Is a Chemistry Minor Necessary for a Physics Major?

[Jeff6851]

Hello, everyone. I've had many of my questions answered by these forums before but this one was a little specific so I decided to make an account here.

I am a third year physics major with a chemistry minor. I enjoy chemistry and feel that it can help me down the road. As far as my university is concerned, I have all the math classes that I need (Calc I-III, Diff Eq, Lin Alg) but I know I need more such as advanced linear algebra, partial differential equations and real analysis. Another problem, in my DE course (at a community college) we did not have time to cover Laplace transforms.

Should I keep or drop my chemistry minor? If I keep it, then I have organic chemistry next spring and summer, then biochem fall 2014 and spring 2015. If I drop it, then I just have Chem II this semester as far as chemistry classes go. I will also have to take more programming classes.

I am in no hurry to take these classes as I only have University Physics III and Electronic Measurements next spring and don't have to worry about relativity, QM or anything until a year from now but I'd like to know if most of these math subjects are best saved for graduate school (I am not very educated on how physics grad school works other than you learn how to do research) or if these are courses for undergrads.

Sorry for the long post, just wanted to get all the details in there. Thanks for any help!

 

[Mmm_Pasta]

I would drop the chemistry minor; I used to be a chemistry minor but I dropped it after taking a second semester of chemistry. It just wasn't worth it. The extra programming courses will be far more useful. More linear algebra and PDEs will be useful, but real analysis - no. There isn't a problem with your DE course not covering Laplace transforms. The math you need will usually be covered in your physics courses, but extra courses at the undergrad level (e.g. PDEs) will help if you can fit them in your schedule. Otherwise, I would just consult other texts to understand the math theory.

 

[symbolipoint]

More information is needed for best guidance, like your career plans. Keep forward with the Chemistry minor. You could, with a strong background in Physics (your major field) and other sciences and programming, work for some companies as a scientist

 

[Delong]

I would keep the minor but maybe do separate chem classes. I feel like metal and inorganic chemistry might be bearer to your career goals if you like engineering in any way.

 

[Jeff6851]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. As for my career plans, I want to become an astrophysicist (I will choose more specific goals when I get further into my education). Even if they do teach the math in the physics classes, I understand it much better if I have had the math before and have gone into detail.