<p>I have been accepted to HMC. I've visited and I love Mudd and it's community and think I would fit in. I am extremely happy to have been accepted. My one concern is being able to pursue interests outside of the sciences. Is there time to be involved in music, a language and perhaps the classics? Are the hum courses interesting (honestly)? Also I know the strength of the engineering and math dept. I am primarily a Biology/ Chemistry/ CS guy with an interest in the other sciences as well including neuroscience. Can anyone speak to the above?</p>
<p>S wants to know exactly the same thing. He visited last fall, sat in on a HUM 1 class and liked it, but getting humanities (esp. social sciences and enough foreign language to pass the reading requirement for grad programs) is very important to him. He'd like to be around some folks who truly challenge him in these areas.</p>
<p>Current students and experiences with hum at Mudd and via cross-reg are welcome to chime in!!</p>
<p>There are substantial hum/ss course offerings at the other 5Cs that you can easily enroll in. I've done a philosophy class and a music theory class... Though I really need to do more...</p>
<p>Hola everyone,</p>
<p>The short answer is "yes." Mudd is an outstanding science/tech school, and one of strongest supporting features is the supporting cast of the other Claremont schools. </p>
<p>In my humble estimation the Mudd hum dept is eh/so-so. There are (eh hem, were, my goodness it has been a while now, hasn't it...) a few good courses in philosophy, some decent lit classes. There's also a Shakespeare class that is very popular. At the end of the year, students put on a full-fledged play performance. In brief, there's enough there to keep one interested, but never fear, because, as previously, mentioned, the other schools open up many possibilities.</p>
<p>Just to name a few: Pomona has an excellent foreign language program. CMC has an excellent econ and international relations program. Scripps has an excellent psychology program.</p>
<p>As you look at Mudd, I also encourage you to look into the offerings of other schools--and if you choose to go to Mudd to take full advantage of them. </p>
<p>Sidebar: not only does the 5C arrangement open up possibilities for classes, it also opens up possibilities for meeting different types of people. Geeks/engineers/math nerds are great and all, but when you want to get a break from that crowd, there are ~5000 other interesting, energetic people you can meet. </p>
<p>"Is there time to be involved in music, a language and perhaps the classics? "</p>
<p>Absolutely! During all 4 years at Mudd I studied piano with a professor at Scripps. I was pretty serious into it - about 1-2 hr practicing per day -one music theory course short of a minor. And I still found time to hang out with friends, play sports, and, yes, even do a little (errr..a lot) of homework. </p>
<p>I was certainly not alone in pursuing music. Many Mudders play in the Claremont Orchestra, typically accounting for about 1/3 - 1/2 of the orchestra participants. There are several a capella groups. Some people make their own rock band and become famous (google: We Are Scientists). </p>
<p>"Are the hum courses interesting (honestly)?"
see above. I'd rate them a 5-6/10.</p>
<p>" Also I know the strength of the engineering and math dept. I am primarily a Biology/ Chemistry/ CS guy with an interest in the other sciences as well including neuroscience. Can anyone speak to the above?"</p>
<p>Say what now, a biologist who does computers? Now that is novel! =)
The chem dept at Mudd has always been, and continues to be, outstanding.<br>
Pomona and Joint Science (the science consortium of of the 5C, primarily Scripps, Pitzer, and CMC, I think...someone check me on that...) both offer very good neuroscience and biology programs. It is very easy to cross-enroll/take courses/do research at either.</p>
<p>When I was looking at Mudd, I also thought I was going to go the chemistry/neuroscience route. From what I gleaned back in the day, it was going to be no problem to take a lot of chemistry with a neuroscience focus--the curriculum is quite flexible and you can tailor it quite a lot to your interests. (Turns out I fell for physics instead, so never pursued the neuroscience route...) </p>
<p>The long and short of this long-winded response is that since Mudd is part of a bigger community, you get the benefits of both a small school which is top notch for science/engineering, as well as broader access to other academic and extracurricular endeavors. The best of both worlds.</p>
<p>Hope that helps.</p>
<p>THANKS LabRat! Very exciting, informative and helpful!</p>
<p>LabRat, your post was great and really appreciated.</p>
