What will you be studying this semester?

[Kalimaa23]

I understand that in the US the academic year has already started, and the rest of us will follow shortly.
So let's share, what are you studying this year and courses will you take this semester?

I'm starting my MSc program in physics (yippie !), and the first year consists of "A Thorough Course in Everthing". After that, in your second year, you chose a field of study and you specialise.

This semester I'll be doing

Mathematical Methods of Physics
Complex Analysis
Quantum Mechanics
Statistical Physics
Elementary Particle Physics
Advanced Labwork

 

[ExtravagantDreams]

That sounds like a pretty tough work load. I love the title of my book, "Basic Complex Analysis."

 

[kuengb]

I understand that in the US the academic year has already started, and the rest of us will follow shortly.
So let's share, what are you studying this year and courses will you take this semester?

I'm starting my MSc program in physics (yippie !), and the first year consists of "A Thorough Course in Everthing". After that, in your second year, you chose a field of study and you specialise.

Geez...I haven't even begun my exams yet

 

[Kalimaa23]

That sounds like a pretty tough work load. I love the title of my book, "Basic Complex Analysis."

Actually, I'd will be like a vacation compared to last year. I studied for my BSc in both mathematics and physics, so I ended doing 3.5 semesters of work in only two semesters.

I looked it up, and on average is just 18 hours/week of lectures/excercises/labwork. All that free time ! :surprise:

 

[Gokul43201]

I may take a course on III-V Semiconductor processing from the EE Dept. There also seems to be a course on HTSC, which I may sit in on.

Many schools in the US have started by now, but those using Quarters (like mine) instead of Semesters (like the majority) usually start a little later - say mid-september.

 

[enigma]

I'm taking 'smart structures' and 'structural dynamics' in addition to doing research into magnetostrictives.

 

[Gokul43201]

Smart Structures, eh.

I remember reading through parts of Srinivasan and McFarland, Smart Structures, C.U.P 2001, in the context of Vibration Isolation. Mostly, I was interested in Shape Memory Alloys (nitinol) and Magneto-rheological Fluids.

 

[Dooga Blackrazor]

I'm still in High School:

First Term: Physics, Advanced Math, History, Computer Science, Advanced English.
Second Term: I forget the order but Physics and History are gone and I have Chemistry and Entrepreneurship. All the other subjects are the same but will cover different material.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Boy, have I got it easy! Anthropology, Psychological Statistics, and Chemistry for Fall quarter. That's about as much as I can do while working 40 hours a week.

 

[aeroegnr]

I'm taking:

Control of Mechanical Engineering Systems
Design/manufacturing lab
Instrumentation/measurement lab
Intro to Theoretical Physics
Intro to Modern Physics
Electricity/Magnetism 1

The 3 last ones will fulfill a minor in Physics at my University. I am an aerospace engineer, though after talking to one of the physics professors he said I could graduate with a dual degree in Aerospace and Physics with only 15 extra hours (one extra semester).

I am really contemplating that.

 

[enigma]

Magneto-rheological Fluids.

One of the long-term goals of the research group I'm working in is to develop a pump with no moving parts using just magnetostrictive alloys and fluids. The guys directly working on it have a prototype which they're testing.

 

[LENIN]

Last year of high school starts in 4 days . Only 8 classes from last years 13 . Physics , chamistry , sports , mathemthics , sloven langueg and literature , english , germen and history .

 

[Gza]

25. General Physics (3)
Prerequisites: Physics 24 with a grade of C- or better; Mathematics 5A-B.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Physics 5.
Recommended preparation: Physics 5L or 13CH (may be taken concurrently).
Special relativity, blackbody radiation, Compton scattering, photoelectric effect, Bohr model, quantum mechanics, molecules, condensed matter, nuclear physics, elementary particles. (S)

25H. Honors Supplement to General Physics (1)
Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in Physics 25.
Students must have a 3.3 cumulative GPA.
A supplement to Physics 25 emphasizing fundamental concepts and possible additional topics in physics. Intended for highly motivated and well prepared students

22. General Physics (4)
Prerequisites: Physics 21 with a grade of C- or better; Mathematics 3A-B.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Physics 2.
Rotational dynamics, statics, gravitation, periodic motion, fluid mechanics, temperature and heat, thermal properties of matter, the laws of thermodynamics. (S)

22H. Honors Supplement to General Physics (1)
Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in Physics 22.
Students must have a 3.3 cumulative GPA.
A supplement to Physics 22 emphasizing fundamental concepts and possible additional topics in physics. Intended for highly motivated and well prepared students. (S)

