PHYC 521/551  Graduate Quantum Mechanics I   Fall 2016

General information          Course overview          Syllabus          Tentative schedule          Problems and Assignments          Exams

Course overview

This is a graduate core course of quantum mechanics, and continues to PHYC 522 "Graduate Quantum Mechanics II" in Spring 2017. As seen in the syllabus, the basics of quantum mechanics are taught in a self-contained manner at the level more sophisticated than the undergraduate counterpart PHYC 491. The course is suitable for graduate students or students who have learned quantum mechanics once, in order to brush up understanding of quantum theory and to master its mathematical treatments. We adapt modern pedagogy of active learning in classroom.

Its associated problems session PHYC 551 should be registered as well. It is quite important to do exercise, in order to digest notions and methods in quantum mechanics learned in the lectures. Weekly exercises also facilitate preparations for the preliminary exam. The session is used partially to hold mid-term exams. Roughly speaking, the problems of exams and problem sessions will be selected largely from the exercises at the end of chapters in accordance with the progress of lectures, while those of assignments may be drawn from the past preliminary exams.

The final grade will be determined based on performance of exams and assignments (their weights are 80 % and 20 % respectively, for now). Each mid-term exam is arranged after a couple of chapters are completed. That is how you can study rather narrow, clearly-defined selections of materials for every exam, while they are still fresh in your mind. Overall it is expected that your learning is more effective and at the same time the load by the course is less stressful this way.