Summer getting too hard for you? Post your Fall Schedule to cool down

[Eldar]

Yep that's the one.

I plan to start there next year doing a BMath. What degree are you doing (If you don't mind me asking)?

 

[chiro]

I plan to start there next year doing a BMath. What degree are you doing (If you don't mind me asking)?

The B. Math degree, same as what you want to do.

It's a good degree with good courses and flexibility.

I know it might not be as "highly regarded" as say UNSW, but it is what you make of it.

If you do the work, work hard, take an active interest in your subjects, you should do well.

One thing that I like about UOW is that it is a small university (relative to say UNSW for example). That definitely has its advantages. You get to know the students and the lecturers easily due to this.

If you have any other specific questions I'll do my best to answer them.

 

[l'Hôpital]

Real Analysis I
Topics in ODE
Topology and Manifolds/Numerical Methods
Physics III

I'm unsure as to what to do for the third one, still have no clue which to pick haha.

 

[217 MeV]

First semester at University starts September, Physics with Theoretical Physics MSci from the UK.

Mathematics 1
Dynamics
Quantum Physics and Relativity
Introduction to Astrophysics and Cosmology
First Year Laboratory incl. Computing and Data Analysis
Random Processes in Physics (Taught by maths dept.)

Cannot wait to get it started.

 

[Absolut_Ideal]

My fall semester will consist of the following:

Introduction to Abstract Algebra
Complex Analysis
Functional Analysis
Introduction to Mathematical Statistics
Java programming
Simulations and Models
Mathematical methods for physics

Total of 75 ECTS (45 US credits approx.)

Will be tough. Although I've studied some of the topics over summer so I hope it'll be alright.

 

[Eldar]

The B. Math degree, same as what you want to do.

It's a good degree with good courses and flexibility.

I know it might not be as "highly regarded" as say UNSW, but it is what you make of it.

If you do the work, work hard, take an active interest in your subjects, you should do well.

One thing that I like about UOW is that it is a small university (relative to say UNSW for example). That definitely has its advantages. You get to know the students and the lecturers easily due to this.

If you have any other specific questions I'll do my best to answer them.

Yea, I've had people ask me why not try and go to UNSW or USYD, but I don't see the point. I've been to UoW many times for various things, and I love it. The campus isn't huge and it seems nice. Plus it's so close (for me anyway).

What are you majoring in? You've got quite a few Stat subjects there so I'm inclined to say Statistics.

Also what was Mathematics for Cryptography like? It's hard to get much information on it, and I don't know anyone who has done it.

 

[chiro]

Yea, I've had people ask me why not try and go to UNSW or USYD, but I don't see the point. I've been to UoW many times for various things, and I love it. The campus isn't huge and it seems nice. Plus it's so close (for me anyway).

What are you majoring in? You've got quite a few Stat subjects there so I'm inclined to say Statistics.

Also what was Mathematics for Cryptography like? It's hard to get much information on it, and I don't know anyone who has done it.

I'm double majoring: one major in stats, the other in pure and applied. I am working towards getting statistical qualifications and working in that area.

With regards to the mathematics for cryptography, there is a lot of information to digest. In terms of technical challenges, it is not as hard as some of the other high level subjects, but there is a lot to go through.

I'll start with a preamble.

Cryptography as you probably know is about making knowledge secret so that only a person with the right "key" can make the information sensible.

Now the holy grail of cryptography is completely unbreakable asymmetric cryptosystems: that is, public key cryptography systems.

The reason for this is because if you use a standard symmetric system, you need a way for the other person to get the key so they can read it: the thing is you need a secure channel to distribute the key! As you can see this creates problems.

Public key cryptosystems don't have this requirement. You have two keys: an encoding key and a decoding key, and the person can encode with separate information to that of the decoder.

Based on that, the question arises: how can we do that and how can we check whether the method is good?

The answer is currently that using number theory it is "believed" that its hard to crack codes that have been created using number theory techniques. It might be easily breakable (my personal opinion is that it probably will be in the future), but so far no-one has done so, and this only builds confidence that the methods are secure.

