Physics Department Restricts Bypassing Policy

Beginning this semester, physics concentrators will no longer be able to skip introductory or required physics classes for higher-numbered ones or to take two classes from the same physics sequence in one semester, according to Margaret E. Law, senior lecturer on physics and director of the physics laboratories.

In an e-mail sent out to the nearly 100 undergraduate physics and chemistry/physics concentrators last week, Law said that students will need to obtain written permission from her before they can skip any classes or "double up."

By "doubling up," Law refers to the mostly first-year and sophomore physics concentrators who take two classes from the Physics 15a, "Introductory Mechanics and Relativity," Physics 16, "Mechanics and Special Relativity," Physics 15b, "Introductory Magnetism," Physics 15c, "Wave Phenomena," and Physics 143a, "Quantum Mechanics I" sequence in the same semester.

Law is also opposed to the juniors and seniors in the department who go directly from Physics 143a to Physics 251a, "Advanced Quantum Mechanics I," foregoing Physics 143b, "Quantum Mechanics II," in the process.

In the e-mail Law emphasized that even though students may earn good grades in the higher-level Physics 251a, they are still missing out on the essential physics topics taught in 143b.

However, Law feels that "skipping is [even] worse than doubling up."

"Students cannot learn the material in depth, and the courses are organized so that one course leads into another," Law said. "They don't get as much time to spend on the courses."

However, students who skip or double up their physics requirements would beg to differ.

Liam P. McAllister '00, who took Physics 15b and 16 during his first fall semester and Physics 15c and 143a during the spring semester, felt that his course selection was appropriate for and beneficial to his academic career in physics.

McAllister said he doubled up so he could spend less time taking introductory physics classes and more time taking graduate-level ones.

"All four courses fed off each other," he said."It was easy to use material from one course tomake another course comprehensible."

McAllister described his freshmen physicsclasses as a good "immersion experience" and wouldrecommend that other physics concentrators do thesame.

David C. Shih '01 also expressed enthusiasm forskipping concentration requirements in favor ofthe more rigorous graduate-level classes. Shihskipped the entire Physics 15a, 15b, 15c and 143asequence because he did not find the courseschallenging enough.

"I felt that I didn't need the stuff in the 15sequence, and the first semester worked well forme," said Shih, who took all graduate-levelclasses fall semester as a first-year.

However, not all concentrators said they feelpressured to rush into graduate-level classes.

Chemistry/physics concentrator Iris Lan '98decided not to double up her introductory physicscourses and recommends that students without astrong physics background do the same because"people need time to mature in the subject."

"If you know the material already, then doubleup, if you don't, then you're doing yourself adisfavor," she said. "Students should becareful...some students are out of control, andothers know what they're doing."

Law said that students need to speak with heror Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics andundergraduate advisor to physics concentratorsHoward Georgi to see if they may skip classes ordouble up.

"There will be exceptions," Law said. "I wantto make sure students have a good background [inphysics] case by case."

However, Shih said he finds the newrestrictions to be "annoying" rather than helpful."If a student is really bored in a class, theywould be discouraged," he said.CrimsonUche A. BlackstockHITTING THE BOOKS: The PhysicsDepartment is making it harder for concentratorsto skip required classes or to take them in thesame semester.

"All four courses fed off each other," he said."It was easy to use material from one course tomake another course comprehensible."

McAllister described his freshmen physicsclasses as a good "immersion experience" and wouldrecommend that other physics concentrators do thesame.

David C. Shih '01 also expressed enthusiasm forskipping concentration requirements in favor ofthe more rigorous graduate-level classes. Shihskipped the entire Physics 15a, 15b, 15c and 143asequence because he did not find the courseschallenging enough.

"I felt that I didn't need the stuff in the 15sequence, and the first semester worked well forme," said Shih, who took all graduate-levelclasses fall semester as a first-year.

However, not all concentrators said they feelpressured to rush into graduate-level classes.

Chemistry/physics concentrator Iris Lan '98decided not to double up her introductory physicscourses and recommends that students without astrong physics background do the same because"people need time to mature in the subject."

"If you know the material already, then doubleup, if you don't, then you're doing yourself adisfavor," she said. "Students should becareful...some students are out of control, andothers know what they're doing."

Law said that students need to speak with heror Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics andundergraduate advisor to physics concentratorsHoward Georgi to see if they may skip classes ordouble up.

"There will be exceptions," Law said. "I wantto make sure students have a good background [inphysics] case by case."

However, Shih said he finds the newrestrictions to be "annoying" rather than helpful."If a student is really bored in a class, theywould be discouraged," he said.CrimsonUche A. BlackstockHITTING THE BOOKS: The PhysicsDepartment is making it harder for concentratorsto skip required classes or to take them in thesame semester.