Is the physics major doable in 3 years?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>Hello, I am a <em>possible</em> prospective international student who is thinking about majoring in physics.</p>

<p>For anyone who is currently in physics or knows someone who is doing physics, is it possible to finish the major in three years?</p>

<p>I have written the Calculus BC exam (and am fairly certain that I got a 5) so I plan to skip right to Math 53. Unfortunately I was too lazy to take the physics C exams so I won't be able to get credit for physics 7A. What worries me about this is that the way they set up the "model" timetable makes it look like you can only take 2 physics classes per semester, and so after 3 years, I will still have one physics class left to do. physics</a> @ berkeley - The Major and Minor Program
Is it possible to pile more classes up? A current international told me she "petitions" or whatever to fit in more classes per semester and she is now graduating a double major in 2.5 years.</p>

<p>I plan to do some major self-studying during the summer in order to catch up on physics/math (from what I've seen it seems like the kids here are pretty smart 0_0)</p>

<p>I just need to know if graduating in 3 years is an insanely difficult task and I'm being incredibly stupid by considering it, because for an international student who hasn't enrolled yet, it is impossible to know. The L&S breadth requirements seem kind of intimidating too, tbh.</p>

<p>And for anyone who is curious about why I am doing this, it is in the hopes of saving $55000. </p>

<p>So for people who are enrolled in the undergrad physics program, how are you liking it so far? I heard the physics program was really good as I saw some CCer who went to harvard undergrad and berkeley grad (physics for both) who commented that there was really no difference between their undergrad departments lol. And from further researching around, I am getting a pretty good vibe from it. So anyways, is it worth the cost for international students? Or should I stay in my own country lol (Canada).</p>

2

<p>I think Physics is one of the easier majors to finish in three years (provided that you’re a good student), as there really aren’t that many requirements, especially compared with Engineering majors. </p>

<p>Here’s how I would do it. Keep in mind that while there are 7 courses required for breadth, one of them is physical science, so you don’t have to worry about that one. You also need reading and composition, which is two more courses. And I would stay in Berkeley for the summer after your first year to complete Physics 7C so that you can jump right into upper divs for your sophomore year. </p>

<p>Semester 1:
Math 53
Physics 7A
Reading and Composition 1
Breadth</p>

<p>Semester 2:
Math 54
Physics 7B
Reading and Composition 2
Breadth</p>

<p>Summer 1:
Physics 7C</p>

<p>Semester 3:
Physics 112
Physics 137A
Elective
Breadth or filler class</p>

<p>Semester 4:
Physics 111
Physics 137B
Physics 105
Breadth or Filler Class</p>

<p>Semester 5:
Physics 110A
Physics 111 (Second time)
Physics Elective
Breadth or more electives</p>

<p>Semester 6:
Physics 110B
Physics Elective
Breadth or more electives</p>

<p>See, it shouldn’t be too bad.</p>

3

<p>WOW u like organized my entire college schedule lol this was the perfect answer I was looking for</p>

<p>I just realized that my other choice (engineering science at the university of toronto) requires that I take as many classes during the first two years as my entire undergraduate at Berkeley 0_0… and harder classes at that</p>

4

<p>Yeah…it’s kind of shocking how few classes are required for the physics major. My major (chemical engineering) requires like twice as many classes.</p>

5

<p>How many credit units will you enter with from AP, IB, etc.? Remember that you will need 120 units to graduate, or 114.7 after counting the 5.3 for AP Calculus BC, so that means an average of 19.12 units per semester instead of the usual 15 if you want to do it in 6 semesters. This usually means about 5 courses per semester instead of the usual 4 courses per semester.</p>

<p>The Physics department does not allow Physics majors to skip 7A with AP credit.</p>

<p>Assuming no other AP credit:</p>

<p>Semester 1:
Math 53, 54, or H54
Physics 7A or H7A
R&C A
Breadth * 2</p>

<p>Semester 2:
Math 54, 53, or H53
Physics 7B or H7B
R&C B
Breadth * 2</p>

<p>Semester 3:
Physics 7C or H7C
Breadth * 4</p>

<p>Semester 4:
Physics 137A
Physics 105
Physics 110A
Breadth * 2</p>

<p>Semester 5:
Physics 137B
Physics 111 (3 units)
Physics elective
Breadth * 2</p>

<p>Semester 6:
Physics 111 (3 more units)
Physics 112
Breadth * 3</p>

<p>Note that the schedule shows 15 “Breadth” courses, of which you’ll need 6 for the L&S 7 course breadth. You also need to cover American Cultures with them or from the other 9 courses (and possibly American History and Institutions). That still leaves a bunch of totally free electives with which you can take additional Physics courses, upper division Math courses (they suggest 104/185/121A/121B), any other course that interests you, or Economics (101A/101B/136, counts as one of the breadth categories) or Computer Science courses to give you a head start on backup career options that Physics majors often end up in.</p>