Also its important to realize that these methods are "easy to do", but "hard to undo". This is an important property that these methods have because without it, it would be useless.

Based on the above, the whole course teaches number theory and specific applications of that to cryptography: this is the whole course. You will start from basic properties like prime decomposition, proofs about primes, and then move into things like solving different types of congruence equations and build up all these results to prove specific results that are used in cryptography.

If you do it, I would advise you to do at least a year of math before you try it (maybe even two). The notes have plenty of exercises and I suggest you pick a healthy mix of them to do.

One other thing is that there is a tonne of material that is covered, just so you know.

 

[Leptos]

Real Analysis I
Linear Algebra II
Mathematical Logic I
Combinatorial Theory I
Putnam Contest Preparation

 

[Eldar]

I'm double majoring: one major in stats, the other in pure and applied. I am working towards getting statistical qualifications and working in that area.

With regards to the mathematics for cryptography, there is a lot of information to digest. In terms of technical challenges, it is not as hard as some of the other high level subjects, but there is a lot to go through.

That actually helps a lot, thanks for that. It says it has no prerequisites, but its a 400 level subject so I wasn't sure where it should fit in the grand scheme of things. It's definitely something I think I'd be interested in though.

Any subjects so far you've found particularly enjoyable? I'm thinking I won't be as much a fan of the STAT subjects, but I guess I'll find out when I actually do some.

 

[chiro]

That actually helps a lot, thanks for that. It says it has no prerequisites, but its a 400 level subject so I wasn't sure where it should fit in the grand scheme of things. It's definitely something I think I'd be interested in though.

Any subjects so far you've found particularly enjoyable? I'm thinking I won't be as much a fan of the STAT subjects, but I guess I'll find out when I actually do some.

Pretty much all of the higher level subjects I have taken, I like. The first year subjects I found pretty boring as most of it was purely a mechanical exercise. You had to think, but it's nothing like the kind of thinking you need in later years.

The statistics courses in 3rd year require you to really think. You get applied problems that you have to solve. You really have to understand the root of what is going on and when you finally do, its a very good feeling. You realize that what you have learned is very powerful and amazing which answers as well as asks questions. Its basically decades (and centuries) of human discovery that have led to such profound insights about math and about analyzing the world.

Math is basically a connected discipline in the way that many areas interact with each other. Statistics makes use of calculus and linear algebra extensively to do useful things. This won't make much sense now, but when you do your degree it will later on.

One reason I am taking all math courses is because you learn about a specific subject that has specific perspectives in mind (perspectives to solve say certain problems), and through that exposure you get new perspectives of what math is all about.

If when you start your degree, you get bored, you are not alone. I was bored out of my head in the first year, but things step up and get both harder and interesting (those two seem to go together).

 

[Eldar]

If when you start your degree, you get bored, you are not alone. I was bored out of my head in the first year, but things step up and get both harder and interesting (those two seem to go together).

That's reassuring! I think I'm more eager to start now that I've heard a first hand account.

Thank you for answering my questions!

 

[MissSilvy]

Electrodynamics 2
Quantum Mechanics 2
Thermal and Statistical Physics

Plus three-ish jobs. All related, I swear. Machine shop apprenticeship, electrical engineering shop, and working at the engineering library (paid to do homework, essentially). I may or may not drop a job to pick up semester research with a professor.

 

[sapphire_glow]

For fall 2011, I'll have:
- Physical electronics (+ lab)
- Basic EM and power engineering (+ lab)
- Digital electronics (+ lab)
- Systems and simulations (+ lab)
- Electronics II (+ lab)
- Elements of quantum mechanics (no lab :( )

I'm nearly going to need one of those "time turner" necklaces like Hermione had in Harry Potter at this rate. Maybe I can build one with the info from the quantum mechanics course (haha).

 

[Cygni]

Force and Function at the Nanoscale Autumn
Principles of Dynamics Autumn
Classical Fields Full Year
Intermediate Experimental Physics Full Year
The Quantum World Full Year
Thermal and Statistical Physics Full Year
Wave Phenomena Full Year

 

[Cygni]

Econometrics -- Economics (ECON) 240A [5 units]
Description: Basic preparation for the Ph.D. program including probability and statistical theory and the classical linear regression model.

