
Note: This is the 2010–2011 edition of the eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or click here to jump to the newest eCalendar.
Note: This is the 2010–2011 edition of the eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or click here to jump to the newest eCalendar.
This is a specialized and demanding program intended for students who wish to develop a strong basis in both Mathematics and Physics in preparation for graduate work and a professional or academic career. Although the program is optimized for theoretical physics, it is broad enough and strong enough to prepare students for further study in either experimental physics or mathematics.
The minimum requirement for entry into the program is completion with high standing of the usual CEGEP courses in physics and in mathematics, or the Physics Pre-Program Requirements as explained below. In addition, a student who has not completed the equivalent of MATH 222 must take it in the first term without receiving credit toward the 81 credits required in the Honours program.
A student whose average in the required and complementary courses in any year falls below a GPA of 3.00, or whose grade in any individual required or complementary course falls below a C (in both the final examination and supplemental examination if taken), may not register in the Honours program the following year, or graduate with the Honours degree, except with the permission of both Departments. The student will have two advisers, one from Mathematics and the other from Physics.
Students entering Physics programs from the Freshman Program must have successfully completed the courses below or their equivalents. Quebec students must have completed the DEC with appropriate science and mathematics courses.
Chemistry : A study of the fundamental principles of atomic structure, radiation and nuclear chemistry, valence theory, coordination chemistry, and the periodic table.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Butler, Ian Sydney; Fenster, Ariel; Kakkar, Ashok K; Gauthier, Jean-Marc (Fall)
Chemistry : A study of the fundamental principles of physical chemistry.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Gauthier, Jean-Marc; Fenster, Ariel; Mittermaier, Anthony; Siwick, Bradley (Winter)
Physics : The basic laws and principles of Newtonian mechanics; oscillations and waves.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Ragan, Kenneth J (Fall)
Physics : The basic laws of electricity and magnetism; geometrical and physical optics.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Miyahara, Yoichi (Winter)
One of:
Biology (Sci) : An introduction to the phylogeny, structure, function and adaptation of unicellular organisms, plants and animals in the biosphere.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Gregory-Eaves, Irene; Dhindsa, Rajinder S; Seizilles de Mazancourt, Claire (Fall)
Biology (Sci) : The cell: ultrastructure, division, chemical constituents and reactions. Bioenergetics: photosynthesis and respiration. Principles of genetics, the molecular basis of inheritance and biotechnology.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Dent, Joseph Alan; Vogel, Jacalyn (Winter)
MATH 133 and either MATH 140/141 or MATH 150/151.
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Systems of linear equations, matrices, inverses, determinants; geometric vectors in three dimensions, dot product, cross product, lines and planes; introduction to vector spaces, linear dependence and independence, bases; quadratic loci in two and three dimensions.
Terms: Fall 2010, Winter 2011, Summer 2011
Instructors: Kelome, Djivede; Anderson, William J; Loveys, James G; Shahabi, Shahab; Clay, Adam (Fall) Kelome, Djivede; Anderson, William J (Winter) Palka, Karol (Summer)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Review of functions and graphs. Limits, continuity, derivative. Differentiation of elementary functions. Antidifferentiation. Applications.
Terms: Fall 2010, Winter 2011, Summer 2011
Instructors: Drury, Stephen W; Trudeau, Sidney; Shahabi, Shahab (Fall) Hundemer, Axel W (Winter)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : The definite integral. Techniques of integration. Applications. Introduction to sequences and series.
