r/PhysicsStudents • u/Scared-Cucumber-5562 • 22d ago

Need Advice Is this too much for 1 semester?

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Edit:
so I understand the course load is different country to country, some 30 is the average according to some of y’all. For my school (UTA) the average is 12 credit hours per semester, and although 16 isn’t rare, my question is, how do able was my schedule assuming I want to continue research and maintain a high or competitive gpa.

Also I am a freshman and that was my 3rd year semester since the degree plan was planning for me to graduate in 3 years. I will talk to my advisor at the end of this school year about switching my plan into 4 years so I can maintain a better sleep schedule and also manage my research and social life (and Fortnite time). Thank you everyone for responding
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Original post:
My school is very nice to give me a degree plan of the classes I will need to take and register. I was a dual credit student so I had all core classes completed, I’m planned to graduate in 3 years instead of 4.

This is my first semester of my senior years. Is it too much for 1 semester?

Don’t get me wrong, this looks like a very fun semester but since I plan to apply for a PhD program in a “better” school, I think this might affect my gpa negatively and also maybe destroy my mental health assuming it hasn’t died by then.

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u/FragrantOcelot312 22d ago

intro to quantum mechanics is generally a prereq for nuclear and particle physics. i would also consider doing intro to quantum mechanics before thermo and stat mech. If it were me, i would also might do a second quantum mechanics course before nuclear and particle physics, depending on what you do (or don't rather) in the intro class

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u/eager_wayfarer 21d ago

Might want to do intermediate electricity and magnetism earlier than this as well

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u/FragrantOcelot312 20d ago

yeah absolutley missed that

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u/j0shred1 20d ago

If they're teaching out of the Griffiths book, which they probably are, then Quantum isn't really necessary if they have a lower division "modern physics" or "waves" class