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Graduate School

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 1:12 am
by dtorchetti
Hi,
I am currently enrolled in a B.A Sc. (Bachelor or Arts and Science) program in which I am taking a double major in physics and philosophy. My physics major, however, is less intensive than a regular BSc. physics major and I am told this makes it impossible (or nearly so) to get into a physics graduate program. Is this true? What disadvantages am I at if not? If it is true does anyone have any recommendations given my background and my strong interest in physics which I would like to pursue. Any help or advice would be appreciated,
Thanks

Re: Graduate School

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 1:24 am
by sterculus
How much less 'intensive'? What kind of curriculum is required for graduation at your school? Is there any possibility of taking more advanced optional classes to match a more extensive program?

Re: Graduate School

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 1:26 am
by cato88
As long as by the time you apply you have taken a course in Quantum/Thermodynamics/Statistical Physics/E&M / and Mechanics you are fine.

As a freshmen I thought otherwise and tried to take as many as I could then by senior year
I observed that those with the similar PGRE and GPA had close enough results despite differences
in the courses they took after taking the courses I already mentioned. If you need more proof
there are engineering students who apply to graduate school with less physics courses
than the ones I mentioned and have had success as well. Apparently admissions
dont care that much about grad classes and classes after those I mentioned.

Re: Graduate School

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:17 am
by nathan12343
My university (stupidly, in my opinion) awards physics majors in the arts & sciences school a B.A. There's also a B.S. 'Engineering' physics major in the engineering school. The two majors are exactly the same except A&S majors must take humanities electives and Eng majors must take Engineering electives. Both types of majors have success getting into graduate school. As long as you take the full physics coursework, which means, not counting freshman level classes:

2 Semesters of classical mechanics at the level of Thornton & Marion or higher
2 Semesters of E&M at the level of Griffiths or higher
2 Semesters of Quantum Mechanics at the level of Grifiths or higher
Some labs, usually at least 1 analog electronics lab
1 semester of Statistical Mechanics
Math through differential equations and linear algebra (higher wouldn't hurt)

I bet that you could skirt by without 2 semesters of quantum if you could justify it (high PGRE, good research experience). Everything else is just gravy, although you might consider taking some physics electives, especially those that pertain to any research interests you may have. If all of these classes are not required by your major, strongly consider taking them anyway, as electives.

Re: Graduate School

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 4:24 am
by sterculus
Yeah, I should mention that I will also get a B.A., which is the only thing my undergrad gives out (as a liberal arts college). I have taken many physics courses, though, and have certainly done very well in terms of grad admissions so it's not inherently a setback.

Re: Graduate School

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:35 am
by abeboparebop
nathan12343 wrote:My university (stupidly, in my opinion) awards physics majors in the arts & sciences school a B.A. There's also a B.S. 'Engineering' physics major in the engineering school. The two majors are exactly the same except A&S majors must take humanities electives and Eng majors must take Engineering electives. Both types of majors have success getting into graduate school. As long as you take the full physics coursework, which means, not counting freshman level classes:

2 Semesters of classical mechanics at the level of Thornton & Marion or higher
2 Semesters of E&M at the level of Griffiths or higher
2 Semesters of Quantum Mechanics at the level of Grifiths or higher
Some labs, usually at least 1 analog electronics lab
1 semester of Statistical Mechanics
Math through differential equations and linear algebra (higher wouldn't hurt)

I bet that you could skirt by without 2 semesters of quantum if you could justify it (high PGRE, good research experience). Everything else is just gravy, although you might consider taking some physics electives, especially those that pertain to any research interests you may have. If all of these classes are not required by your major, strongly consider taking them anyway, as electives.
My school only offers one upper-level mechanics course, so might be overkill.

Re: Graduate School

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 9:39 am
by dtorchetti
By the end of my Bachelor degree I will have taken:
1 quantum physics course
1 E&M course (Griffiths)
And a sufficient number of courses in Thermodynamics, mechanics, and Statistical mechanics
I am wondering if this is enough for acceptance to graduate school or not. I'm also considering taking some electives in other upper level physics course...I guess the recommendation would be to do another E&M or quatum course?

Re: Graduate School

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 9:42 am
by WakkaDojo
dtorchetti wrote:By the end of my Bachelor degree I will have taken:
1 quantum physics course
1 E&M course (Griffiths)
And a sufficient number of courses in Thermodynamics, mechanics, and Statistical mechanics
I am wondering if this is enough for acceptance to graduate school or not. I'm also considering taking some electives in other upper level physics course...I guess the recommendation would be to do another E&M or quatum course?
I didn't take much more than that, and I got some very nice acceptances (though I also had a math major and numerous directed studies). I would say get good grades in those classes and you should be all set, even for top tier schools.

Re: Graduate School

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 3:22 pm
by Maxwells_Demon
nathan12343 wrote:My university (stupidly, in my opinion) awards physics majors in the arts & sciences school a B.A. There's also a B.S. 'Engineering' physics major in the engineering school. The two majors are exactly the same except A&S majors must take humanities electives and Eng majors must take Engineering electives. Both types of majors have success getting into graduate school. As long as you take the full physics coursework, which means, not counting freshman level classes:

2 Semesters of classical mechanics at the level of Thornton & Marion or higher
2 Semesters of E&M at the level of Griffiths or higher
2 Semesters of Quantum Mechanics at the level of Grifiths or higher
Some labs, usually at least 1 analog electronics lab
1 semester of Statistical Mechanics
Math through differential equations and linear algebra (higher wouldn't hurt)

I bet that you could skirt by without 2 semesters of quantum if you could justify it (high PGRE, good research experience). Everything else is just gravy, although you might consider taking some physics electives, especially those that pertain to any research interests you may have. If all of these classes are not required by your major, strongly consider taking them anyway, as electives.
Personally, at least at my school, the Engineering Physics major is very intense, because it simply has more physics in the major (much more intense than a regular physics BS). In fact, the Engineering Physics major here requires more physics courses (requires upper division Optics, and MSE course, ECE course, CE course, and AME course including fluid dynamics... etc.). In the past there is usually 2-5 people graduating with it a year, whereas the regular physics BS class is ~40. The Engineering Physics students are usually stronger graduate candidates than the regular physics BS candidates (they end up in better places, and their skills are stronger), on average, not always the case. Engineering Physics may have this similar reputation, but at least at my school it's a highly regarded program both in the college of engineering and college of science. Due to budget cuts, however, the program will be cut..... lol

-Maxwell's Demon

Re: Graduate School

Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 12:51 am
by Argonic
dtorchetti wrote:By the end of my Bachelor degree I will have taken:
1 quantum physics course
1 E&M course (Griffiths)
And a sufficient number of courses in Thermodynamics, mechanics, and Statistical mechanics
I am wondering if this is enough for acceptance to graduate school or not.
I am graduating in may with a BA in physics from a tiny liberal arts school. I only took one semester of mechanics, one semester of E&M, one semester of quantum, one semester of stat thermo, and a couple of other random physics and engineering classes. (I think I took all they offer, which is not much.) It sounds like you will have taken more relevant classes than that by the time you graduate so I can assure you that you can get into graduate schools with that. I am not sure what kind of schools you would like to go to but I was accepted at Rice, Brown, Carnegie Mellon and BU. And if you do really well on the PGRE (which I didn't) then you can probably even get into better schools than that. So don't be discouraged.