Minimal preliminary knowledge for a PhD in particle physics?

[Sven2009]

Currently, I am doing a master in mathematical physics. I am interested in particles& field theory and want to apply a PhD in this field. But I am not sure whether I can...

I just learned a little high energy physics from Griffth and Peskin' book on elementary particles and QFT. Recently, I browse some researcher's publications and find their works are phenomenological，far different from what I am doing now...

 

[ZapperZ]

Currently, I am doing a master in mathematical physics. I am interested in particles& field theory and want to apply a PhD in this field. But I am not sure whether I can...

I just learned a little high energy physics from Griffth and Peskin' book on elementary particles and QFT. Recently, I browse some researcher's publications and find their works are phenomenological，far different from what I am doing now...

1. Where do you intend to pursue your PhD? If you know where, have you looked at the requirements for admission into the program at that school? Will they allow you to spend a year or two to "catch up" in terms of knowledge that you need to have to do HEP?

2. Have you talked to your academic advisor on how prepared you are? He/she should know on your capabilities, and also what is required to do HEP (I'm assuming that you intend to do theoretical HEP, instead of experimental).

3. Why do you want to switch fields? "interested in..." isn't usually enough to jump ship, because many areas look sexy from the outside. Why do you want to go from Mathematical Physics into HEP beyond just being interested in it. What about Mathematical Physics? Have you lost interest in it?

Zz.