100A . Methods of Theoretical Physics (3)
Prerequisites: Mathematics 5C with a minimum grade of C- (for Physics 100A): Physics 100A with a minimum grade of C- (for Physics 100B).
Mathematical methods in physics: theory of functions of complex variables, Fourier series, integral transforms, partial differential equations of physics, boundary value problems, Legendre and Bessel functions. Introduction to Hilbert spaces. (F,W)

13CH. Honors Experimental Physics (2)
Prerequisites: Physics 13BH; Physics 5 or 25 (may be taken concurrently).
Not open for degree credit to students who have completed Physics 5L or Physics CS 5C. Designed to introduce undergraduates to contemporary experimental research at an early stage in their careers. Emphasis is placed on acquiring an "experimental frame of mind", professional communication skills, and a broad range of laboratory techniques.


Good luck to everyone this quarter!

 

[Kalimaa23]

The 3 last ones will fulfill a minor in Physics at my University. I am an aerospace engineer, though after talking to one of the physics professors he said I could graduate with a dual degree in Aerospace and Physics with only 15 extra hours (one extra semester).
I am really contemplating that.

Do so! After all, the extra work will only last a year, but the extra degree will last a lifetime!

Gza, you seem to have a nice collection of courses there. What year are you in, might I enquire?

 

[humanino]

Next two years, I finish my PhD thesis. Maybe I'll hang myself first

 

[Kalimaa23]

Next two years, I finish my PhD thesis. Maybe I'll hang myself first

A common sentiment as I understand it... hang in there.
Where and in what are you getting your PhD?

 

[humanino]

I'm studing at Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique in Saclay (Paris), on the structure of the proton. Quite boring stuff in the General Discussion forum.

See Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering to access Generalized Parton Distributions.

 

[gravenewworld]

Intro to philosophy
Film analysis
Macro Economic Theory
Inorganic Chemistry II
Inorganic Chem lab
Graduate course on Linear Algebra
Graduate course on Geometry

 

[Gza]

What year are you in, might I enquire?

I'll be entering my third year. I'm a little behind , that's why I'm taking two physics classes at the same time (honors on top of that ). Hopefully i'll still find enough time to get sloshed on the weekends.

 

[Gokul43201]

I'm studing at Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique in Saclay (Paris), on the structure of the proton. Quite boring stuff in the General Discussion forum.

See Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering to access Generalized Parton Distributions.

Generalized Partons ! Feynman over Gellman ?

I've heard folks get real excited about high-energy scattering...and I've heard folks that are into Proton Decay (experimental) !

 

[DarkEternal]

this coming semester:

Fall 2004
8.03 – Physics III (Vibrations and Waves)
8.033 – Relativity
8.09 – Classical Mechanics II
18.100B – Analysis I
21M.301 – Harmony and Counterpoint I

after that:

Spring 2005
8.04 – Quantum Physics I
8.044 – Statistical Physics I
18.103 – Fourier Analysis
18.901 – Introduction to Topology
21F.064 – Introduction to Japanese Culture

Junior
Fall 2005
8.05 – Quantum Physics II
8.13 – Experimental Physics I
18.152 – Introduction to Partial Differential Equations
18.701 – Algebra I
21M.026 – Jazz

Spring 2006
8.06 – Quantum Physics III
8.14 – Experimental Physics II
8.251 – String Theory for Undergraduates
18.702 – Algebra II
8.225J – Einstein, Oppenheimer, Feynman: Physics in the 20th Century

Senior
Fall 2006
8.07 – Electromagnetism II
8.ThU – Undergraduate Physics Thesis
18.112 – Functions of a Complex Variable
18.353J – Nonlinear Dynamics I: Chaos
24.241 – Logic I

Spring 2007
8.08 – Statistical Physics II
18.354J – Nonlinear Dynamics II: Continuum Systems
18.904 – Seminar in Topology
18.950 – Differential Geometry
STS.001 – Technology in American History

planning to double major in physics and theoretical mathematics, with a concentration in music (at least one humanities class is required per semester anyways). for anyone who has done something similar, how does my ordering of courses look? will the math courses prepare me for the math i'll need to be using in my physics courses? should i take math courses that are more applied-oriented or theoretical-oriented? any advice is appreciated, although I'm not sure i'll be able to take it, depending on which semesters the courses are offered.

 

[marlon]

Just finished my master in theoretical physics at the univ. of Ghent in Belgium. In october i will be studying engineering or applied physics, right , for another two years.


regards
marlon

 

[Kalimaa23]

Marlon, on what subject and with who did you do you masterthesis?
Will you also be studying applied physics or engineering in Gent?

