Seeking your suggestions on my upcoming undergraduate course workload

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around an undergraduate physics student's proposed course plan for their studies. Participants provide feedback on the structure and content of the planned courses, considering the typical academic load and the importance of consulting academic advisors.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the student should consult academic advisors who are familiar with their specific program and institution for tailored advice.
  • Others emphasize the importance of discussing course choices with upperclassmen to gather diverse perspectives before making decisions.
  • There is a recognition that the student's course plan may need to evolve as they gain more experience and discover new interests in physics.
  • Concerns are raised about the clarity of the course titles in the proposed plan, particularly regarding the specifics of "Calculus" and "Advanced Calculus." Some participants question the appropriateness of the courses listed for the first two semesters.
  • Several participants highlight that the first semester's course load appears typical, but opinions vary on what constitutes a full course load depending on different academic backgrounds.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the student should seek advice from academic advisors and peers, but there is no consensus on the specifics of the course plan or the appropriateness of the courses listed. Multiple competing views exist regarding the interpretation of the course titles and their content.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the discussion is limited by the lack of specific information about the institution's course offerings and the varying interpretations of course titles and content. The discussion reflects uncertainty regarding the student's preparedness for the proposed workload.

july21
Messages
2
Reaction score
1
I'm an upcoming undergraduate physics student and I had make a brief plan on my undergraduate study.

sem 1: general chemistry, introphy1+lab, calculus, linear algebra 1
sem 2: advanced calculus 1, introphy2&3+2labs
sem 3: advanced calculus 2, classical mechanics 1, electrodynamics 1, linear algebra 2
sem 4: quantum mecahnics 1, electrodynamics 2, methods in theoretical physics 1
sem 5: applied quantum mechanics, quantum mechanics 2, methods in theoretical physics 2
sem 6: statistical mechanics, differential geometry
sem 7: particle physics, general relativity
sem 8:

besides those courses I would also take some "student centered learning", "seminars and projects" courses which were not mentioned above.
please leave a comment regarding on my planning!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Delta2
Physics news on Phys.org
At the risk of stating something you already know, most universities have undergraduate academic advisors, often who are department-specific. If you're curious about your course choices, it's best to book an appointment with one of these people. They are more likely to give you actionable advice that people online who aren't familiar with your specific school, program requirements, instructors, typical course loads, prerequisite materials, what's offered each semester, etc.

The reason I say this is that I look at your first semester and think: chemistry, physics, calculus and linear algebra... that's a pretty typical first year course list and only 4 courses. What's that person going to take for an elective to round out a full program of study? Other people from different programs might look at that and think that is a full course load because to them the physics lab is counted as a fully independent course. Others might say four STEM courses IS a full course load. Your local advisor should know what a typical course load is at your school and remove any ambiguity from the problem.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: PhDeezNutz, DaveE, sysprog and 4 others
And talk to the people farther along than you are. BUT talk to multiple people before you take action based on what they say. Individual people can have eclectic views of various courses; you want to make sure to average those out by asking multiple people. Lastly, every plan should be followed until it shouldn't be. You will almost certainly develop new interests as you learn more physics, so any plan you make now will have to be tentative.

Your current plan seems to include all the meaty stuff.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: jasonRF and mathwonk
Your plan is likely to change after you learn more about your institution, the STEM options, and yourself. So, it's OK to speculate now, but recognize that it doesn't really matter too much at this point, you can/will adjust. The freshman year at university is a time of great change for most students. Default to the institution's standard classes for your area and add elective(s) (or not) according to your current interests. Focus of the fundamentals now, the stuff every STEM student needs to know. Get an advisor and ask them these questions, they know more than us. You don't have to decide now, provided you don't choose something really unusual for your intended field.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: jasonRF
july21 said:
sem 1: general chemistry, introphy1+lab, calculus, linear algebra 1
sem 2: advanced calculus 1, introphy2&3+2labs
Those first two semester plans are a little strange. What specific "Calculus" is that in semester 1? It should be Calculus And Analytic Geometry 1 which instructs on single variable differentiation and introduction to integration. You are also planning to have Linear Algebra, whatever first course. Your semester 2 then should contain, if you succeeded in Calc 1 of sem. 1, Calculus And Analytic Geometry 2, which carries on further with Integration (Integrals), some topics about sequences and series and include some topics on Conic Sections. I do not know how you mean "Advanced Calculus 1".
 
symbolipoint said:
Those first two semester plans are a little strange. What specific "Calculus" is that in semester 1? It should be Calculus And Analytic Geometry 1 which instructs on single variable differentiation and introduction to integration. You are also planning to have Linear Algebra, whatever first course. Your semester 2 then should contain, if you succeeded in Calc 1 of sem. 1, Calculus And Analytic Geometry 2, which carries on further with Integration (Integrals), some topics about sequences and series and include some topics on Conic Sections. I do not know how you mean "Advanced Calculus 1".
This is a key reason why we can't properly advise the OP and why the OP needs to seek guidance from an advisor at his own school. We have no clue as to the contents and degrees of difficulty of the courses at his school.
 
  • Like
  • Informative
Likes   Reactions: jasonRF, gwnorth and symbolipoint

Similar threads

  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 26 ·
Replies
26
Views
3K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
5K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
4K