Which Canadian University is Best for Mathematics and Physics Majors?

[JasonRox]

Are Toronto and Mcgill research focused? I've looked into their research programs but I don't know how it goes for undergrads...

Well, I'd say they are.

Toronto has Paul Selick and he's suppose to be one of the top topologists in Canada.

 

[Werg22]

Heh... I just forwarded an email to Waterloo asking them if there is any program that will satisfy what I'm looking for (something that will allow me to chose after graduation). Also does the department of science at Mcgill compare to the other two universities? I've also been admitted to a joint honours in physics and mathematics at Carleton university. How does that hold up?

 

[JasonRox]

Heh... I just forwarded an email to Waterloo asking them if there is any program that will satisfy what I'm looking for (something that will allow me to chose after graduation). Also does the department of science at Mcgill compare to the other two universities? I've also been admitted to a joint honours in physics and mathematics at Carleton university. How does that hold up?

If you're paying for school, Carleton is good. They're number #1 for bursaries and scholarhips. It seems like a pretty good school.

Is it that hard to choose a school though?

Like, I would choose Waterloo and the debate would be over. Seriously, for mathematics and theoritical physics, like there is no debating needed. They're number #1. Don't waste your time pondering which school to go to based on Academics. They're number #1 in that department for your areas period. You can talk about research and all that, but it's undergraduate school you're getting into. That's the last thing on your mind. Why? All schools have the same undergraduate research programs basically. It's all NSERF funded stuff. So, again no debate when it comes to undergraduate research.

You should ask yourself questions like, do I want live near some clubs, are there lots of hot girls, is the campus nice, are the students cool or obnoxious, etc...

 

[tmc]

uOttawa's physics/math program allows one to choose either physics or mathematics after graduation. They also have an extremely active math department.

 

[JasonRox]

uOttawa's physics/math program allows one to choose either physics or mathematics after graduation. They also have an extremely active math department.

They allow you to do that everywhere. I've never heard of a school not allowing you to choose afterwards. Just about every school in Ontario offers Physics/Mathematics. So, like I said, no reason to ponder about this things.

Note: McGill is no exception.

 

[Werg22]

I haven't heard of such a program at Waterloo... As for the surroundings of the university, that's kind of important to me. But Waterloo is close enough to Toronto which has lots of clubs and parties going on, don't you think?

 

[JasonRox]

"Mathematical Physics: an integrated set of courses in mathematics and physics."

Right from the website.

Also, you do realize you can choose some of your own math classes, right? So, just take the Pure Math stuff you want.

Also, even if the program doesn't exist, you can double major anyways. Call them and ask. They'll let you do it. They'll warn you that's it's hard, but no one is going to stop you from double majoring.

 

[Werg22]

Isn't mathematical physics a whole discipline by itself? From what I understand, it's not exactly a mix of pure math and theoretical physics as its name suggests... Double major? I haven't seen this on the application... So you're saying they'll custom make it for me?

 

[JasonRox]

Isn't mathematical physics a whole discipline by itself? From what I understand, it's not exactly a mix of pure math and theoretical physics as its name suggests... Double major? I haven't seen this on the application... So you're saying they'll custom make it for me?

Call them and tell them that's what you want.

It's not custom. Lots of students just do it.

Or why not just go into Pure Mathematics, and take a bunch of Physics courses. It's not like you need the Physics Major on the degree. Graduate schools will still take you.

 

[Werg22]

Ok thanks man. I'll call them to get informed.

 

[JasonRox]

Ok thanks man. I'll call them to get informed.

You might have to stay five years though. Just to warn you.

 

[neurocomp2003]

if your looking for lifescience/psychophys: mcgill & UFT > UW
if your looking for biophys: mcgill &UFT >UW
if your looking for astrophys or materials type of physics: probably UFT>MCGILL&UW.

if your looking for nano/mems: not sure...UA
if your looking for QM: probably UW>UFT>MCGILL.
if your looking for cs/math: UW
if your looking for cs/phys/math: mmmm that's hard to say i know UFT has a program.

your best bet is to talk to the students and target specific profs.
U should ask UW how common it is for their studnets to get USRAs.