If I'm not mistaken, with your licentiaatsdiploma in physics you need FOUR additional years to get an engineering degree (burgelijk ingenieur that is). Or is that different in Gent?

 

[marlon]

Marlon, on what subject and with who did you do you masterthesis?
Will you also be studying applied physics or engineering in Gent?

If I'm not mistaken, with your licentiaatsdiploma in physics you need FOUR additional years to get an engineering degree (burgelijk ingenieur that is). Or is that different in Gent?

ah ha, nog een fysicus van België. Dimitri, waar studeert gij?

Ik heb mijn thesis gedaan over quarkconfinement in QCD.

Nog twee jaar voor burgerlijk ingenieur NATUURKUNDE, maar dat kunt ge alleen maar in Gent doen. Ik wil mij vooral specializeren in fotonica en nanotechnologie (hiervoor zit ge best in Leuven, daar hebben ze zelfs een richting nanotechnologie)

nikolaas

 

[marlon]

Ik heb ook aanvraag gedaan aan de VUB voor burg. ingenieur. daar moet ik drie jaar doen. Maar het laatste jaar is eigenlijk maar thesis plus nog EEN vak. Dus laat ons zeggen twee jaar en half...

 

[Kalimaa23]

Ik zit aan de VUB. Ik heb nog getwijfeld tussen burgerlijk en fysica, en zodoende heb ik burgerlijk natuurkundig ingenieur ook nog overwogen, maar ik bleef liever in Brussel.

Uiteindelijk heb de juist keuze gemaakt. Ik begin vanaf volgend academiejaar aan mijn licenties. Ik zou graag een thesis maken in stringtheorie (onze plaatselijke stringtheoreticus, Prof. Sevrin, wordt nogal hoog aangeslagen) of in wiskundige fysica (niet-lineaire dynamica).

Ik heb nog een jaartje tijd, en wie weet word ik nog wel verliefd op vaste stoffysica of medische fysica (not bloody likely )

Als nanotechnologie je ding is moet je idd niet op de VUB zijn. Op het vlak stromingsmechanica, fotonica en robotica zijn we (naar het schijnt) wel goed.

Rest of you, sorry about is little interlude. Now that you have all marveled at the Dutch language, we can continue in English.

 

[Adam]

Lucky people. Very few people in Australia can do a PhD in anything. There's just not enough money in education. About the only way to do a PhD here is to sign up for something the drug companies want, or be incredibly rich and pay your way through.

As for me... I'm really not sure what to study next semester. I'm very bored with my current degree. I'm thinking of blowing a year just taking interesting subjects from all sorts of fields. I'm working anyway, so it won't really be a problem. Apart from my evil HECS debt, which is about the size of Olympus Mons.

 

[da_willem]

(Ik volg dit jaar voor mijn studie technische natuurkunde: Statistiek, fysische tramsportverschijnselen, Electromagentisme II, computational physics, klassieke en kwantummechanica A&B, statistische fysica, vaste stof fysica, stochastische signaalverwerking, wetenschaps-en argumentatieleer, en bachelor eindproject aan de TU Delft)

Nice courses you got there DarkEternal, at what university do you get string theory as an undergraduate (and do you have some course material online)?

 

[DarkEternal]

that's the MIT course taught by Professor Zwiebach. here's the OpenCourseWare website: http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Physics/8-251String-Theory-for-UndergraduatesSpring2003/CourseHome/index.htm

 

[da_willem]

Thanks DarkEternal, too bad the course material for that specific course is only made available to registered students. I found lots of other interesting course material there though.

 

[check]

Starting university on the 9th of September. Wooo. Oh I have such a crappy timetable. Anyway, first semester:

Calculus I
Economics - Intro
Earth Science – Planet Earth: Shaken and Stirred
Earth Science – Evolution of Life and Geological Processes
Physics – Intro

I’m planning on doing an Honours Specialization in Planetary Science and a Minor in Astronomy... and then probably a Master’s and then PhD.

 

[The Bob]

Music
Physics
Chemistry
Maths
Further Maths

The Bob (2004 ©)

 

[pace]

I'm actually working, but I had to take up some subjects to get a student-appartment:

Ex-fac-his(2nd introductionary to philosophy put in a historic view)
Philosophy Aesthetics
Computer games in a media perspective
Introduction to Society-geography.

 

[Kalimaa23]

Starting university on the 9th of September. Wooo. Oh I have such a crappy timetable. Anyway, first semester:

Calculus I
Economics - Intro
Earth Science – Planet Earth: Shaken and Stirred
Earth Science – Evolution of Life and Geological Processes
Physics – Intro

I’m planning on doing an Honours Specialization in Planetary Science and a Minor in Astronomy... and then probably a Master’s and then PhD.

