick7s]

I am looking for help on which courses I should be taking next semester. I'm majoring in applied math and my goal is to do something related to statistics or finance. Grad school is also an option for any of these topics. By the start of next semester, I will have completed Introduction to Statistics I, Calc I and II, and Introduction to Computing. Next semester I'm planning to take:

- Multivariable Calculus (Calculus III)
- Applied Linear Algebra
- Elementary Differential Equations

For the fourth class, I'm not sure if I should take Transition to Advance Mathematics, a CS course, or another Stat course. Transition to Advance Math will prepare me for the theoretical upper division mathematics courses, but it's also good to get a few CS courses under my belt. What do you recommend I fill that fourth spot with? I would also like to know if its okay to take these courses simultaneously. Thank you.

 

[SpaceDreamer]

Hi all,

I will be a freshman in college starting this fall at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and am majoring in EE with a concentration in RF circuits and microwaves along with a possible double major in Physics with a concentration in Electromagnetism. I am looking to work with EM after I graduate or with wireless communications or accelerator physics. I am looking into courses and have already selected the courses for my first semester and am on the quarter system at my school. I was wondering what other jobs/fields of engineering would make use of the RF circuits and microwaves/electromagnetism. The relevant EE courses I plan to take are
-ECE 2010 Intro to Electrical and Computer Engineering
-ECE 2019 Sensors, Circuits, and Systems
-ECE 2112 Electromagnetic Fields
-ECE 2201 Microelectronic Circuits I
-ECE 3204 Microelectronic Circuits II
-ECE 3113 Intro to RF Circuit and Design
-ECE 2305 Intro to Communications and Networks
-ECE 2312 Discrete Time Signal and System Analysis
-ECE 3311 Principles of Communication Systems
-ECE 3308 Intro to Wireless Networks
Possibly an Intro to Digital Circuit Design, Analog Integrated Circuit Design, or Semiconductor Devices but was unsure there.
Also i plan to take a grad courses in Fundamentals of RF and Microwave Engineering and a physics course in Advanced EM Theory. If anyone has any recommendations of what courses I should take or which to choose it would be appreciated and what level of math I should take up to and was planning on up to vector and tensor calc.

Thanks

Edit: I was also wondering if any power engineering courses would be helpful in those fields.

 

[Mathematicize]

I am currently going to be a senior undergraduate with a double major in Math and Computer Science. In the past I have worked on Data Mining projects, and Mathematical Modeling. I have had a recent interest in Mathematical Finance. What Math and Computer Science theory are heavily used in Mathematical Finance?

For Computer Science it would seem intuitive that Machine Learning/Data Mining theory would be useful. For Mathematics, probability and statistics are definitely essential. What I am looking for is what subfields, specializations and theories in Math/CS are heavily used in Mathematical Finance?

 

[inotyce]

Hello, as an independent student/researcher who is completely clueless about speech related topics but would like to create a simple desktop text-to-speech application, may I ask what steps you would probably offer me to follow to accomplish my goal ? I know there are free examples and also that I can look up online course syllabuses from known schools but they tend to be too localized while the others are too broad as a general introduction to the immense field.
I am thinking to start learning with
1. Phonetics and Phonology
2. Text processing and processing tools
3. HMM for speech synthesis
4. Create phonetics libraries for the language involved
5. Create a demo with HMM for speech synthesis
Do you have any more ideas for me to be more right on track of what I would like to do now ? Please ask if you need better clarification.

Thank you.

 

[member2357]

Hi,
I am a first year mechanical (or electrical) engineering major and would like to get some advice on which courses would complement my major best.
I am thinking about doing a minor in either maths or computer science.
I am already taking linear algebra, multivariable calculus, differential equations and vector calculus because they are prerequisite maths courses for all engineering majors so if I do my minor in maths I would do real analysis, complex analysis, PDE's and probability/statistics.
If I do my minor in computer science, I would be doing these courses: algorithms and data structures, OOP, AI, software modelling and simulation, computer systems, CS project and theory of computation.
I need to decide whether to do maths or CS minor at the start of next semester. I think maths will help me a lot in understanding concepts in engineering at a deeper level, whereas, computer science will be more marketable and will probably help me more in my day to day work.
Which courses do you think I should take and why?
Would very much appreciate your advice.

