<p>I am currently a sophomore physics major. I am taking a mechanics class and really dislike it because I do not find it interesting. This is discouraging to me because Quantum Mechanics relies on the same models we learned in classical mechanics. I have already been exposed to thermo in intro physics and really disliked it as well. The only class I see myself liking in physics is electromagnetism because I am taking Vector Calc and like it even though it is hard. I'm concerned that physics is maybe not the right major because of all the classes I don't like. I like applied math but don't want to major in math because it can get too abstract. I am good at memorizing things- so I might consider chemistry or biochem. I know that if I stay a physics major, I could do engineering in grad school, but not mechanical :). Do you guys think that I should change my major or stay in physics? I'm doing very well academically in physics so I'll be able to go to grad school. If I changed my major, though, I would want to stay in the sciences or some technical field. </p>
<p>If you like math, but prefer applied topics, what about:</p>
<p>Applied math
Statistics
Computer science
Industrial engineering</p>
<p>Electrical engineering may also be a possibility if you like math and the E&M part of physics, but not the mechanics and thermodynamics parts of physics.</p>
<p>First of all, quantum mechanics is nothing like classical mechanics. Analogies are used at times to make sense of quantum mechanical phenomenon, but many of these phenomenon have no classical analog. In fact, a typical physics degree is more like a theoretical electrical engineering degree and there’s hardly much mechanical/thermo taught. You should be taking E&M every year, while classical mechanics stops in third year for most (and continuum mechanics/fluid dynamics is almost never required).</p>
<p>If you like E&M, there’s no point in changing IMO. </p>
<p>I guess we may be opposite. I really enjoyed classical mechanics and statistical mechanics. Quantum mechanics was also pretty cool. I struggled the most with E&M, but there were times that I really loved it too. </p>
<p>My physics program had a fairly even balance:</p>
<p>2 advanced classical mechanics courses (finished Taylor Classical Mechanics and a few chapters of Goldstein’s book on canonical transformations, Hamilton-Jacobi Theory, and Action Angle Variables) </p>
<p>2 advanced E&M courses (finished Griffiths E&M Textbook completely)</p>
<p>2 quantum mechanics courses (Our prof pulled from a ton of different texts)</p>
<p>2 courses Thermodynamics/Statistical Mechanics</p>
<p>2 Mathematics for Physicists Courses (Those were the worst by far at my school. Weeded out 50% of an already severely weeded down graduating class.</p>
<p>1 course on optics/electronics</p>
<p>Quantum Mechanics is very different from classical mechanics. However, it is helpful to start off with a solid foundation in classical mechanics. </p>
<p>While E&M is crucial, you will not be able to escape classical mechanics and statistical mechanics if you move beyond undergrad towards physics graduate school. However, you could definitely try to swing from physics towards electrical engineering in graduate school. There are areas of electrical engineering you may really enjoy.
Thus, I would not change majors. Take a few engineering electives in an area that might interest you. Go from there. </p>
<p>If you haven’t taken a class on statistical mechanics, I would definitely encourage it towards the end of your physics major. If you get a professor that teaches it well, you can have one of the best experiences in this course. </p>
<p>Newtonian mechanics and thermodynamics often seem pretty dry the way they are taught in freshman and sophomore year. Classical mechanics gets a lot more exciting when you begin to talk about Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics. When you begin to talk about phase space and canonical transformations you really begin to see the connection between classical and quantum mechanics. I honestly didn’t appreciate thermodynamics until the beginning of my grad stat mech class last semester. Thermo is actually very deep and not done well when you first learn it, everything seems like a formula to be memorized. However, when you really understand it, it is pretty cool and you can basically start with the relevant potential for a system and derive everything.</p>
<p>I am assuming that the OP is past first year classical mechanics and is already into the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations.</p>
<p>The sophomore/junior level mechanics class is often rather challenging. This is the course my oldest son was taking when he decided physics was not for him. He switched to biology but now in graduate school he is using just that physics background in his studies of biomechanics.</p>
<p>As a physics professor, I agree that mechanics is usually not taught very well and it is a tough course. Quantum mechanics has some foundational similarities with classical mechanics but it is very different once you get past the superficial. The best part is that you can then use quantum mechanics to revisit all the other fields of physics that you have studied before and forge ahead with topics like condensed matter physics.</p>
<p>As you look into changing your major, make sure you look carefully at the courses that you will be taking in physics and compare them with those of your potential major. In physics you will likely continue to have applied mathematics courses, some scientific programming, electronics and advanced labs and then some electives. The advantage that a physics degree has is that it is broad and gives you a good foundation in areas which are very practical without the detailed coursework of an engineering degree. If you choose your elective courses carefully, you can move into a number of engineeering and other science fields. </p>