Sounds good

Could you tell us your crappy time-table? I'm wondering if it'll come close to my time-table three semesters ago.

 

[check]

There it is. Sooo many breaks between classes. It's a good thing I only have about 22 Hrs/week though...and that I live about a 15 minute walk from campus.

 

[Kalimaa23]

Then what are you complaining about? Breaks between classes are ideal to sit down and relax with a few friends, or a quick trip to the library to get some work done.
And when you've got longer breaks, like you often have, you can just go home... I'm jealous.

Aah, I remember my first year. 42h/week, almost always I'd start at 8h, and have classes till 18h, with only one hour lunch break. I'd leave home when it was dark out, I'd come back home when it was dark out...

Halfway through the second semester I figured I'd have a lot more time if I just studied on my own and did'n go to class. Been following that system ever since, it does wonders for you sense of happiness

 

[check]

LoL, true. i guess it's not bad. But it really depends on what you want. Like durring the winter I'm going to have spend 14+hrs one day a week at school. lol.. aw well. I just know most of my other friends have things much more bunched together.

 

[Kalimaa23]

Don't worry, at uni, you'll make plenty of new friends

 

[Tom McCurdy]

especially by chatting on pf at night

 

[deltabourne]

I'm still just a sophomore taking basic courses :(.. taking Physics II (Electricity & Magnetism) + Lab, Math 306 (DiffEQ), CHE 102 (Chemistry II), and PHI 101 (Intro to Philosophy).

 

[physicsuser]

I am going into CS... is that bad? Should I change to CE?

Term:F Intro. to Logic for Computer Science
Term:F Differential Calculus with Applications
Term:F Introduction to Computer Science I
Term:W Integral Calculus with Applications
Term:W Introduction to Computer Science II
Term:W Discrete Math for Computer Science

 

[Nylex]

In my first term this year at university:

Classical Mechanics and Relativity
Statistical Physics and Entropy (yuck!)
Mathematics for Physicists 3
Astronomical and Space Instrumentation
Physics Lab 3
Physics and Communication Skills

 

[JasonRox]

My First Term:

Intro to Physics
Calculus I
Linear Algebra I
Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Geometry I

 

[daveed]

im a junior( O.O getting so old, so fast, i still think I am a freshman) in high school, much less knowledgeable than the rest of you guys. -_-
ap: calc bc, physics c, biology, english language, and world history
and throw in engineering, and we've got ourselves a fun year. =)

 

[Kalimaa23]

Statistical Physics and Entropy (yuck!)

I hear you! I hated thermodynamics last year, and this year I'll have a heavy statistical physics course as well

 

[KLscilevothma]

Finally, I've decided to give up physics and maths, which have been some of my favorite subjects, to study medicine (MBBS).

I don't have the right to choose what to study in the coming 5 years because I have to study everything in the syllabus.

Year 1
first sem
- introductory to health and disease block

In this block, I'll have some introductory courses on physiology, anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, pathology and community medicine. There will be practical lessons and lab sessions. I'm looking forward to my first dissection lesson and have drug tests on mice. hee.

Then a system-based course will begin in the second semester of the first year and continues for the first and second semester of the second year. These systems include respiratory system, cardiovasular system, gastrointestinal system, urogenital system, musculoskeletal system, central nervous system, head and neck system, haematology and immunology system and endocrine system.

After the first 2 years, nearly all the theory part of the curriculum will have been covered.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Well its about time!

I hate to see you give up physics but the world of medicine can certainly use you. KL, where are you going? I may have deleted your last email [by accident] before reading it.

 

[Nylex]

I hear you! I hated thermodynamics last year, and this year I'll have a heavy statistical physics course as well

Sucks. I think this is the last year I have a compulsory statistical physics module, thank God!

 

[nitin]

Honours Class down at Melbourne Uni:

6 weeks doing:
Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
Relativistic Quantum Mechanics

Another 6 weeks doing:
Quantum Field Theory
Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics

Still another 6 weeks doing:
General Relativity
Extragalactic astrophysics and Cosmology

... and research project on the reionisation epoch.

I'm also reading Zwiebach's "A first course in String theory", Peebles' "Principles of Physical Cosmology", Szekeres' "A modern course in Mathematical Physics" and other books in mathematics (Steenrod's "Fibre bundles", Algebraic Topology, etc..)

 

[moose]

Well I am a sophomore high school student(for a few more days at least :P)
When August comes around, I will be taking
Physics
Pre-Calc
AP Us/AZ history
English III H

then second semester
AP calc 1-2
AP biology
AP physics
Creative writing/drivers ed