Terms: Fall 2010, Winter 2011, Summer 2011
Instructors: Trudeau, Sidney (Fall) Sancho, Neville G F; Drury, Stephen W; Trudeau, Sidney (Winter)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Functions, limits and continuity, differentiation, L'Hospital's rule, applications, Taylor polynomials, parametric curves, functions of several variables.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Roth, Charles (Fall)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Integration, methods and applications, infinite sequences and series, power series, arc length and curvature, multiple integration.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Roth, Charles (Winter)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Sets, functions and relations. Methods of proof. Complex numbers. Divisibility theory for integers and modular arithmetic. Divisibility theory for polynomials. Rings, ideals and quotient rings. Fields and construction of fields from polynomial rings. Groups, subgroups and cosets; group actions on sets.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Hahn, Heekyoung (Fall)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Partial derivatives; implicit functions; Jacobians; maxima and minima; Lagrange multipliers. Scalar and vector fields; orthogonal curvilinear coordinates. Multiple integrals; arc length, volume and surface area. Line integrals; Green's theorem; the divergence theorem. Stokes' theorem; irrotational and solenoidal fields; applications.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Guan, Pengfei (Fall)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Functions of a complex variable; Cauchy-Riemann equations; Cauchy's theorem and consequences. Taylor and Laurent expansions. Residue calculus; evaluation of real integrals; integral representation of special functions; the complex inversion integral. Conformal mapping; Schwarz-Christoffel transformation; Poisson's integral formulas; applications.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Seiringer, Robert (Winter)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : First and second order equations, linear equations, series solutions, Frobenius method, introduction to numerical methods and to linear systems, Laplace transforms, applications.
Terms: Fall 2010, Winter 2011
Instructors: Humphries, Antony Raymond (Fall) Klemes, Ivo (Winter)
Physics : Linear circuit elements, resonance, network theorems, diodes, transistors, amplifiers, feedback, integrated circuits.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Barrette, Jean (Winter)
Physics : Newton's laws, work energy, angular momentum. Harmonic oscillator, forced oscillations. Inertial forces, rotating frames. Central forces, centre of mass, planetary orbits, Kepler's laws.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Holder, Gilbert (Fall)
Physics : Introductory laboratory work and data analysis as related to mechanics, optics and thermodynamics. Introduction to computers as they are employed for laboratory work, for data analysis and for numerical computation. Previous experience with computers is an asset, but is not required.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Siwick, Bradley (Fall)
Physics : Advanced laboratory work and data analysis as related to mechanics, optics and thermodynamics. Computers will be employed routinely for data analysis and for numerical computation, and, particularly, to facilitate the use of Fourier methods.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Ryan, Dominic; Engelberg, Edith M (Winter)
Physics : History of special relativity; Lorentz transformations: kinematics and dynamics; transformation of electric and magnetic forces; introduction to topics in modern physics.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Hanna, David (Fall)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : A rigorous presentation of sequences and of real numbers and basic properties of continuous and differentiable functions on the real line.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Yassawi, Reem Adel (Fall)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Series of functions including power series. Riemann integration in one variable. Elementary functions.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Jaksic, Vojkan (Winter)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : First order partial differential equations, geometric theory, classification of second order linear equations, Sturm-Liouville problems, orthogonal functions and Fourier series, eigenfunction expansions, separation of variables for heat, wave and Laplace equations, Green's function methods, uniqueness theorems.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Roth, Charles (Fall)
Physics : Energy, work, heat; first law. Temperature, entropy; second law. Absolute zero; third law. Equilibrium, equations of state, gases, liquids, solids, magnets; phase transitions.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Grutter, Peter H (Fall)
Physics : Fundamental laws of electric and magnetic fields in both integral and differential form.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Lovejoy, Shaun MacDonald (Fall)
Physics : Experimental basis for quantum mechanics; wave-packets; uncertainty principle. Hilbert space formalism. Schrodinger equation: eigenvalues and eigenvectors: applications to 1-d problems including the infinite and finite potential wells and the harmonic oscillator. Tunneling. Time independent perturbation theory.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Dasgupta, Keshav (Fall)
Physics : Quantum states and ensemble averages. Fermi-Dirac, Bose-Einstein and Boltzmann distribution functions and their applications.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Underwood, Bret (Winter)
