Mathematics Course Outline for Pursuing a Career in a Third World Country

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around outlining a mathematics course for a student from a third world country who is interested in pursuing a career in mathematics, potentially related to physics. The scope includes suggestions for foundational mathematics topics and considerations for further studies, as well as the implications of studying in the UK.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that mathematicians can pursue various careers requiring problem-solving skills, not limited to physics.
  • Another participant emphasizes the importance of studying calculus, advanced calculus, and linear algebra as foundational topics.
  • There is a contention regarding the implication that aspiring physicists must focus on theoretical physics, with some participants arguing that this perspective overlooks the role of experimentalists.
  • One participant expresses frustration about the time required for IELTS preparation, indicating it may delay the student's plans to study in the UK.
  • A later reply mentions that course outlines can typically be found on the mathematics department websites of universities, suggesting that specific guidance may be limited in this forum context.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the necessity of focusing on theoretical versus experimental physics, and there is no consensus on a specific course outline. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best approach for the student's educational path.

Contextual Notes

Some limitations include the lack of specific course outlines provided in the discussion and varying assumptions about the relevance of different branches of mathematics to career paths in physics.

debeng
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i am from a thirld world country, and my brother has just finished his high scholl who wants to study mathematics later. can any of you outline a general course that he takes for his later career. i am not a student of physics, i am just a student of medicine so i don't know much about it.
 
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Well, mathematicians can generally take up many jobs that require problem solving and maths skills. He doesn't necessarily have to work in Physics, but many mathematicians at the moment are working on particle physics research.
 
michealsmith said:
if he does want to do physics tell him to look at ...
http://www.phys.uu.nl/~thooft/theorist.html

That's nasty! It seems to imply that if one wants to be a physicists, one will probably end up as a theorist. That is so wrong if you simply look at (i) the AIP statistics, for example and (ii) the employability.

I will also counter that with the infamous Harry Lipkin article once more.

http://www.physicstoday.org/vol-53/iss-7/p15.html

Zz.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
i didnt say anything about theoretical physics ...but mathematics was menotioned and an experimentalist doesn't need to know the type of maths a theroist does ...if uve covered a theorists maths uve almost covered all the maths ...
 
no matter what, he needs to study calculus, as much as possible, including advanced calculus, and linear algebra.

and try to ignore these people fussing over which branch of what he should go into.
 
ok i get them all. he has decided he is going UK. its totally not fair that he is losing another 6 months or perhaps a year just to prepare for the IELTS.
 
thats great advice but its an old problme,as old as a verylitle hill.
if he promised himself to go to uk, let me alone
a mathcourse is is outlined in math department of any school he wants to go to, u search for him to show ur good more completely, u still only help half by asking physicforum.
 

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