Programs What Arts Courses Should Physics Majors Consider?

[NeoDevin]

I'm trying to plan out my schedule for next year, and need to choose 3 arts courses. I found 2 that are interesting (History of science, and History of Technology), but can't seem to find anymore that interest me. Anyone have any suggestions for what might be useful/interesting?

 

[scorpa]

I'm not a fan of arts options but one I would like to take someday is called Religion and Science. I took an anthropology course once and enjoyed it, and took a sociology course which I hated.

 

[mr_coffee]

I took 2 web/graphic design art classes they were the easiest credits I ever got in my life. If you know basic webdesign/html/css and they offer it, I suggest it.

it also helped when I needed to create a website to dispaly a resume/skills:
www.personal.psu.edu/css204[/URL]
:D

 

[arunma]

My freshman year I took a couple of classes in Classics. It actually gave me an interest in ancient Greek literature that's lasted until the present. You might find something like this to be pretty fun.

 

[Cyrus]

I took a course called "history of science and technology" it was a great class and put all the equations into context. They were not all nice equations presented linearly like in your physics books, far from it! Some equations were pure experimental until others came to prove them later on in life.

 

[neurocomp2003]

psychology? neuroscience or cognitive science or vision or child dev.

 

[usahockey]

Archeology is interesting, and probably the most scientific of the "social sciences".

 

[Coto]

Philosophy seems like a natural choice if you're inclined to theoretical physics. A language class in any foreign language is refreshing and causes you to think along separate lines than the usual methods associated with physics and math classes.

 

[nsimmons]

Another vote for philosophy, took logic, ancient phil(greek), modern(hobbes, descartes, etc) and phil of religion. 4 of the most interesting classes.

 

[ZapperZ]

When I was an undergrad, I tended to choose Liberal Arts electives that have something to do with my field. So those electives were classes in Philosophy of Science, History of Science, and even a rather unique, interdisplinary course that studied how science and technology are depicted in classic literature such as "War of the World", "Slaughterhouse 5", "All Quiet on the Western Front", "Brave New World", etc. The latter was because we were required to have at least 3 credits in literature since the physics dept. was part of the College of Letters and Science.

While many people think that these classes are a waste of time, I actually found them fascinating. I didn't want to major in them, but I did find them interesting enough to do quite well in all of them. They become useful later on in my professional career because I can see the perspective of science (and physics in particular) from people who do not major or work in it, especially on how they would misinterpret many aspects of science if all they got were something out of philosophical, historical, literature work. You have to know what and how people understand things before you can start explaining to them what you know.

Since such classes will probably be your first observation of how other people who aren't science majors think and understand about science, these classes become a useful practice ground for what you had to deal with later.

Zz.

 

[Brad Barker]

i'm taking a course on ancient egypt right now because a) it's fairly cool and b) it's really, really easy.

 

[Bohr_Wars]

I did Scandinavian languages and took an external (Institute of Linguists) exam in it. My mother is Danish and I was brought up speaking English and Danish, so the Danish exam was easier than easy. I also did a course in sex education and got to watch a lot of interesting movies. I did rock climbing, too, which I still enjoy.

 

[NeoDevin]

Hmmm, just found out I can fit chinese language course into my schedule, that could be fun