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Theoretical Physics

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  • 22-05-2009 11:31pm
    #1
    RexMundi
    Registered Users Posts: 167 ✭✭


    Hi,

    I am considering opting for Theoretical Physics in TCD, it is something that has always interested me and maths, applied maths and physics are all subjects that I do rather well with in school.

    Hopefully someone here will be able to answer a few questions for me about the course.

    How tough is the course compared with others? I have heard varied reports about its difficulty.

    What are the job prospects with a degree in the professional rather than academic world? I am thinking of the financial sector in particular

    Also how does it compare to Theoretical Physics courses in other universities e UCD?

    Thanks in advance for the help


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    #2
    Jonathan
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 8,107 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jonathan


    You sound like me a few years ago.

    I liked the same subjects, so immediately Theoretical Physics seemed like a good choice.

    Go do engineering instead. I was a bit misinformed tbh, not knowing any engineers, or having any in the family, I always thought of engineering as being a glorified builder. Constructing buildings and the like.

    It contains that, but a whole lot more.

    Engineering contains a lot of maths, applied maths, and physics, and chances are, you will find it easier to find a job than if you had studied TP.


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    #3
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,323 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    There are a number of threads on theoretical physics floating around that you should look through. In regards your actual questions they are kind of difficult to answer.
    How tough is the course compared with others? I have heard varied reports about its difficulty.

    I have no idea. I didn't do any other course....

    It's tough. I don't know anyone who didn't struggle somewhat with it. It's not impossible if you work hard. If you have an aptitude for maths and do the requisite work then you'll do fine.
    What are the job prospects with a degree in the professional rather than academic world? I am interested in Quantative Analysis or Actuarial careers mainly.

    Like most degrees with a high mathematical content, its looked upon kindly by recruiters in those professions. You certainly won't be at any kind of disadvantage applying for actuarial careers and its something that a reasonable number of TP graduates would go into.
    Also how does it compare to Theoretical Physics courses in other universities e UCD?

    Again, having never done the course in UCD its hard to say. The course in TCD is pretty good, though certainly has its flaws. A quick browse through the UCD prospectus seems to show them covering broadly the same material, though you may get a slightly better mathematical grounding in TCD (I'm basing this on a pretty brief glance at the website only, so could be well off). You're best off talking to someone in UCD about their course.


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    #4
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,323 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    Jonathan wrote: »
    You sound like me a few years ago.

    I liked the same subjects, so immediately Theoretical Physics seemed like a good choice.

    Go do engineering instead. I was a bit misinformed tbh, not knowing any engineers, or having any in the family, I always thought of engineering as being a glorified builder. Constructing buildings and the like.

    It contains that, but a whole lot more.

    Engineering contains a lot of maths, applied maths, and physics, and chances are, you will find it easier to find a job than if you had studied TP.

    They're compeltely different courses and it entirely depends on what you're looking to get out of it. It also depends on what you want a job in as to whether it will be easier. It'll be easier to get a job as an engineer no doubt, but its much of a muchness beyond that. TP would certainly have a much larger maths element which would appeal to some people.


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    #5
    Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 5,699 ✭✭✭Brian


    Well, do you want to spend your entire life figuring out what x really is?

    Good then. This post is a confused endorsement of education.


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    #6
    ApeXaviour
    Registered Users Posts: 5,523 ✭✭✭ApeXaviour


    Hi, welcome.
    I suggest you do a search of threads in this forum. There have been umpteens of them on the theoretical physics course, many quite recent. You may find quite a many of your questions answered.

    This one was just this month.

    Actually feck it, I'm stuck here in a lab in sweden trying not to burn out a microchannel detector by ramping up voltages painfully slowly into the night, I can occupy myself link a few of the more relevant ones for ya:

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    10


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    #7
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,323 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    Even I wasn't that desperate to avoid work :P


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    #8
    ApeXaviour
    Registered Users Posts: 5,523 ✭✭✭ApeXaviour


    It's not avoiding... what I'm doing is bloody tedious. But it's not always exciting research in experimental physics, sometimes you just have to do things manually. Every couple of mins I've to up this by 30V (up to 1500V). It's a new detector, it's not used to high voltage and is bloody tempermental. It discharges if I up it too fast, which trips it and I've to start again. Patience is wearing thin.


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    #9
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,323 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    ApeXaviour wrote: »
    It's not avoiding... what I'm doing is bloody tedious. But it's not always exciting research in experimental physics, sometimes you just have to do things manually. Every couple of mins I've to up this by 30V (up to 1500V). It's a new detector, it's not used to high voltage and is bloody tempermental. It discharges if I up it too fast, which trips it and I've to start again. Patience is wearing thin.

    And that, folks, is why I did theoretical physics.

    (though FYI OP sitting at a desk for hours/days on end with no idea how to do something can be mind-numbingly boring as well)


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    #10
    ApeXaviour
    Registered Users Posts: 5,523 ✭✭✭ApeXaviour


    Bah, you don't get to experience the physics though. There's nothing so exciting than when you think you've discovered something new and amazing at 2am in some foreign facility and are trying to think of ways to explain it and that nature paper with your name on it until you realise you can't repeat the it and you can't remember did you use metal tweezers on that sample which could possibly have transferred over tiny fragments of iron giving you that little bit of magnestism.*



    *that one was not me btw...


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    #11
    RexMundi
    Registered Users Posts: 167 ✭✭RexMundi


    Thanks a lot for the advice. Especially those links, I always find it awkward locating threads on this site...


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