Physics : Angular momentum and spin operators. Operator methods in quantum mechanics. Coupling of spin and angular momenta. Variational principles and elements of time dependent perturbation theory (the Golden Rule). Solution of the Schrodinger equation in three dimensions. Applications to the hydrogen and helium atoms and to simple problems in atomic and molecular physics.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Gale, Charles (Winter)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Introduction to metric spaces. Multivariable differential calculus, implicit and inverse function theorems.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Jakobson, Dmitry (Fall)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : In addition to the topics of MATH 320, topics in the global theory of plane and space curves, and in the global theory of surfaces are presented. These include: total curvature and the Fary-Milnor theorem on knotted curves, abstract surfaces as 2-d manifolds, the Euler characteristic, the Gauss-Bonnet theorem for surfaces.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Guan, Pengfei (Winter)
Physics : Vector and scalar potentials; plane waves in homogeneous media; refraction and reflection; guided waves; radiation from simple systems; dipole and quadrupole radiation; introduction to fields of moving charges; synchrotron radiation; Bremsstrahlung.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Guo, Hong (Fall)
Physics : Advanced level experiments in modern physics stressing quantum effects and some properties of condensed matter.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Barrette, Jean; Buchinger, Fritz (Winter)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Matrix algebra, determinants, systems of linear equations. Abstract vector spaces, inner product spaces, Fourier series. Linear transformations and their matrix representations. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, diagonalizable and defective matrices, positive definite and semidefinite matrices. Quadratic and Hermitian forms, generalized eigenvalue problems, simultaneous reduction of quadratic forms. Applications.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Hundemer, Axel W (Winter)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Linear equations over a field. Introduction to vector spaces. Linear maps and their matrix representation. Determinants. Canonical forms. Duality. Bilinear and quadratic forms. Real and complex inner product spaces. Diagonalization of self-adjoint operators.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Loveys, James G (Winter)
12 credits are selected as follows:
3 credits from:
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Lebesque measure, integration and Fubini's theorem. Abstract measure and integration. Convergence theorems. Introduction to Hilbert spaces, L_2 spaces, Fourier series. Fourier integrals (if time allows).
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Jakobson, Dmitry (Winter)
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Introduction to monoids, groups, permutation groups; the isomorphism theorems for groups; the theorems of Cayley, Lagrange and Sylow; structure of groups of low order. Introduction to ring theory; integral domains, fields, quotient field of an integral domain; polynomial rings; unique factorization domains.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Getz, Jayce (Fall)
6 credits selected from:
Physics : Honours supervised research project.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Barrette, Jean; Buchinger, Fritz (Winter)
Physics : Transition from special to general relativity. Non-Euclidian geometry. The basic laws of Physics in co-variant form, Einstein's equations. Gravitational waves; neutron stars; black holes; cosmology.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Maloney, Alexander (Winter)
Physics : A quantitative course in galactic and extragalactic astrophysics. Topics include observational techniques, stars and stellar evolution, compact objects, galaxy structure, kinematics, evolution and cosmology.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Dobbs, Matthew Adam (Fall)
Physics : General formulation, scattering theory, WKBJ approximation, time-dependent perturbation, theory and applications, angular momentum, relativistic wave equations.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Maloney, Alexander (Fall)
Physics : General nuclear properties, nucleon-nucleon interaction and scattering theory, radioactivity, nuclear models, nuclear reactions.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Jeon, Sang Yong (Fall)
Physics : Properties of crystals; free electron model, band structure; metals, insulators and semi-conductors; phonons; magnetism; selected additional topics in solid-state (e.g. ferroelectrics, elementary transport theory).
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Sutton, Mark (Fall)
Physics : Scattering and structure factors. Review of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics; correlation functions (static); mean field theory; critical phenomena; broken symmetry; fluctuations, roughening.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Coish, William (Fall)
Physics : Electrostatics, dielectrics, magnetostatics, timevarying fields, relativity, radiating systems, fields of moving charges.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Frey, Andrew (Winter)
Physics : Survey of elementary particles; hadrons, leptons and hadrons' constituents (quarks). Invariance principles and conservation laws. Detectors and accelerators. Phenomenology of strong, electomagnetic and weak interactions.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Dobbs, Matthew Adam (Winter)
Physics : Introduction to bosonic string theory, with application to fundamental theories of particle physics. Gravity and electromagnetism in extra dimensions, dynamics of classical and quantum strings, worldsheet parametrization, conserved currents, light-cone gauge, string thermodynamics and black holes, D-branes.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Cline, James M (Winter)
3 credits in Honours Mathematics.