<p>Note that although the Physics major does not require a lot of courses, it does have a long chain of prerequisites: (Math 1A)-7A-7B-7C-137A-111-111. This is nominally 7 semesters long, but having AP Calculus credit to skip Math 1A (or more) shortens it to 6 semesters long.</p>

6

<p>

</p>

<p>Actually, a lot of majors only require about 12 to 15 courses (out of a typical total of 32). Linguistics appears to only require about 9 courses.</p>

<p>Engineering majors generally have the largest number of courses needed for the major.</p>

7

<p>^^ I still highly recommend Physics 7C over the summer between first and second years to allow for another full semester of physics classes. Otherwise semester 3 is kind of a waste.</p>

8

<p>I guess if you count Math 1A-1B-53-54 and Physics 7A-7B-7C then Physics has a decent amount of requirements compared to some of the humanities, but it just feels like so few upper divs.</p>

9

<p>The main advantages of taking summer sessions would be</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Physics 7C between semesters 2 and 3 would loosen the prerequisite chain and give a semester of slack there.</p></li>
<li><p>4 courses during 2 summer sessions could be used to reduce the course load during some of the regular semesters.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>However, if you are willing to do 5 courses / 19.12 units per semester, doing summer sessions would not be required. Semester 3 would have only one major course, but you could use the rest of the space to fulfill breadths, and/or take Math 104/121A, Economics 101A/101B/136, and/or Computer Science 61A/61B/61C.</p>

10

<p>hey ucbalumnus, I am a little confused by your fitting 15 breadth courses in your version of the schedule. I thought only 6 breadth courses were required? The thing is, I am trying to take the least amount of breadth courses as possible as I’m just doing them for the sake of trying to fulfill the requirements. And why create more work when you can do less and focus on the more important classes? (physics) Can you clarify this?</p>

11

<p>You need 120 units to graduate. AP Calculus BC gives you 5.3 units, so you need 114.7 units of courses at Berkeley (unless you have more AP or IB units). The larger number of “Breadth” courses is an estimate to get up to that number of units by the end of 6 semesters (most courses are 4 units, some are 3 units, and a few are 1, 2, 5, or 6 units). However, only 6 of them have to be actual L&S 7 course breadth courses; the rest can be Physics, Math, Computer Science, Economics, or anything else you want to take.</p>

<p>Note that most of the upper division Physics courses can be rearranged if needed for scheduling purposes (e.g. only offered in fall or spring). But the key sequence of 137A-111-111 needs to be taken without delay immediately after 7C if you want to graduate in 6 semesters.</p>

12

<p>Another possible way to get closer to the 120 unit minimum might be just to take some classes at a local college back home over the summers. But I have no idea how credit transfer works from Canadian colleges.</p>

13

<p>Thanks a lot for this information.</p>

<p>But back to one of my original questions; is doing a physics major at berkeley worth it for the international costs? From the perspective of someone in the program, what advice would you give to an eager and bright-eyed international student thinking about enrolling in the program? Is it unwise to try to do this in 3 years? How hard is it to get professor attention? Are their sufficient research opportunities and is this a good program if I wanted to go to grad school? What if I decided not to go to grad school, am I in trouble job-wise?</p>

<p>I really feel that this is the perfect program for me in a great university with a better peer group than all my other choices. But a lot of people in my school are saying that the cost is not worth it for undergrad. I heard this so much that I feel stupid for even considering this. I just need someone in the program to confirm this so that I don’t end up making a huge mistake? Again, thanks for all the help.</p>

14

<p>As far as the wisdom of doing it in 3 years goes, it depends on whether you can handle the above normal course load every semester (average of 19.12 units or about 5 courses per semester). But you may only find out after starting school, so it is hard to use that as a basis of decision now.</p>

<p>Physics graduates at the bachelor’s degree level have decent job and career prospects, but many do not work in physics; they are recruited to do quantitative finance, computer software, etc. type of jobs because they have good math skills. <a href=“https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/Major.stm[/url]”>https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/Major.stm&lt;/a&gt; has some information.</p>

<p>Whether it is worth the cost versus some other choice depends on what the other choices are and how much they cost (net after non-loan financial aid and scholarships).</p>

15

<p>Really the choice is between Berkeley and University of Toronto Engineering Science. </p>

<p>University of Toronto will cost around $23000/year including residence. Entrance scholarship of $6000 will make first year costs $16000. Don’t know about 2nd 3rd or 4th year if they keep giving out scholarships.</p>

<p>I am not so much worried about the workload as I think it’s much more intense at U of T. This is the curriculum for engineering science for the first 2 years.</p>

