Classes

[fafalone]

I just came up with a new four year plan for myself that's basically a triple major. Neuroscience (which is really like psych/bio) and physics. What does everyone who's in/has been through college think?

 

CHM111 3 Principles of Chemistry I

CHM113 1 LAB

PSY110 3 Introduction to Psychology

ENG105 3 English Composition I

FEX101 1 Freshmen Advising Contact Team for Neuroscience

BIL255 3 Cellular and Molecular Biology

14

 

PHY205 3 University Physics I

MTH111 4 Calculus I

ENG107 3 Writing About Science

PSY120 1 Research Mentoring

CHM112 3 Principles of Chemistry II

CHM114 1 LAB

FRE211 3 Intermediate French I

18

 

 

PHY206 3 University Physics II

PHY208 1 LAB

MTH112 4 Calculus II

BIL250 3 Genetics

CHM201 3 Organic Chemistry I

CHM203 1 LAB

BIL268 3 Neurobiology

18

 

MTH311 3 Ordinary Differential Equations

PHY360 3 Introduction to Modern Physics

PHY207 3 University Physics III

PHY209 1 LAB

PSY204 4 Introduction to Biobehavoiral Statistics

ENG201 3 English Literature

17

 

 

 

PHY340 3 Classical Mechanics I

PHY350 3 Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism I

PSY316 4 Experimental Psychology

BIL368 3 Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

ARC171 4 Architecture History

17

 

PHY351 3 Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism II

PHY317 3 Physics of Stellar Systems

BIL342 3 Neural Mechanisms of Disease

HIS101 3 US History I

PHI101 3 Introduction to Philosophy

18

 

 

 

PHY560 3 Quantum Mechanics I

PHY505 2 Advanced Physics Laboratory

BIL468 3 Developmental Neuroscience

BMB401 3 Biochemistry

HIS102 3 US History II

14

 

PHY561 3 Quantum Mechanics II

BIL403 4 Neuroscience Laboratory

APY201 3 Princples of Physical Anthropology

PSY305 3 Psychology of Drugs and Behavoir

13

 

total credits=142 (inc. 13 transfer credits in precalc/biology), 130 required for Neuroscience and 120 for a normal major.

[Tom Mattson]

My $0.02? You should rethink this.

 

You're thinking of majoring in science, which means you're going to have to go to grad school. I don't know anything about neuroscience, but I am certain that the plan you propose will not prepare you for graduate study in physics. For starters, it does not have nearly enough math. And only two semesters of quantum? Fuhgeddaboutit. I took 4 semesters of QM as an undergrad, and I was still breathing heavy in grad school.

 

I think you should major in one science, and if you're really hot for both of them, minor in the other one.

 

Tom

[fafalone]

Actually, I'm going to medical school, but also plan to pursue graduate studies in physics at some point. I know its a little unusual, especially considering biophysics doesn't interest me.

 

 

Only 2 QM courses are offered to undergraduates here; and their prereq's are dif. eq, modern physics, physics i-iii, e/m i-ii, classical mechanics i.

 

 

Also, what other math courses would you recommend? My interest in physics lies in cosmology/relativity.

[blike]

My plan:

 

moot.

 

 

thank you.

[fafalone]

Well that's pretty much how all DO's are so...

[Tom Mattson]

Originally posted by fafalone

Only 2 QM courses are offered to undergraduates here; and their prereq's are dif. eq, modern physics, physics i-iii, e/m i-ii, classical mechanics i.

 

There were only 2 QM courses offered to undergrads at my school, too. Even so, beyond that, I took 2 grad courses in QM (Quantum Mechanics I from Physics and Quantum Chemistry from Chem). Aside from that, I took all the 'applied' courses I could get my hands on: 'Introductory Nucleonics', 'Applied Atomic and Nuclear Physics', 'Particles and Nuclei', etc.

 

Even so, QM II and III kicked my butt (in a good way).

 

Also, what other math courses would you recommend?

 

Bare minimum to survive grad courses (beyond what you listed):

1 semester Linear Algebra (proving theorems, not matrix calculations)

1 semester Advanced Calculus (with Vector Analysis)

1 semester Complex Variables

1 semester Partial Differential Equations

 

If I were sitting on an admissions committee, I would have serious doubts about passing anyone who did not have these basic prerequisites.

 

My interest in physics lies in cosmology/relativity.

 

Then why don't you plan on taking General Relativity as an undergrad? Forget that "Physics of Stellar Systems" stuff. I took that, and it's boring as hell. It won't tell you anything interesting about cosmology or relativity. What you need is a good course in GR, from Ohanian and Ruffini or some book at a similar level.

 

Also, you need a math course in Tensor Analysis.