Post-Bacc Programs for Preparing for Physics Graduate School

[darwiniac]

So some of you are no doubt familiar with post-bacc programs designed to prepare people for med school who didn't get the necessary scientific background or who did poorly, grade-wise (at least in the US; no idea how they do things elsewhere). For those who aren't, they're basically a year-long program which can cover anything from biology, calc, and o-chem, for those who didn't study the sciences at all, to ones with med-school level biochemistry, physiology, or immunology, for those who want to enhance their application.

I actually recently graduated with a degree in biology and am kind of regretting it. Towards the last part of my degree I had been developing a personal interest in physics, to the point where I was seriously considering changing my major, but I'd had so many credit hours invested towards bio and just wanted to get out in four years. I feel like that was a mistake. Maybe it's just a case of the grass being greener on the other side, I don't know.

I haven't really decided exactly what to do with my life, but I'd like to know what my options realistically are to prepare myself for graduate study in physics as it stands. I'd like to avoid going in for a whole additional bachelor's, not least because I've already got four years worth of student loans to pay off and I feel much more than another year (and I'm sure it would take rather more than a year to finish a second bachelor's) would really be too much.

I know some masters' programs will admit people with some deficiencies in their prerequisites to make up while attending, but I've got some pretty serious deficiencies as far as actual classes go; just two semesters of intro calc-based phys on my transcript.

Just taking classes might be an option, but it would be hard, as all the local colleges hold most of their physics classes during the day, when I'm working full-time. I'd pretty much have to find a different (night-time) job, and it was hard enough in this economy just to get my current one.

I know BU has its LEAP program for engineering, and there are, as I mentioned before, the post-bacc programs for medicine, are there any similar things out there in the field of physics?

 

[flemmyd]

the main problem with comparing the medical post-baccs to any physics post-bacc is the physics program would need to be far more comprehensive. the medical post-bacc can be done entirely (or almost) at any junior/community college.
with the physics program, you basically need to take the entire physics program, which to really understand, takes at leasat two years. you don't need to get a whole second bachelors.

the important classes would be classical/analytical mechanics, E&M, quantum, and stat mech/thermo. plus all the math needed as well. and these are rigorous, upper div classes compared to the pre-med classes for medical post baccs.

also, any graduate physics program, for the first year, will likely just teach you those same topics, but at a higher level. i think zapperz has a lengthy post regarding the level (ie textbook) you would be using for said programs.

however, not all hope is lost. look into something called "applied physics" graduate school. they're for people who are more interested in connecting physics with engr, but since (for example) a mat sci engr or chem major doesn't know quantum that well, the courses are structured accordingly. so long as you arent interested in particle physics, you should be able to get in. although you may need to spend a year taking math and some physics courses to get in/show you can do the analytical coursework.

FYI though, you'll noticed a lot of the programs have two classes for every requirement. (ie. you could take phys 501 or appl physics 501. for XXXX class requirement.) the reason is that everyone who majored in physics would take the physics graduate one and use the physics graduate textbook. on the other hand, all the electrical engr and chemEs and what not would take an advance, but still undergraduate version of the course. so you are not getting "the same education".

i hope this all makes sense. my head is bouncing around right now and you may not understand. =/