 

[Warhawke]

Hello, everyone!

I just finished law school and am awaiting for hopefully favorable bar results so that I can start practicing law of the intellectual property sort. I have been clerking at an intellectual property law firm that specializes in patent prosecution and litigation. For those unaware, in order to be a patent prosecutor, i.e. someone qualified to write and file patents, you must pass the USPTO's patent bar. You don't have to be a lawyer to do it, but you have to have an academic background in science before you can qualify. The law firm I have been working for will only hire patent prosecutors, meaning that to be brought on full time, I would need to qualify for and pass the patent bar.

The academic requirements are, in part and paraphrased, as follows:

• Category A applicants possesses a bachelor’s degree in one of thirty-two scientific or technical subjects, including biology, chemistry, physics, and most engineering disciplines. Notably, a master’s degree in one of these subjects is not by itself considered sufficient training. (Part III.A)
• Category B (option 1) applicants have successfully completed one of the following: (1) 24 semester hours in physics; (2) 30 semester hours in chemistry; (3) 32 semester hours comprising 8 hours of physics or chemistry and 24 hours of biology; or (4) 40 semester hours comprising 8 hours of physics or chemistry and 32 hours of some combination of biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, or, in some cases, computer science. For a course to qualify under this option, you must have received a grade of C- or better in the course and it must be applicable towards a science degree—“physics for poets” won’t do. (Part III.B.i–xi)

This presents a bit of a problem for me, as I hold two undergraduate degrees in English Literature and Business Administration, not science or engineering. While I have significantly more than a layman's understanding of certain scientific and engineering fields and certainly enough knowledge to continue working in patent prosecution, I lack any type of formalized training that the USPTO would recognize for purposes of the patent bar. As it stands, I have 8/24 hours of major-level physics completed (category B-1), but I would need to spend two years of full-time academic work to get those last 16 hours thanks to a never-ending chain of course prerequisites, and I simply don't have two more years to take off of work, without an income, just to stay working where I am now.

Are there any accredited online physics courses for degree-seeking students that I could take to satisfy the patent bar requirements for 16 more hours of degree-level physics?

Before you snarl in rage, I know " online physics courses" is a dirty term and an affront to the physics community at large. I don't need a degree to contribute academically to the field, though; I just need a check-box complete so that I can sit for the patent bar. It doesn't have to be particularly good or well-respected, so long as it's an accredited physics program. Nor do I care if the courses are cohesive -- this is simply, and unfortunately, a means to an end. While I'd love to pursue a full degree and the vast repositories of knowledge that come with it, it just doesn't make sense given my goals. Maybe one day I can go back and get a full degree after the fact, but for now I just need a quick and dirty shortcut.

Google and an old thread here from 2011 pointed me in the direction of Open University in the U.K., but thus far no one domestic or abroad has been able to confirm if courses taken there would actually count under the USPTO rubric.

Does anyone out there have experience or advice that might help? Will Open University credits count? Or are there other U.S.-based online physics degrees out there at which I should be looking?

Thank you in advance for any help or insight you can provide!

 

[mdeanc]

Hi all at PF,
Hoping to get some help selecting final year subjects. I am interested in QIT. At the moment, I'm planning to go to grad school for theoretical physics. However, i am also trying to have a backdoor into a masters of computer science as it is a more realistic career track - i am also quite interested in AI. I am not sure how easy this transition would be without taking discrete maths and algorithms from selection (1), but including these subjects would mean i miss out on the math major.
Toss up is between:
A) Physics major and math major
B) Physics major with math minor and comp sci minor

Taken so far:
First year
Differential calculus
Integral calculus
Intro to stats
Linear algebra
Physics 1
Physics 2
Intro to programming - includes c and matlab

Second year
Vector calculus
2nd class on linear algebra - proof based
Intro to PDE
Real and complex analysis
Statistical model
Statistical tests
Physics 2-1
Physics 2-2Planning to take:
Third year
Physics 3-1
Physics 3-2
Physics 3-3
Physics 3-4
PDE's
...
Here is where i need suggestions for my last 3rd year subjects:
1) Discrete maths or intro to algorithms and data structure or non linear ODE's or mathematical computing - (can choose 2 of the 4 but i would need to select both ODE's and math comp to finish a math major)
2) Abstract algebra (2nd year) or theory of computation - (can choose 1 of the 2)

Appreciate any help you can offer.