 

[ak416]

Either Toronto or Waterloo. They are top in Math. I don't know much about Waterloo, but I do go to Toronto and I think it is perfect preparation if you want to go into grad school for Math/Physics. In your 4th year or even your 3rd year you can select from graduate level courses in such as topology, abstract algebra, real analysis. So when you complete your 4 year degree you already have all the requirements needed for a masters in mathematics and you can go straight into PHD (well at least for the UofT grad program). Just remember in UofT there are 3 different kinds of programs: a minor, major, and and a specialist. A specialist is much more involved, so I would recommend looking into Specialist in Mathematics and Physics: http://www.artsandscience.utoronto.ca/ofr/calendar/prg_mat.htm
As for the physics courses, the only problem I find with them is that they are taken by many non math specialists, so a lot of the math is simplified or handwaved. But I think this is normal in any university, since the whole point is to learn the intuition behind the physics. Also, in your 4th year there are "Applied Math" courses you would take in General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics, which give a more mathematical formulation of the subjects. So overall UofT is good preparation, just watch out for your GPA, it tends to be lower than in other universities.

 

[^__^]

I don't know why the debate is needed. Go to UToronto's websites, browse the faculty members' CVs. Many of them graduated from Harvard, MIT, Princeton, and Berkeley - the best four without any doubts. Most other remained profs graduated from European top schools, and they taught at Yale, Stanford, etc.

Then go to Waterloo's Websites. Many graduated from Toronto and Waterloo.

Go to US news research only ranking section, see where Utoronto ranks and try to find waterloo.

Of course, the above arguments only apply for pure maths study. If you want to get a job, of course go to waterloo. Their maths graduates are pretty hot in the job market.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I don't know why the debate is needed.

Especially two years after the fact.

 

[^__^]

Especially two years after the fact.

People keep asking the same questions. I hear this question for more than 10 times. Physics forum is a popular place; for me I see reasons why i state the fact. Strictly speaking, in contrast to most people, I am not debating; i just list the facts (they are not my personal opnion).

You are welcomed to say I'm silly, and perhaps (probably) I am. I see reasons why i shall list the above facts for folks who want to be pure mathematicians. I just care about them, not which university versus which university, reputation of universities.

Thank you very much for your opinion.

 

[dvs]

Well, I was curious and I had some time to kill, so I decided to look at where non-emeriti regular faculty got their PhDs. The count:

Toronto:
Harvard 4
MIT 0
Princeton 8
Berkeley 5

Waterloo:
Harvard 3
MIT 3
Princeton 2
Berkeley 6
(and this is excluding the mathematically inclined CS folk)

Not that this means anything, at all. In fact some of the really impressive people at both schools hold PhDs from "lesser" universities.

The bottom line is that both universities are good - but Toronto's graduate program most definitely comes out on top. However, as far as I can tell, this (really old) thread is about the undergraduate programs at these schools. In this case it doesn't really matter where you go, as long as you go some place good. Because let's face it: an undergrad won't really benefit from the fact that his/her university has top notch geometric representation theorists or operator algebraists.

 

[^__^]

Thank you very much for you information. I heard this from people but I didnt really count the numbers. I apologise if the information i claimed is incorrect.

But to my knowledge, for utoronto, many people do not have personal website links abt their CVs on the web page, if one really wants to count it, one has to get the full names and check on "math phd trees" I believe the numbers listed above would be a lot bigger (perhaps for both universities). I haven't been keeping track of the people at toronto, but i know there is at least one MIT guy.

I agree that undergrads probably don't benefit from top notch geometric representation theorists or operator algebraists. But on average, I would like to be educated and work under a faculty on average with more good people.

Thank you for your opinions.

 

[whybother]

As far as I know, UofT has the only internationally reputable graduate math department in Canada. Undergraduate education you can probably get from anywhere, but if you really care about the quality of active researchers and real reputation of the department, no one in my graduate department in the states has heard of Waterloo.

 

[^__^]

When I tried to get some research experience in the summer as an undergrad, I think i was lucky enough to see many good people are available to supervise undergrads at the fields I am interested in (a berkeley prof, a princeton prof, a russian prof, a berkeley emeritus). This also applies when one could be supervised as an undergrad, take grad courses in their 3rd/4th year (sometimes 2nd year), or do a reading course, hence my opinion.

 

[samspotting]

UT has had the one up in the putnam the past few years so if you are into that exam...

other than that ...

I personally like waterloo because i would get way too distracted at downtown toronto