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I have to make my mind up about what to study in college next year, and I was thinking about Theoretical Physics or Maths. Is there anybody here with any experience in this area? If so, what did you think?

Well I took Physics with Astrophysics and it was right for me, though it was damned tricky in places! It's something you have to choose for yourself really, but I think that most universities will let you change courses during your first year if you find that you have not picked the right one.

I had a few friends who studied maths and they seemed to get slightly less work than I did (it was a running joke that us physicists did more maths than the mathematicians, more programming than the computer scientists and then the physics as well) but that will vary from course to course, I know that the space science modules that ran parrallel to mine were significantly easier despite being considered the same value.

Where are you intending to apply to? That might get some more precise advice from people who actually studied there.

Well, the way the system works in Ireland is that I put down 10 choices, and depending on performance in the exams, I get offered the place highest up on my list ( there's a bit more to it than that, but that's basically the way it works) so I don't know where I'll be going yet.

What kind of things did you study as part of your physics? I've read all of the colleges prospectus etc. but they're quite broad and vague with the information.

I went to Leicester University, and the course there was modular. Everyone had to do certain core physics modules, those that were good at maths were able to skip some basic ones and start taking second level courses. We has to pick a number of 'flavoured' modules, and the ones we chose determined the degree we got (thought everyone applied for a particular flavour originally) so there were things like Planetary Astrophysics and cosmology modules as well as the standard Waves, Relativity and Quantum Physics for me and those on the space science or medical physics courses took the appropriate modules. If you took too much of a mix you just got a straight Physics degree.

Because I had been able to accelerate modules at the highest rate I was left with extra credits in the final year which didn't have to be put into flavoured modules so I was able to take a couple of space science ones which were far too easy (there were three times as many firsts awarded on that course than on astrophysics), I wished I had gone for that instead of astro!

If you can find a university that offers that kind of course then I would recommend it as it gives you a bit more flexibility. Another option might be something like the Maths with Astronomy that was run at Leicester, then you can get a bit of physics (at Leicester it meant doing a certain number of astrophysics credits) as well as your maths.

Sorry to jump in here, but what kind of Scientist are you Nickj?

A really good one!

I work for the evil QinetiQ that I'm sure most of you are distraught about not being able to buy shares in!

My job title is Pyrotechnic Scientist, so as you can imagine I occasionally set fire to stuff.

nickj wrote:My job title is Pyrotechnic Scientist, so as you can imagine I occasionally set fire to stuff.

Bah, bet you just use really _big_ pieces of flashpaper! :)

i do maths at hull
if you like doing practical maths i'd go for physics.
maths is a lot more theoretical than it lets on

Thanks for the help, lads. I really appreciate it. I think I might go for Physics, sounds cool, and it's something I'm interested in, which I think is fairly important when making these decisions.

But theoretical maths is fun!

Not that I'm a huge expert on uni-level maths .

Nah, maths is just a tool for doing physics!

katrielalex wrote:But theoretical maths is fun!

Not that I'm a huge expert on uni-level maths .

nooooooooo

but seriously, the degree level stuf is so isanely general it's ridiculus!

nickj wrote:My job title is Pyrotechnic Scientist, so as you can imagine I occasionally set fire to stuff.

Hehe, I love setting Alkanes and Alkenes on fire in chemistry. Our teacher says only use a small drop on the heat proof mat...........

Try ethyne, apparently it's lethal!!

dfitz1000 wrote:Try ethyne, apparently it's lethal!!

We haven't done any others other than Alkanes and Alkenes

Today we had a Credit test (If you line in Scotland, you will probably understand, if not, then Oh well ), and one of the Questions was to write out the General formula for Alkyne's. We were given some to figure it from, it was pretty easy.

Then came the next question - Explain what a Homologous Series is.

I couldn't remember, but I know now A group which have the smae properties and same general forumla or something like that. So I have lost 2 marks

(Why did I just type that, its not as if anybody is really interetsed as what I did in school today I certainly wasn't )