<p>Year 1</p>

<p>Semester 1
-Structures and Materials
-Classical Mechanics
-Engineering Mathematics and Computation
-Calculus 1
-Introduction to Computer Programming
-Engineering Science Praxis I (basically a major project where you have to “apply” engineering principles to solve an issue in the Toronto community)</p>

<p>Semester 2
-Systems Biology
-Linear Algebra
-Calculus II
-Electric Circuits
-Computer Programming or Free Elective
-Engineering Science Praxis II</p>

<p>Year 2</p>

<p>Semester 1
-Particles and Waves
-Vector Calculus and Fluid Mechanics
-Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer
-Calculus III
-Digital and Computer Systems
-Engineering Society and Critical Thinking</p>

<p>Semester 2
-Modern Physics
-Electromagnetism
-Molecules and Materials
-Probability of Statistics
-Engineering Design
-Complementary Studies Elective</p>

<p>In my third year, I am going to opt-in for the engineering physics major. Other “majors” include Aerospace, Biomedical, Computer, Electrical, Energy, Infrastructure, Nanoengineering. The problem is that NONE of those interest me currently (as I consider myself more of a “theoretical” person), which might be a problem if I find engineering physics too hard and need to choose something else (apprently only like the top 15-20 students at engsci end up doing this option because it’s so hard?). So summing everything up, this program is like an intense engineering boot camp lol.</p>

<p>Despite what this program will do to my sanity it is indeed much cheaper and will prepare me well academically. But why I am reluctant to let go of Berkeley is the fact that I don’t want to spend the next 4 years rotting in the library for the purpose of becoming marketable and getting a good job (which is apprently what college is about?). I feel like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to finally surround myself with world-class opportunities/people and really grow as a person. I worked my butt off for the past 4 years of high school to end up in a place like Berkeley, while I personally know at least 10 people from my school who are going to U of T engineering, most of whom to be quite honest just played throughout high school. I know I am being whiny, but it is quite frustrating to have worked so hard to get to a better place, and in the end, be limited by finances.</p>

<p>Now that I am done my ranting lol, any physics majors please give your opinion please. Please state if I am being too childish about the “opportunities/growing as a person” thing and if I should just focus on academics/finances. And Ucbalumnus, are/were you a physics major?</p>

16

<p>Sorry, was not a physics major.</p>

<p>Based on the numbers you gave:</p>

<p>Toronto would be CDN$85,000 total if your scholarship is not renewed, CDN$64,000 if it is.</p>

<p>Berkeley would be US$165,000 total for three years, US$210,000 total for four years.</p>

<p>The decision is something only you (and your parents, if they are paying) can make.</p>

<p>Note that while the Toronto schedule lists a lot of courses, it is possible that some of them may be “smaller” than the usual size courses (in terms of amount of work). You may want to ask others about how much work each course is.</p>

17

<p>Sorry for digging old graves, but this thread’s a lifesaver.</p>

<p>What if I’ve no APs and need to do Math 1A and 1B too? Can a couple of extra summers added to the above schedule cover it?</p>

<p>choiwh, did you choose to enroll, and if so, how’s it going so far?</p>

18

<p>If you start in Math 1A, you have a seven semester long sequence to complete:</p>

<p>Math 1A -> Math 1B, Physics 7A -> Math 53, Physics 7B -> Math 54, Physics 7C -> Physics 137A -> Physics 111 -> Physics 111</p>

<p>If you can take Math 1A in the pre-freshman summer, that shortens the sequence by one semester. You can also then shorten the sequence by another semester by taking Math 54 and Physics 7C in the summer between freshman and sophomore years.</p>

<p>If you do not do Math 1A the pre-freshman summer, you can take Math 53 and Physics 7B in the summer between freshman and sophomore years to shorten the sequence by one semester.</p>

<p>But it would still be a tight schedule, since you would have to average a greater than normal course load every semester to graduate in fewer than eight semesters if you have no AP or other credit coming in.</p>

19

<p>Great, I’ve already enrolled for Math 1A this summer.</p>

<p>I do not mind working really hard, because my finances are tight. But will there be any possibility of gaining some research experience and getting a good GPA with this courseload, because of course, I will most likely go on to grad school after a Physics major?</p>

20

<p>Doing well in an above average course load is very specific to the student; some can handle it while others cannot. The same goes for being able to fit in undergraduate research.</p>

<p>If graduating in six semesters is too difficult, you may want to check whether you can graduate in seven semesters. Note that a summer session is about half a semester in terms of schedule space, so if you take two courses each summer (you probably want to take a breadth course along with Math 1A this summer), then you should be able to finish in seven semesters plus two summer sessions of normal course loads.</p>