How different are Computational physics and straight physics?

[zas240]

Hello, I'm a UK user, I'm 15 but I'm in lower 6th thanks to being accelerated a year. I'm very interested in physics, but I was wondering how different are the BSc courses in Computational Physics and straight Physics. Thing is, I'm not sure I'm intelligent enough to do straight physics, but I am pretty good with computers, so I was wondering.

I'm doing Maths, Further maths, Physics, Computing and Geology AS (intending to do Maths Physics and Computing to A2)

any guidance would be appreciated :)

 

[Clever-Name]

As far as I know there aren't any undergrad degrees in computational physics, and even if there were you would also need to be proficient in normal physics. You can't write a simulation to study some sort of physical phenomena without first understanding the underlying physics.

What sort of programming language do you know? It's one thing to be 'good' with computers, its a completely different ballgame when it comes to programming, which is what computational physics is.

 

[zas240]

erm, well I'm pretty good with VB6 and I'm learning C# and C++ at the moment, and I've had a shot with Objective - C for iPhone apps, and I've still got another year of A level computing to go

and my local university (Cardiff) does

 

[zas240]

Also, thanks for responding so quick :) its most helpful

(apologoies for the double post, hit the wrong button, damn being awake for 18 hours.)

 

[physiker_192]

Thing is, I'm not sure I'm intelligent enough to do straight physics

Mate,

you shouldn't really bother your self with the intelligence thing, its much better to think of [serious effort + keen interest] formula to be successful.

So don't use the 'intelligence' term to shake your self-confidence.As for computational physics, as has been mentioned earlier, its actually a kind of sub-field of Physics, it need not be any easier too.

My university (not in the UK) offers undergraduate physics degrees but in different flavors, bio-physics, particle physics etc... ,, they have more or less the same content for the first 3 or 4 semesters, and it gets somewhat different beyond that.

BTW, programming skills are nowadays required complementary skills for every physics student so its good that you are doing some programming.

 

[Clever-Name]

Hm... Interesting! I took a look at the requirements for Physics and the 'Theoretical and Computational Physics' courses and here's what I can tell you

Required under the Physics degree is:

Year 1:

Cosmos
Computing on the Net
Atoms, Nuclei and Matter
Mathematics for Physical Scientists 1
Investigative Physics 1
Dynamics and Relativity
Mathematics for Physical Scientists 2
Investigative Physics 2
Electricity and Magnetism
Vibrations and Waves

Year 2:
Quantum Mechanics
Theoretical Physics
Topics in Physics
Practical Physics A
Thermal Physics
Mechanics and Special Relativity
Practical Physics B
Physics Applied
Physics of Solids and Soft Matter
Electromagnetism

Year 3:

Theoretical Physics Techniques
Optics and Fourier Transforms
Solid State Physics
Applications of Quantum Mechanics
Electromagnetic Radiation Detection
Statistical Mechanics
Physics of Semiconductor Devices
Chaos and Non-Linear Systems
Nuclear and Particle Physics
Physics Project

With a few electives.

Theoretical and Computational Physics: (I've bolded the differences)

Year 1:

Cosmos
Computing on the Net
Atoms, Nuclei and Matter
Mathematics for Physical Scientists 1
Investigative Physics 1
Dynamics and Relativity
Mathematics for Physical Scientists 2
Investigative Physics 2
Electricity and Magnetism
Vibrations and Waves

Year 2:

Quantum Mechanics
Theoretical Physics
Topics in Physics
[STRIKE]Practical Physics A[/STRIKE]
Computing in Physics
Thermal Physics
Mechanics and Special Relativity
[STRIKE]Practical Physics B[/STRIKE]
Physics Applied
Physics of Solids and Soft Matter
Electromagnetism

Year 3:

Theoretical Physics Techniques
Optics and Fourier Transforms
[STRIKE]Solid State Physics[/STRIKE]
Computational Physics
Applications of Quantum Mechanics
Electromagnetic Radiation Detection
Statistical Mechanics
[STRIKE]Physics of Semiconductor Devices[/STRIKE]
Chaos and Non-Linear Systems
Nuclear and Particle Physics
Physics ProjectOther than those subtle differences (I assume the practical physics classes means experimental lab time) you are basically doing the EXACT same stuff as a normal physics degree.

 

[swim3051989]

I have searched some Computational Physics graduated program in Louisiana state university, Pennsylvania state university, Kansas state university, Illinois state university, Illinois at urban champaign. But, I don't know whether these universities educate well