Financial Engineering Systems I -- Industrial Engineering (IND ENG) 222 [3 units]
Description: Introductory graduate level course, focusing on applications of operations research techniques, e.g., probability, statistics, and optimization, to financial engineering. The course starts with a quick review of 221, including no-arbitrage theory, complete market, risk-neutral pricing, and hedging in discrete model, as well as basic probability and statistical tools. It then covers Brownian motion, martingales, and Ito's calculus, and deals with risk-neutral pricing in continuous time models. Standard topics include Girsanov transformation, martingale representation theorem, Feyman-Kac formula, and American and exotic option pricings. Simulation techniques will be discussed at the end of the semester, and MATLAB (or C or S-Plus) will be used for computation.

Applied Stochastic Process I -- Industrial Engineering (IND ENG) 263A [4 units]
Description: Conditional Expectation. Poisson and renewal processes. Renewal reward processes with application to inventory, congestion, and replacement models. Discrete and continuous time Markov chains; with applications to various stochastic systems--such as exponential queueing systems, inventory models and reliability systems.

Game Theory in the Social Sciences -- Economics (ECON) C110 [4 units]
Description: A non-technical introduction to game theory. Basic principle, and models of interaction among players, with a strong emphasis on applications to political science, economics, and other social sciences. Also listed as Political Science C135.

Last semester as a Math/Econ major. I'm thinking of just replacing the game theory class with the honors thesis.

This looks insane, i must say, I am a bit jealous.

 

[Anonymous217]

Fall 2011:
Topology & Analysis (grad. seq.)
Groups, Rings, & Fields (grad. seq.)
Numerical Solutions to Diff. Eq. (grad. seq.)
Mathematical Logic (upper div.)

This will be my second-year.
I'm pretty excited about my schedule since I'll be doing grad courses and research from here on out. I've never taken a grad course before so I'll test-run with this schedule and adjust accordingly next semester.

I'm just finishing my last few electives this summer, and then I can finally do some REAL math.

 

[RedAnsar]

linear algebra
physics 3: waves, oscillations, and quantum mechanics
introduction to special relativity
organic chemistry 1
intermediate korean 1
introduction to hispanic linguistics

rising sophomore

 

[HeLiXe]

This is cool Angry Citizen. Since I'm going to be in school an extra semester, I was thinking of ditching intro speech this fall and picking up C++ instead. so it will look like

Physics with calculus I
Calculus III
Chem and qualitative analysis II
C++

I'm having a difficult time choosing between C and C++, and I wonder if I should take stats or just teach myself.

OK so final decision for the fall schedule

Physics with Calculus I
Calculus III
Chem and qualitative analysis II
C Programming

Should have OOP w/Java in the Spring. Had to take C because it is required by the university I will be transferring to -- course code is the same they just call it Programming II instead of C. Will be teaching myself stats.

 

[Medwell]

Tentative:

Process Thermodynamics
Fluid and Solid Operations
Energy Transfer Operations
Business Finance

 

[Hobold]

Mechanical Engineering undergrad (4th semester)

Mine will be something like this:

Calculus IV (series, PDEs) - 4 credits
Mechanics of Solids B - 6 credits
Applied Thermodynamics - 2 credits
Fluid Mechanics I - 4 credits
Dynamics - 3 credits
Machining of Materials - 4 credits
Solar Energy (grad) - 3 credits
German II-A - 2 credits

This will be f*cking insane. I hope survival.

 

[cjl]

That's 28 credits...

I assume that's not the typical US credit system? Most schools I know won't even let you sign up for that many credits at once.

 

[MissSilvy]

No offense, but his school's way of distributing credits seems grossly overinflated. It's a huge load, but maybe their credit system is different because that would not fly at my engineering department.

 

[eXorikos]

I think it is the ECTS system, but still then 28 credits is normal. 30 credits is a normal semester, but he has many courses and the credits are not all equal in load. Two 3 credit courses are in most cases a lot more work one 6 credit course. Maybe that's just at my university due to the conversion of the old system to the current one a few years ago.

