Physics Major has become disenchanted with physics.

[Darth Frodo]

Hi all,

I'm in a bit of a sticky situation at the moment. I am a European so unfortunately I don't have the same freedom in choosing my electives or major as the US. Right now I'm currently doing a B.Sc in Mathematics and Physics.

So far I have had 5 math modules (currently doing 3), 4 physics modules (2 in progress ) and 1 computer science module.

I hate to say this but I really enjoyed the Math modules as opposed to the Physics ones. One physics module was interesting enough, it was about Materials Science and an intro to Kinetic Theory. There were a lot of derivations which was cool, also the class was enjoyable! I mean, the Professor was very interactive etc.

The maths have been great, really enjoying calculus, Linear Algebra etc. (Not so much Statistics) I just enjoy the problem sets etc. And I think I actually preferred the Comp Sci to some of the physics. There was a lot of problem solving and thinking to be done, although I did not like the theory, only the practical applications.

My main concern is the following,
I had 2 physics modules taught by the same Lecturer and they are both torturous! I think the main issue is the following,

There was too much material covered in no detail at all and it wasn't much beyond what I had covered in HS. (Mechanics/Heat/Electricity/Magnetism all in 1 semester)
My current module with this Lecturer is the same. It is just that there's too much material to be covered in any detail

The classes themselves were very boring. All that happens is that the Lecturer stands at the top of the room, with slides and reads directly from them. (i.e how not to teach).

The material is interesting when I do it myself and read the book myself but I'm not sure if I should continue being a physics Major. Next semester sounds a lot more interesting, vector calc based E&M, Lagrange Mechanics, Intro QM. I can guarantee that I won't have the same Lecturer again.

I'm just very unsure what path I should go down? Any advice?

 

[G01]

My advice is to stick it our for one more semester. Things get much more interesting after the introductory sequence ends, especially if you have already studied the introductory material.

If you feel the same way after studying intro QM, relativity, and Lagrange Mechanics then maybe consider switching to something you find more interesting.

 

[Lavabug]

I agree with G01, it only gets more interesting after an introductory sequence in my experience. I didn't have the misfortune of having bad 1st year profs because I self-studied my first year entirely, but I know having an uninspiring prof can really suck the pleasure out of any subject.

 

[ZapperZ]

Please note that there is a HUGE difference between "disenchanted with physics" and "disenchanted with the way physics is taught". You need to learn the difference.

Zz.

 

[Matrix0]

I can understand feeling disenchanted with a subject that you were once passionate about. It's important to remember that one bad experience or one bad professor does not define the entire field of physics. It sounds like you have a natural aptitude for math and problem-solving, which are essential skills in physics. I would encourage you to continue exploring the subject and perhaps take some more advanced courses in the future to see if your interest is rekindled. Additionally, you may want to consider talking to other students or professors in the physics department to get a better sense of the teaching styles and course material in other classes. It's possible that the issue lies with this particular lecturer and not with the subject itself. Ultimately, the decision to continue as a physics major is up to you, but I would encourage you to not let one negative experience deter you from pursuing a field that you once found interesting.