Physics courses to supplement ME degree

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the selection of upper-division Physics courses to supplement a Mechanical Engineering degree. Participants explore the value of various Physics electives and their overlap with existing Mechanical Engineering coursework.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the original poster (OP) about their prior college-level Physics courses, suggesting that a foundation is necessary before taking upper-division courses.
  • Another participant emphasizes the need for the OP to clarify what "value-adding" means in the context of their education.
  • There is a presumption that the OP has taken foundational Physics courses such as Newtonian mechanics and E&M, but the adequacy of this foundation for advanced courses is debated.
  • One participant notes that they found minimal overlap between advanced Physics and Mechanical Engineering courses, citing their own experience with advanced dynamics courses in both departments.
  • The OP lists their completed courses, including E&M, Newtonian Mechanics, Dynamics, Solids, Materials, and Thermodynamics.
  • Another participant requests the OP to provide a list of candidate classes they are considering from the ME curriculum to facilitate more tailored suggestions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying degrees of agreement on the necessity of a foundational understanding before advancing to upper-division Physics courses. However, there is no consensus on which specific courses would be most beneficial or how to define "value-adding."

Contextual Notes

Some participants highlight the importance of discussing course selections with an academic advisor, suggesting that individual academic paths may influence course recommendations.

Who May Find This Useful

Mechanical Engineering students considering additional Physics coursework, academic advisors, and those interested in the intersection of Physics and Engineering education.

UMath1
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I am a Mechanical Engineering student but I very much miss the theoretical side of education from my Physics classes in high school. I am looking to supplement my degree with electives in upper-division Physics courses. Which courses would be the most value-adding and have minimal overlap with the ME curriculum?
 
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UMath1 said:
I am a Mechanical Engineering student but I very much miss the theoretical side of education from my Physics classes in high school. I am looking to supplement my degree with electives in upper-division Physics courses. Which courses would be the most value-adding and have minimal overlap with the ME curriculum?
(a) You mention that you took high-school physics courses and that you are interested in upper-division college physics courses. But did you take any college level physics courses at all? If so, what? You can't jump into upper-division (I assume junior/senior) without adequate foundation (freshman/sophomore).

(b) You need to specify what "value-adding" means to you.
 
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CrysPhys said:
(a) You mention that you took high-school physics courses and that you are interested in upper-division college physics courses. But did you take any college level physics courses at all? If so, what? You can't jump into upper-division (I assume junior/senior) without adequate foundation (freshman/sophomore).

Since the OP is a mechanical engineering major, I would presume that he would have taken at least some college level physics courses at this stage (certainly Newtonian mechanics, E&M, dynamics, etc.), depending on how far he is into his major (as an aside,please note that I checked the OP's profile and it states very clearly that the OP is male).

Whether or not those physics courses provide adequate foundation for more senior physics courses is another question.
 
CrysPhys said:
You can't jump into upper-division
I agree.

@UMath1 -- can you list which lower-division Physics classes you have taken so far (and maybe say which ones you enjoyed the most)? And can you list the upper-division undergraduate Physics classes that are offered at your university? That will make it easier for us to make some suggestions. Also, have you talked this over with your academic advisor at all?
 
UMath1 said:
Which courses would be the most value-adding and have minimal overlap with the ME curriculum?

I think that you will find very few that actually overlap. For example, I took advanced dynamics in the physics department and a course with the same title in the ME department. They were quite different courses because the outlook and perspective were so very different.
 
I have taken E&M, Newtonian Mechanics and Dynamics, and among the ME courses, I have taken Solids, Materials, and Thermodynamics.
 
Can you post the candidate classes that you are considering taking from the ME curriculum?
 

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