 

[Nano-Passion]

Introduction to Computers -3
Scientific programming -3
Calculus I -4
College Survival 1
Calculus based Physics I -4

Can't wait to get in some math and physics with some programming =D!

The programming classes is Fortran based and I've read that its good for physics so I'm pretty satisfied with my schedule. =D

 

[HeLiXe]

The programming classes is Fortran based

That is so cool! XD

 

[Hobold]

That's 28 credits...

I assume that's not the typical US credit system? Most schools I know won't even let you sign up for that many credits at once.

Yeah, it is probably not comparable to US credit system, because it seems people from US have a much lighter credit classes. Here each credit is equivalent to 50 minutes of lecture per week. It does work pretty well, but we are not used to ace every exam as most people here does (almost perfect GPA).

My AAA (accumulated academic avaliation) is equivalent to a GPA of around 3.4 and that is pretty decent in here.

I wouldn't find a way to correlate the academic system in here, but most of our semesters have from 25 to 30 credits plus around 15 hours of 1-1 tutoring/undergrad research.

 

[MissSilvy]

Yeah, Fortran is pretty awesome. I will warn you that it's not as pretty or user-friendly as some other languages, but it is amazingly fast for doing mountains of calculations. I have never regretted learning it though.

 

[blazethrulife]

Rather embarrassing to post my schedule, considering it's only my second semester in school... Especially at the age of 23 - haha

Chem 1
Intro to Engineering
Algebra/Trig
Government
Engineering design

(EE is my major)

HAHAHA, that is so embarassing! Look at your puny schedule compared to mine! (j.k.)

Electrical Engineering 10: Circuit Analysis I

Electrical Engineering 101: Engineering Electromagnetics

Computers Science 31: Introduction to Computer Science I

Physics 4AL: Physics Laboratory for Scientists and Engineers: Mechanics

 

[Nano-Passion]

That is so cool! XD

Yes I know, I'm excited because I've heard its a pretty logical language (I hope I make sense 0__o).

First programming class here I come, and finally with some calculus and physics- ahh I love my life =D.

 

[Nano-Passion]

Yeah, Fortran is pretty awesome. I will warn you that it's not as pretty or user-friendly as some other languages, but it is amazingly fast for doing mountains of calculations. I have never regretted learning it though.

Doesn't look too bad, I will of course put effort into it. Thanks for the heads up.

And yeah it seems pretty cool, you can make it calculate the derivative of an accelerating object as a function of time? How about evaluating it in every position function?

 

[Agent M27]

I took it easy over the summer, really only working on one or two things so I had to kick it up a few notches for fall. I am a physics major, with a minor in math. I will have the math minor completed in the spring of 2012 after my two Applied PDE classes.

Fall 2011:
Differential Equations
Linear Algebra
Math Methods for Physicists
Modern Physics
Intermediate Lab

Joe

 

[cosmojo]

Electromagnetism
Quantum Mechanics 1
Religions of China and Japan
Japanese Lang-3rd semester
History of Eastern Asia

-I'm a double major (astrophysics and east asian studies) last semester was basically all physics so I had to throw a few more asian studies courses in :)

 

[HeLiXe]

I like your username cosmojo...it is like a mix of cosmo and mojo :tongue2:
I think I will revert back to my double major plan. I was thinking of cutting it out for the sake of time, but now that I will be in school for more semesters I may as well do it.

 

[eXorikos]

What a weird combination of majors... They both have nothing to do with one another. What's the point in that other than just interest?

Doing a double major means spending a year longer to get your degree? Here it's nearly impossible to do two majors at the same time. If the majors are that far apart it will result in twice the normal amount of work every year...

 

[HeLiXe]

Hi eXorikos.

In my case the double major is with physics and chemistry. There are 24 additional credit hours I will have to take and the free and required electives overlap with the required courses for chemistry. The free electives for physics can also overlap with the 24 credit hours I have to take to major in chemistry...which is like 6 additional classes. The requirements for freshman and sophomore year for the two majors are almost identical, there is a small difference of about 2-3 contextual courses for each major.