| Web page of the course on Blackboard | |
| Login site: | http://elms.umd.edu/ |
| Instructions: |
- Log in using your UMD Directory ID. If you are registered for the course,
you will see the course Web space after login. - Homework will be delivered online through this Web site, and your scores will be posted there. - Course announcements will be posted on this Web site, so you should check it regularly. |
| Course Information | |
| Course title: | Intermediate Theoretical Methods |
| Course number: | PHYS 374, 4 credits |
| Course discipline: | Physics |
| Course description: | Introduces or reviews areas of mathematics that are regularly used in upper level and graduate courses in physics, including important areas from complex variables, Fourier analysis, partial differential equations and eigenvalue problems. These methods will be studied in the context of relevant physics applications. A current standard symbolic manipulation program will be introduced and its appropriate use in theoretical analyses will be taught. |
| Course date: | Thursday, August 31, 2006 through Tuesday, December 12, 2006 |
| Location: | Room 1402, Physics Building |
| Meeting day and time: |
Monday.........11:00am-11:50am Tuesday and Thursday......11:00am-12:15pm |
| Prerequisite(s): | Prerequisites: PHYS273 and MATH246. Corequisite: MATH240. |
| Instructor | |
| Name: | Victor M. Yakovenko, Professor of Physics |
| E-mail: | yakovenk@physics.umd.edu |
| Office location: | Room 2115, Physics Building |
| Office hours: | Tuesday and Thursday 12:15 - 1:15 pm |
| Phone: | 301-405-6151 |
| Web page: | http://www2.physics.umd.edu/~yakovenk |
| Teaching Assistant | |
| Name: | Ted Thorbeck |
| E-mail: | thorbeck@umd.edu |
| Office location: | Room 3109, Physics Building |
| Office hours: | Monday and Thursday 1 - 2 pm |
| Phone: | 301-405-6190 |
| Textbook | |
| Required reading: | A Guided Tour of Mathematical Methods for the Physical Sciences, Roel Snieder, published by the Cambridge University Press, 2th edition, 2004, ISBN 0-521-83492-9 |
| Recommended reading: | Essential Mathematical Methods for Physics, H. J. Weber and G. B. Arfken, published by Elsevier Academic Press, 1st edition, 2004, ISBN 0-12-059877-9 |
| Course Goals | |
| Course goals: | To develop your skills in applying advanced mathematical methods to physics problems and to introduce you to the mathematical apparatus used in the upper level physics courses. The textbook has 26 chapters. I would love to cover all of them, but this is not possible in 14 weeks at the pace of about one chapter per week. So, some selection will be made, taking into account feedback from the students. All mathematical methods will be discussed in the context of physics problems. |
| Homework and Exams | |
| Homework: | Homework assignments will be posted on Blackboard online weekly and will be due in one week. The homework should be submitted in class on paper for grading by the TA. The homework scores will be kept on Blackboard online. |
| Exams: | There will be one or two midterm exams and the final exam. Each exam will cover a separate portion of the material. All exams are "open book": You may use any materials, such textbooks and notes. |
| Grades | |
| Grades: | The final grade will be based on your scores in exams (50%) and homework (50%). Your score within each category will be divided by the maximal possible score and added toward the overall score with the weights specified above. |
| Code of Academic Integrity | |
| Student Honor Council: | The University of Maryland, College Park has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity, administered by the Student Honor Council. This Code sets standards for academic integrity at Maryland for all undergraduate and graduate students. As a student you are responsible for upholding these standards for this course. It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity or the Student Honor Council, please visit http://www.studenthonorcouncil.umd.edu/whatis.html. |