Information about doing: Theoretical physics or maths degree in Trinity College?

shane4

I am currently in 6th year and was wonder if theoretical physics is the course for me. although i am not very worried lc points wise for either course i am more concerned with course content. By far my favourite subject is maths. But it is not my best. I am currently just below an A level i guess and will probably/hopefully get a high b in the leaving. i can spend hours studying maths no problem and often do. is the fact i love maths enough for me to be able to do one of these courses or are they for someone who is just naturally a maths genius???
Edit: just to mention im not interested in doing anything to do with finance or statistics as of now (maybe i might change my mind).

EuropeanSon

You definitely don't need to be a genius, though it obviously helps. I know several people who got Bs at LC. I'd suggest Maths rather than TP, unless you really want to do physics.

Edit: Forgot to mention, I'm going into 2nd year Maths.

Aoibheann

Funnily, I'd suggest the opposite. If you have an interest in physics and the TP course in general, I'd be inclined to go for that. It's very easy to transfer from TP in Maths (I've done this exact transfer - switched halfway through second year, going into third now) at any point during your degree (up 'til the beginning of final year, IIRC), whereas I doubt it's possible to transfer the other way beyond the first couple of weeks (labs, etc). A lot of people do end up switching to Maths, but if you have an interest in both maths and physics it would seem more reasonable to do TP. Sure, a lot of people do end up switching the physics way too. That said, if you don't have much interest in physics to start with, I'd obviously recommend the maths route.

You don't need to be getting A1s in Leaving Cert maths to do this course. You'll find that it's taught a very different way here, and those that struggled in the LC may find the style suits them better in college (or vice versa, of course). It's not an easy course, but if you're willing to put the work in it'll be a whole lot better.

EuropeanSon

Aoibheann wrote: »

Funnily, I'd suggest the opposite. If you have an interest in physics and the TP course in general, I'd be inclined to go for that. It's very easy to transfer from TP in Maths (I've done this exact transfer - switched halfway through second year, going into third now) at any point during your degree (up 'til the beginning of final year, IIRC), whereas I doubt it's possible to transfer the other way beyond the first couple of weeks (labs, etc). A lot of people do end up switching to Maths, but if you have an interest in both maths and physics it would seem more reasonable to do TP. Sure, a lot of people do end up switching the physics way too. That said, if you don't have much interest in physics to start with, I'd obviously recommend the maths route.

You don't need to be getting A1s in Leaving Cert maths to do this course. You'll find that it's taught a very different way here, and those that struggled in the LC may find the style suits them better in college (or vice versa, of course). It's not an easy course, but if you're willing to put the work in it'll be a whole lot better.

I was thinking more along the lines of "you get to do programming and Stats, and the OP didn't mention liking physics".

On balance, you are probably right, if indeed the OP has an interest in physics, which obviously he must, because why else consider TP?

Maybe_Memories

EuropeanSon wrote: »

I was thinking more along the lines of "you get to do programming and Stats, and the OP didn't mention liking physics".

... :pac:

PurpleFistMixer

Before going into TP/Maths (okay I'm TP, but I had maths as #1 on my CAO up until the last second) I was worried that everyone would be a crazy genius and it would be impossible.

... they aren't, and it isn't! Don't worry about that. Normal people (normal as you can be when you love maths/physics) do Maths/TP and get on fine, crazy geniuses just need to do less work is all.

EuropeanSon

Maybe_Memories wrote: »

... :pac:

What I meant to say was "the opportunity to do stats and programming is there if you want it, and can bring yourself to leave your room and come into college once or twice a week to go to lectures". :P

Maybe_Memories

EuropeanSon wrote: »

What I meant to say was "the opportunity to do stats and programming is there if you want it, and can bring yourself to leave your room and come into college once or twice a week to go to lectures". :P

On a serious note, if you like physics then do TP, unless you really want to do stats and programming. That's really all you have to decide between for first year. I'd be more inclined to do TP though (yet I'm in maths?!) because if you don't like the physics you can go to maths, but can't go the other way around.

PurpleFistMixer

You do programming in TP anyway, just not as formally.

Tears in Rain

Also, programming is dull, and isn't the sort of thing that can be taught in a classroom anyway.

Aoibheann

TPs now get to take MA1262 in their first year, the Mathematical Computation module taught by Dr. Houghton. The previous course page is here, last year I think the comp. course the Mathematical Neuroscience students did was combined with said computation module.