<p>not to be contradictory (but just a smidgen), but i have talked to a few friends of friends who attend harvey mudd who LOVE the humanities programs, and think its the perfect integration with their math/science stress. also, taking humanities classes at pomona and other sister colleges is very available, like LabRat said.</p>
<p>LabRat- Since I have a real live (OK virtual) HMC physics major here, I've been curious, do you get the chance to do theoretical research at Mudd as well as experimental? Also what's the range of interests covered? I'm particularly interested in the foundations of quantum theory and information theory as it applies to particle physics (I also wouldn't turn down the chance to learn a little more about chaos theory, it's very intriguing). I'm an ED admit and I can't wait to get out to Claremont and start pestering my soon to be beleaguered physics prof with four years of stored up questions!</p>
<p>Regarding theoretical research in physics here, there are notably two professors on campus. The first is John Townsend, who actually wrote the textbooks you will be using (they are awesome too) who does theoretical particle physics. The other is Vatche Sahakian, Mudd's string theorist specializing in general relativity aspects. </p>
<p>Townsend has, of recent, not been doing much research, but rather focussing on his soon to be mass-released introductory quantum text book and running the physics department. He might be jumping back into the field in the future, especially with the wonders CERN might shoot out, but no promises. </p>
<p>Sahakian does work with students. In fact, I almost did summer research with him this summer, but ended up taking an experimental REU at Rice over the summer. He is an awesome guy and you will have him for a good deal of courses as a physics major. Everybody loves him, and you could even ask some of the prefrosh to critique their impressions of him based on the talk on string theory he did at Prefrosh weekend. </p>
<p>Note - In order to properly do theoretical work in physics, you will need to take a large variety of classes that most Mudders wont touch until their junior year. This includes Theoretical mechanics, fields and waves, general relativity and a multitude of quantum courses. Also, before doing work with Sahakian he will try and push you away unless you can maintain a 3.8GPA or higher (major), which is pretty difficult regardless of talent. There are just a lot of easy ways to get A-'s that will bring you down. </p>
<p>Although I do not know much about them, there are also a lot of opportunities on campus to do work in Astrophysics, though Im not sure on the theoretical or astronomy side. These opportunities can be done either here, or at Pomona which also has a solid physics department. </p>
<p>If you want a run down of experimental options/topics, post some Qs or just go to the Mudd website. Chances are you will want to do this for the first few years at Mudd until you build up the knowledge and skills for theory.</p>
<p>i attended sahakian's lecture at prefrosh weekend, and i've got to say it was the coolest, most interesting, and best lecture i saw BY FAR - and that's saying a lot, because they were all great. in fact, his lecture may have been the most incredible thing i've ever witnessed. i'm kind of speechless; maybe i'll say more later.</p>
<p>Hey Feynmaniac-
Seiken, I think, told you about all you'd want to know. He probably has better intel in the current status, since I am now several years removed from the scene. </p>
<p>For what it is worth, I'll add in a few things:
As a physics major you will have options for doing either theoretical or experimental work--but you probably won't do both.</p>
<p>On the theoretical side, back in the day Prof Chen sponsored a senior thesis project to think about ways one could measure the angular momentum of a photon--kind of straddled the boundary of theory/experiment. Most projects, however, are pretty clear cut one way or the other. Either your building things, or you are pondering life in the 64th dimension. </p>
<p>The physics department usually sponsors a couple of clinic projects--an industry-sponsored research project. My senior year there was one project with intel to figure out a way to microfab smaller transistors; and the other project was about magnetotactic bacteria, sponsored by JPL. You can always cross-over into an engineering clinic, of which there are many.</p>
<p>Prof Eckert was (still is?) working on GMR (giant magneto-resistance). That was a very hands-on research project. Saeta and Donnelly used to have some cool projects involving lasers and harmonics of something or other.</p>
<p>At any rate, I think you will find something interesting to work on.</p>