Advisors: See Faculty of Science, Academic Advisors.
The Honours Mathematical Physics Academic Plan leading to a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree is in the form of a core of required physics and mathematics courses, plus appropriate electives. The electives available in all years allow students to strengthen complementary areas of interest whether in some specific field in Physics or in some other subject area. Some examples are described below under the heading "Elective Choices". This plan is designed for physics students who are mathematically inclined and wish to concentrate their effort in theoretical studies.
Continuation in Honours Mathematical Physics requires a cumulative overall average of 60% and a 65% Physics and Math average. Students from Honours Physics may transfer into this program in Year Two if they have grades of 80% or higher in MATH 127, MATH 128, and MATH 114 in Year One and a minimum 65% Physics average.
In order to graduate with an Honours Mathematical Physics Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree, the following requirements must be met:
- Successful completion of 21.25 units.
- Mandatory (core) courses as listed below.
- No more than 3.0 SCI-labelled units can be used.
- Completion of the English Language Proficiency Requirement.
Legend
+Year-One CHEM may be replaced by Year-One BIOL or EARTH courses.
* PHYS 334 may be substituted for AMATH 373.
Year One
Fall
CHEM 120/CHEM 120L+ Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter/Laboratory
PHYS 10 Physics Seminar
PHYS 121/PHYS 131L Mechanics/Laboratory
MATH 136 Linear Algebra 1
MATH 137 Calculus 1
One elective (0.5 unit)
Winter
CHEM 123/CHEM 123L+ Chemical Reactions, Equilibria and Kinetics/Laboratory
PHYS 10 Physics Seminar
PHYS 122/PHYS 132L Waves, Electricity and Magnetism/Laboratory
PHYS 124 Modern Physics
MATH 138 Calculus 2
One elective (0.5 unit)
Year Two
Fall
PHYS 10 Physics Seminar
PHYS 236 Computational Physics 1
MATH 237 Calculus 3
MATH 235 Linear Algebra 2
AMATH 250 Introduction to Differential Equations
One elective (0.5 unit)
Winter
PHYS 10 Physics Seminar
PHYS 234 Quantum Physics 1
PHYS 242 Electricity and Magnetism 1
PHYS 263 Classical Mechanics and Special Relativity
AMATH 231 Calculus 4
STAT 230 Probability
Year Three
Fall
PHYS 10 Physics Seminar
PHYS 358 Thermal Physics
PHYS 363 Intermediate Classical Mechanics
PHYS 342 Electricity and Magnetism 2
AMATH 351 Ordinary Differential Equations 2
STAT 231 Statistics
Winter
PHYS 10 Physics Seminar
PHYS 359 Statistical Mechanics
AMATH 373 Quantum Theory 1*
AMATH 332 or PMATH 332 Applied Complex Analysis
AMATH 353 Partial Differential Equations 1
One elective (0.5 unit)
Year Four
Students in Year Four normally take a total of 5.0 units, which must include PHYS 10, PHYS 442, PHYS 434, and three of PHYS 444, PHYS 454, PHYS 476, AMATH 361, AMATH 463, AMATH 456. In addition, 1.5 units of electives must be selected from 300- or 400- level PHYS or AMATH courses.
Note to all Honours Mathematical Physics Students
Students intending to pursue graduate studies may wish to choose electives that will give them the desired background for their choice of graduate program and school. It is recommended that these students take PHYS 437A.
Students should consult with an undergraduate academic advisor and a graduate officer regarding other electives needed for their choice of graduate program.
Elective Choices
The "core plus electives" structure of the Honours Mathematical Physics and Honours Co-operative Mathematical Physics Academic Plans allows a great variety of combinations of courses to be taken. By judicious selection of elective courses, students can deepen their knowledge of theoretical or experimental physics, or emphasize particular aspects of the subject, for example optics, condensed matter physics, astrophysics, or biophysics. It is also possible (subject to timetable restrictions) for physics students to use their elective courses to gain expertise in other subjects, for example business administration, computing, electrical engineering, or philosophy. The undergraduate academic advisors are available to assist any student who wishes to select a particular set of elective choices.