EDIT: Actually, I've just seen that the computation module replaces the second semester analysis module for JFTPs. WTF?! I am beyond confused.

dabh

Aoibheann wrote: »

TPs now get to take MA1262 in their first year, the Mathematical Computation module taught by Dr. Houghton. The previous course page is here, last year I think the comp. course the Mathematical Neuroscience students did was combined with said computation module.

EDIT: Actually, I've just seen that the computation module replaces the second semester analysis module for JFTPs. WTF?! I am beyond confused.

Look at it this way. They have a fat 10 ECTS module of Analysis taught by the Head of School. This will be followed by a 5 ECTS module of advanced calculus taught by the Director of Teaching and Learning (Undergraduate). It thus looks as though the School Executive Committee will be well-informed with regard to the mathematical background and capabilities of incoming Freshers!

Aoibheann

dabh wrote: »

Look at it this way. They have a fat 10 ECTS module of Analysis taught by the Head of School. This will be followed by a 5 ECTS module of advanced calculus taught by the Director of Teaching and Learning (Undergraduate). It thus looks as though the School Executive Committee will be well-informed with regard to the mathematical background and capabilities of incoming Freshers!

Ha, definitely a fair point! The first years have some fantastic lecturers this year. I guess I was surprised as I found the second part of the analysis course (10 credits the year I did it) to be so useful/important!

asdfghjz

dabh wrote: »

Look at it this way. They have a fat 10 ECTS module of Analysis taught by the Head of School. This will be followed by a 5 ECTS module of advanced calculus taught by the Director of Teaching and Learning (Undergraduate). It thus looks as though the School Executive Committee will be well-informed with regard to the mathematical background and capabilities of incoming Freshers!

I still don't really get it, the incoming JF Maths students will be taking Analysis II with O Donovan. Now the TPs will have to catch up on both Analysis and Group Theory in second year, after taking far more difficult courses like Simms'.

dabh

asdfghjz wrote: »

I still don't really get it, the incoming JF Maths students will be taking Analysis II with O Donovan. Now the TPs will have to catch up on both Analysis and Group Theory in second year, after taking far more difficult courses like Simms'.

Well, the onus will be on 'them', or should I say, on 'us', to make sure that the second year curriculum is reasonable, given what students have studied in first year, and to make adjustments as necessary.

The lack of any formal computing element in the Freshman years was seen by some as problematic.

Aoibheann

Out of curiosity, will this be likely to have an effect on transferring from TP into Maths? Seeing as they'll be short on more pre-requisites than before etc.

dabh

Aoibheann wrote: »

Out of curiosity, will this be likely to have an effect on transferring from TP into Maths? Seeing as they'll be short on more pre-requisites than before etc.

Well, the University Calendar contains gems such as the following:---

The director of teaching and learning (undergraduate) may permit programmes of study that are not expressly provided for in these published programme requirements, provided that the resulting choice of modules accords with the objectives of the moderatorship course.

(Calendar 2011-12, page M22, section 7)

In the case of students transferring from TP to Maths, these sorts of provisions can be used to justify appropriate departures from the standard programme. And, on numerous occasions in the past, students have transferred from TP to Maths in the Sophister years, and have taken Statistics modules, despite not having studied statistics or probability in the Freshman years.

Aoibheann

I should have considered that myself, given that I was permitted to take up Statistics halfway through SF when I transferred into Maths. >.< It actually worked out great for me, because it means I can now (and will) do both Mech. and Stats modules during the Sophister years.

asdfghjz

dabh wrote: »

Well, the onus will be on 'them', or should I say, on 'us', to make sure that the second year curriculum is reasonable, given what students have studied in first year, and to make adjustments as necessary.

The lack of any formal computing element in the Freshman years was seen by some as problematic.

It just seems like an odd move. They've got 40 credits to squeeze in as much maths as possible and they 'waste' it on junk modules like advanced calc and programming.

And if you're a trinity alumnus that's suddenly moving from 'them' to 'us' regarding the maths department, does that make you Darran...?

avro

Hi I'm wondering if anyone could help me! I have accepted and spent the past week doing general nursing in UCD. However yesterday I got a phone call from Trinity College offering me the same course there. Does anyone know what kind of college Trinity is for General Nursing? Or what would be the difference between the two? Please Help....