Math for Grad School: Beyond Physics Major Requirements

[id the sloth]

Are there any specific math classes that grad schools prefer you take beyond the requirements of the physics major? I hear physics majors taking things like real analysis and other things I see no point in taking because of how little application I see. I'm pretty good with math in general and already have a copy of Boas.

 

[chiro]

Are there any specific math classes that grad schools prefer you take beyond the requirements of the physics major? I hear physics majors taking things like real analysis and other things I see no point in taking because of how little application I see. I'm pretty good with math in general and already have a copy of Boas.

What sort of specialization (or pre-specialization) do you want to go into? Also are you talking grad school for physics and asking for advice about math subjects? (Just to clarify)

 

[id the sloth]

Applied Physics. Electronic stuff: semiconductor physics and devices, optoelectronics, nanoscale tech, etc. That's as specific as i can get at this point in my carrier.

 

[deRham]

I hear physics majors taking things like real analysis and other things I see no point in taking because of how little application I see.

Well, theoretical physics can be formulated in heavy mathematical language, assuming knowledge of the so-called bread and butter mathematics. Real analysis is obviously there, but it really depends what you want to do.

There are 2 levels of math - the level where you're learning a few nice results and learning how to communicate..and then the level where you're going above and beyond to produce something. I suspect strongly that for most theoretical physics, you needn't go beyond the first stage. The second stage starts to overlap with so-called Mathematical Physics.