<p>xraymancs:</p>
<p>Since you are a physics prof, I figured I would ask you a question that relates to some things mentioned in this topic:</p>
<p>I found my last E&M courses to be the most difficult courses I took in my whole undergrad physics degree. Quantum and Classical Mechanics, and Stat Mech were the courses I enjoyed the most. Is this normal?</p>
<p>In E&M, we would go into the exams knowing the average of 13 students would be no better than 60. Often, it was in the 50’s. Highest grade would very rarely break 70. That was simply demoralizing because everybody would go into the exam feeling like they had a good grasp on the material and walk out feeling crushed. </p>
<p>Thank you for all of your input. I think I’ll stick with physics, but I am switching schools next year because the physics program at my current school is not as strong. In the next two years at Iowa State, I will take 2 courses in Emag, One course in mechanics (called Intermediate Mechanics). I have already taken Classical Mechanics with LaGrange’s equations. At Iowa State, I will also take 2 courses in Quantum Mechanics, and one semester of Thermodynamics (no statistical mechanics included here), and 2 semesters of Modern Physics. I will have also taken Intro to Partial Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, and Abstract Algebra. I do not have room for lots of elective because I have to fit all these classes in two years. Are these classes enough to go to graduate school? My only concern is that I would not have been exposes to Relativity or Statistics, which seem like important subjects. If I am not exposed to them undergrad, could I take them in graduate school? From my current school, I have taken Differential Equations, all the Calcs, and taken two courses in optics (Paraxial Optics and Physical Optics to be specific).</p>
<p>@aGGieENGINeeR - Sorry about the delay in replying. Upper division E&M is all about boundary value problems and integral equations. I think that in some ways it is more difficult than QM and Classical Mechanics so I am not surprised that you had the experience you did. What I have found is that some students don’t “get” QM and then they really have trouble with it, however, if you have a good understanding of it it is really pretty straightforward until you get to quantum field theory and such.</p>
<p>About the average grades. i think that an average of between 50 and 60 percent is pretty normal for upper level physics courses. When I teach QM, I try to get the average up to 65 but it is difficult to do so. My solution and the solution of most faculty is to slide my grading scale down to accommodate the difficulty of my exams. I know it is demoralizing but the material is tough and often the grades are not always indicative of what a student knows. Sometimes I think that oral exams might be a better solution since one can probe where the student’s understanding really lies. A good written exam needs to have a mix of problems that are straightforward with one s that really let the instructor see the level of knowledge that students have. In fact, as i write this, i am giving my final exam in second semester QM at Illinois Tech. I suspect that the average will be around 60% or so. If i have one student who gets on the order of 85-90% I am pretty happy with the exam.</p>
<p>From what I saw in college, it was typical to write tests so that the median score was around 50%, with student scores landing in the whole range from 0% to 100%.</p>
<p>In high school, it was common to load up the tests with easy questions so that C students could get the 70% needed to pass, but college courses grading on a curve had no such constraint. This allows a college test to have, for example, an easy question for the C students, a medium question for the B students, and a hard question for the A students.</p>
<p>Just finished grading the final exams and the average was about 53% A bit lower than i would have wanted but 4/20 students scored over 90% so it clearly was not an absurdly difficult exam.</p>
<p>Thank you for all of your input. I think I’ll stick with physics, but I am switching schools next year because the physics program at my current school is not as strong. In the next two years at Iowa State, I will take 2 courses in Emag, One course in mechanics (called Intermediate Mechanics). I have already taken Classical Mechanics with LaGrange’s equations. At Iowa State, I will also take 2 courses in Quantum Mechanics, and one semester of Thermodynamics (no statistical mechanics included here), and 2 semesters of Modern Physics. I will have also taken Intro to Partial Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, and Abstract Algebra. I do not have room for lots of elective because I have to fit all these classes in two years. Are these classes enough to go to graduate school? My only concern is that I would not have been exposes to Relativity or Statistics, which seem like important subjects. If I am not exposed to them undergrad, could I take them in graduate school? From my current school, I have taken Differential Equations, all the Calcs, and taken two courses in optics (Paraxial Optics and Physical Optics to be specific). </p>
<p>That sounds like a good preparation for graduate school. You should read about Special Relativity in a good Modern Physics text but you don’t need General Relativity. As for Statistical Mechanics, you will probably see it in graduate school so a bit of reading on the side would be in order.</p>
<p>Thank you for your input. I am excited for the future I have in physics. </p>