 

[pdm]

Hi,

so I actually wanted to study physics but because of some problem I basically dropped out. I just couldn't handle the workload at the time. So I took a semester off and sorted my dang out. Now, I can't really study physics anymore here, so I started a CSE bachelor. See: http://www.rw.ethz.ch/the-programme/bachelor.html [some information is only available in German]

Anyway, while studying you focus on a specific topic like biology, financing, big data, statistics or physics. You can even choose stuff like atmosphere physics if you want. I know that I could for sure go into quantum information theory or theoretical astro physics and such - at least, in the CSE master.

But I'd like to do a bit more of the physics stuff. I'd like to have the options to be more of a "normal" physicist than just a pure computational physicist. I know that I'll lack the whole experimental stuff (at least at my university you do a lot of experiments) but I didn't really like the first such course I did too much. So I'm quit fine if it stays theoretical.

Anyway, I'd like to be able to apply for a physics master, for that, I'd like to take extra courses (even ones which don't give points) - like one course each year or each semester. The question is, what should I take?

I really liekd the whole relativity, electrodynamics stuff and I'd also like to dive into plasmaphysics (although there isn't a course which heavily focuses on this). I'm also wondering if I should take some additional math courses.

If anyone has an opinion on it, I'm pleased to hear it. :) Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[Guan]

I'm looking for master's degree program in Nuclear Engineering and now, I'm looking at Russian universities.

I wonder if anyone here is familiar with Russian Nuclear Engineering graduate program, especially
MEPhI (https://eng.mephi.ru/). It is quite a well-known university in Russia offering various specialization training and academic courses related to nuclear power.

I notice that in Russia, there are two sub-discipline under the nuclear energy program: MSc. in Nuclear Power Engineering & Thermal Physics, and MSc. in Nuclear Physics & Technology.

I have just emailed a professor from MEPhI, Russia to find out more about their MSc. in Nuclear Engineering program, and here's his reply:

https://www.dailywritingtips.com/forum/misc.php?s=dbd39e90fcbb225800d7452156c81f40&do=bbcode#quote

Dear Peh Hoo Guan,

I'm glad to hear you got interested in NKM course at EdX platform and our educational programs in general.

Regarding two programs you mentioned: Nuclear Physics and Technology focuses on the nuclear processes occurring in the core and the main courses include Nuclear Reactor Physics, Experimental Reactor Physics, Mathematical Modelling (Monte Carlo) etc; while Nuclear Power Engineering and Thermal Physics focuses on thermal-hydraulics rather than nuclear processes.

Master program at MEPhI lasts 2 years of which about 1.5 years are classwork and about half year of working on the thesis that is defended at the end of the study. Reactor training is not included in the educational program due to the safety requirements, but there are some exercises on the sub-critical assemblies. Yes, there's the laboratotory of mathematical modelling (Monte Carlo). Internship depends on where you are working on your thesis. If it's a professor at MEPhI then you stay at the unversity. Outside of MEPhI options are also possible.

Regarding you last question about working as teaching / research assistant - I copy this mail to the head of department Theoretical and Experimental Physics of Nuclear Reactors Mr. Nikolay Geraskin and deputy director of Insitute of Nuclear Physics and Technology Mr. Georgy Tikhomirov who are in charge to answer it.

Kind regards
Evgeny Kulikov
Associate professor
NRNU MEPhI

[/quote]

I wonder if it is quite normal that students are generally not trained in the practical hands on aspect of operating a research reactor? Or, you really need to attend reactor operator training licensing course before you get to tweak with the control panel.

And, what should I expect to learn in typical MSc. Nuclear Engineering program, and, what practical/hands-on skill that I would learn?

I'd appreciate if anyone could advice me on this.

Thanks.