Is it possible to complete a physics bachelor degree in 2 years only ?

[zahero_2007]

Is it possible in any USA universities to complete a bachelor degree in only 2 years by passing all the examinations required for graduation with attending laboratory classes only for some one who have actually Self studied physics before and is very good in it?

 

[proof]

Nope, sorry! But don't worry for there is no rush.

 

[Theorem.]

I don't think I am 100% qualified to answer that but I really don't think so. And I definitely wouldn't recommend it.

 

[G037H3]

is *possible*, not probable

probably less than 1/500 physics majors could do it

 

[Klockan3]

Of course it is possible, the biggest problem is that the courses are not laid out correctly for that to happen so you would need to read a lot of things without proper prerequisites and you are often not allowed to read that much at once. Also you better be a bit "smarter" than average to pull it off.

 

[Quantumjump]

Sounds like a new suicide technique.

 

[Theorem.]

I don't see how it would be worth it. The amount of classes you'd have to squeeze into 2 years and actually get anything out of it? what is your motive for wanting to do only 2 years anyways?

 

[Jack21222]

What's the hurry? Did the doctors only give you 2 years to live?

 

[eri]

It's not a matter of taking exams. It's hard to find a school that will let you place out of required courses for your major, much less give you credit for them simply by taking a single exam. To finish a bachelors in two years, you'd need to take twice as many credits each semester, and most schools won't let you do that. Not to mention that if you wanted to go to grad school, you'd be applying with only one year's worth of grades and probably no research experience - so not much chance of getting into good programs. What's the hurry?

 

[Vanadium 50]

In https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=418480", you say you are studying medicine, but have read a book on cosmology. It is highly improbable that this background will be equivalent to two years of full-time study. And I agree with the others - this is a bad idea anyway.

 

[ofaaron]

I have a somewhat related question. I already have a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field. Since I won't have to take any general education classes, about how long would it take to get a bachelor's in physics. I definitely don't want to rush it, I'm just curious about the time frame I could expect.

 

[zahero_2007]

Well , I'm 19 years old medical school student in my third year and I live in Egypt but doctors here do not earn so much . When I graduate they will pay me as much as 200 dollars per month until I have a clinic which will require me about 5 years for people to come . I'm now in the summer vacation and from my other post I can now solve many problems in multivariable calculus , taylors theorem , power series , fourier's analysis , vector algebra and linear algebra . I found both math and physics very interesting and for me much easier than medicine .Also , medicine , for me , is not as interesting as physics. I have many problems studying medicine not with understanding concepts but with memorizing them as the examinations depends on your ability to memorize stuff not to understand them , . There is a severe problem with educational system in my country .

 

[Null_]

I have a somewhat related question. I already have a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field. Since I won't have to take any general education classes, about how long would it take to get a bachelor's in physics. I definitely don't want to rush it, I'm just curious about the time frame I could expect.

Look at the requirements for a physics degree and subtract the credits you already have. I would guess it's 2.5-3 years.

 

[QuarkCharmer]

I have 3 years to complete my BS (GI Bill chp 33). 3 semesters in, and I have already completed every general ed course, I suppose you could say that I have the equivalent of a general AS/AA now. Taking so many heavy-writing based humanaties courses at one time was a huge pain (at least getting A's in all of them anyway). I have 9 more semesters in which to finish a Physics BS, with absolutely no room for time off. The only issue that I think might hurt me is that many of the upper level physics classes have sequential pre-requisites. I still have to complete CalculusI/II/III, PhysicsI/II/III, and DEQ which many of the other courses I need to take require. In my case, the "take a whole bunch of classes at once" approach won't really work out to well.

I think that I might come a semester or two short of my 3 year mark (for funding), but I hope that financial aid will cover the remaining courses I might need. I think that if you don't have to work, and have a really good work-ethic, you might be able to do something like this.

Though, realistically it all comes down to planning your schedule very carefully.

 

[Fizex]

I could probably finish in two years with 25 hours AP credit that I have, 21 hrs of classes each semester, and 15 hours during the summer. That's too much though, and the doctors gave me more than 2 years to live.

 

[carboy79]

I have a somewhat related question. I already have a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field. Since I won't have to take any general education classes, about how long would it take to get a bachelor's in physics. I definitely don't want to rush it, I'm just curious about the time frame I could expect.

This is exactly what I'm doing right now. I already received a bachelor's in political science and was about to go to law school, but last minute made the life changing decision to go back for physics. I'm now going for my bachelors in physics and the way I have it scheduled its going to take me 2 years total. I think this would be possible for you because like you I don't have to take any gen ed classes, but for the guy who was talking about doing an entire physics degree in 2 years with all the gen ed requirements doesn't seem plausible.

I wouldn't say that I'm rushing it per say, but my semesters are going to be a little jam packed pretty soon. Next fall i'll be taking quantum and EM in the same semester which should be rough, on top of other classes. But it won't be impossible.

 

[ofaaron]

Thank you for the responses.

@carboy79
How are you liking the classes so far? And how has your schedule been? Would working part-time be out of the question for your pace?

 

[carboy79]

Thank you for the responses.

@carboy79
How are you liking the classes so far? And how has your schedule been? Would working part-time be out of the question for your pace?

The classes are good, or at least as expected. This semester I'm only taking Calc III, Physics II, and Modern Physics. I'm home by noon everyday. I'm probably going to get a part time job myself soon. The only thing that's keeping me from getting a job right now is that I'm somewhat looking for research opportunities, but I kinda don't know where to start because I haven't taken advanced classes yet and don't know how to do programming. I'm going to start emailing professors about soon I think.