<p>I'm currently a math major at my university and I am thinking of picking up a physics minor. I'm wondering if with a math major and physics minor I'd stand a chance at getting into a top grad program in physics. My fear with the math major is that I am going to end up becoming a teacher (which I dread the thought of). I plan on going to grad school regardless of what I major in, I'm just antsy about what I'm going to end up doing. So to sum it all up, is it at all possible (or probable) for me to get into a physics grad school with a math major?</p>
<p>Take a look at some programs you think you’d want to try and get into for grad school. See what required classes they have for prospective students. Make sure you fulfill those requirements. Go do research in your intended field.</p>
<p>Math majors can also go into the finance industry and sometimes adapt well to computer software. Physics majors often end up in the same places if they do not get physics jobs (though they may also be hired into some types of engineering jobs).</p>
<p>The generally expected preparation for physics PhD programs is a bachelor’s degree in physics of equivalent physics and math course work.</p>
<p>Getting into a M.S./PhD Physics program as a Math major will depend on which Physics courses you select for your minor. I am pretty sure at least Modern Physics and Quantum Physics will be required for most graduate Physics programs…with Electromagnetic Theory more likely needed also. Most graduate physics programs (regular or applied/engineering physics) have the following as graduate core courses:</p>
<p>Statistical Mechanics
Quantum Mechanics
Electromagnetic Theory</p>
<p>I remember this from when I was looking graduate programs and was considering Engineering Physics for my degree. I was looking for some sort of “engineering” graduate degree.</p>
<p>Every grad school’s FAQ said the same thing: most of the people they accept have a physics bachelor’s, but that’s because most people who apply have a physics bachelors, and they do consider (and will accept) people with a math/engineering background. Heck, there is a theorist at my school who did his undergrad in “liberal arts,” though it was at a very prestigious, very rigourous liberal arts college where they study physics directly from Newton’s writings.</p>
<p>Most of these FAQs mentioned that either non-physics applicants should take some physics classes as an undergrad OR they will likely have to take some undergrad physics as a graduate student (once accepted) to catch up. My school lists its upper level undergrad courses in its grad courses list for this reason.</p>
<p>Assuming you’ve taken your school’s calc-based intro physics sequence (a bare minimum I’d say), then IF YOU HAVE TIME you should add the following:</p>
<p>a semester of intermediate e&m (not the introductory calc-based one)
a semester of quantum
a semester of classical mechanics (again, not the introductory calc-based one)
a semester of statistical mechanics</p>
<p>Apart from the introductory sequence, at a bare minimum completing a semester each of e&m and quantum (and getting good grades) will show you have promise. The other thing: participating in undergraduate research. This is virtually a must.</p>
<p>The impression I get is that physics is a particularly difficult field to switch into for grad school. At least one school I applied to for grad school said that if you didn’t have a major they at least expected quantum, and I have a hard time imagining you’d be competitive for most of the top schools if you didn’t at least have that. Try to get as many of the core courses as you can done, and know that you might have to pick up the slack after you get there.</p>
<p>It should go without saying that to stand a good chance at being admitted to any top tier PhD program you should do research as an undergrad. If you want to do physics in grad school try to do physics research, but if you can’t I imagine math research is considerably better than nothing, particularly if you intend to do theoretical physics.</p>