Minor change, what will it affect?

[Jake4]

Hey all,

So I've been trucking along as a mathematics major with a phyics minor. My goal was to eventually do something in physics, but to keep my options open with the mathematics major. I'm still early on (taking calc 2 and discrete math, as well as my first calc based physics course this semester) but I realized I will not be able to finish in the time I gave myself.

That is, my MINOR classes are sequenced in a way where I would require an extra semester.

Unfortunately, I'm a transfer student and only have one more year to finish school on my parents' dime (I'm one of the very lucky to have gotten this opportunity..)

So I weighed everything out, and I think I will switch to a philosophy minor, as I already have one class towards it, and I could finish by next spring (the semester I was shooting for).

My question, however, is: does this totally screw me on the physics end?

I want to try to get into some graduate program after graduation, but don't want to be excluded from physics programs just because of this change.

With the physics minor, I would have taken :
Calc based physics
Calc based physics 2
Mechanics
Foundations of electricity and magnetism
Modern physics

Are these things, that with my (soon to be) great knowledge in mathematics (as I do have a bit of a natural love and talent for it), I could learn myself?

I assume I would have to, going into a physics graduate program... or maybe not?

With my math major, ill be going up to PDE's and general vector calculus, so I will have some math backround to help.

Also, I'm not sure if it would be worth going for a masters before attempting a ph.d program. My school allows guarenteed acceptance to a masters program if you have a 3.0 upon graduation (obviously to that school, or 2 other state schools). So that would definitely be an option, but I just never hear people talk about getting into master's programs.


Ill certainly know better what direction id like to go in after a few more math courses, but these are some general questions I have.

Thanks guys!

Now I'm off, to run to discrete math. :P

 

[thegreenlaser]

If your goal is to do something in physics, why aren't you doing a physics major? (with a math/philosophy minor if you have to have a minor) Am I misunderstanding something? It seems to me that a physics major would keep your options about as open as a math major, but I could be wrong there. If you're looking for a career to fall back on, I'd say engineering would be the way to go...

I know money's an issue, but have you looked at scholarships/bursaries? There's a lot of money out there, and all it takes is a little effort on your part to search them out and fulfill the application requirements. A lot of people get discouraged and think that they won't qualify for any scholarships but that's just not the case. And a lot of awards have very few applicants, meaning you don't even have to be especially desirable as an award recipient. You can take a lot of financial pressure off if you go out and apply for scholarships like crazy.

 

[Jake4]

Well, I was really into physics when I originally chose a physics major. Then I switched after a conversation with an advisor who said that for the type of physics I was interested in, it would be smarter to just go for a mathematics major.

The way it worked in my school, was that I would miss out on a great deal of math, if I was going to be a physics major. I would be taking courses on quantum mechanics, and not even be able to take courses on PDEs.

It turns out I will be taking the first to physics courses anyways, but beyond that would have to be self teaching. Would something along the lines of finishing my math major, while self teaching physics.. and then going for a physics masters or something? I really am still in the dark as to exactly how grad school works.

So, am I screwed?

 

[Jake4]

nothing?

 

[twofish-quant]

Grad schools care about what courses you take, and less about what your degree is labelled.

As far as masters/Ph.D., most schools admit people to a masters/Ph.D. program. How a S.B/masters program fits into this depends a lot the details of the program.

 

[G01]

The biggest problem I see:

If you want to do a physics graduate program, the admissions committee is going to look for 4 courses in particular:

Classical Mechanics
Statistical Mechanics
Quantum Mechanics
Electrodynamics

They are going to expect that all of these courses are at the junior/senior level.

From your post above, it seems all your physics courses are at the freshman and sophomore level.

If you are a math major with a high GPA, do well on the Physics GRE, etc. then perhaps they will look past your lack of courses, but you should still expect to have to deal with this at some level.

I think if you plans are to do physics graduate work you should keep the physics minor. I also think you should add in a few of the above junior/senior level physics courses, especially Quantum and Electrodynamics. Without them, I don't think you'd be prepared for any type of physics graduate work.

 

[RandomGuy88]

Minor are not really that important. Grad school will care far more about what courses you have taken/not taken than they will about whether or not you have a minor. I think the Philosophy Minor would be useless for what you want to do.

Have you looked into summer courses?

 

[Jake4]

Every summer I've had has been jam packed with courses.

I think I've decided on switching to a Mathematics and Physics Double major.

I'll be in school an extra year, but I feel like it will really prepare me for grad school.

not to mention, I finally found a teacher willing to help me with research and such, so the extra time will mean more research experience (which I've been told is a big plus for admission to grad school) Quantum field theory research, so I'm really excited.

So that's where I'm at now. Ironically, the way the physics classes are sequenced, I would be at school the same amount of time if I just switched to a physics major, as I would if I took the double major, so I figure it would be good.

As a pure physics major, you only take up to calc 3... as a double major I'll be going up to Advanced calculus and PDE's, so I think it will be helpful.


Right choice?

 

[Angry Citizen]

As a pure physics major, you only take up to calc 3... as a double major I'll be going up to Advanced calculus and PDE's, so I think it will be helpful.Right choice?

You really only go up to calc 3 in your physics program? Christ, I'm an engineering major and we have to take up to PDE's and linear algebra... If this is really the case, then yes, you made the right choice.

 

[Jake4]

ridiculous right? how can you do QM without PDE's...