Undergraduate Physics: Frequently Asked Questions!
If you have a question that you think should be added to this list, or if you find that any of the information here is inaccurate, please contact Howard Georgi or David Morin.
Concentration:
When
are Howard Georgi's and David Morin's office hours?
How do I sign up to be a Physics
or Chem/Phys concentrator?
Who are my fellow concentrators?
How does the Physics Dept advising
system work?
Who are the Physics Dept's ombudspeople?
Who signs my study card?
How is the level of honors calculated
for graduating seniors?
Can I take Astro 191r instead of
Physics 191r?
Do cross-listed courses count
for concentration credit?
How can I tell if a course counts
for concentration credit?
Secondaries:
What fields offer secondaries?
How does a secondary field affect my honors calculation?
How do I remove the "conc" label from a course?
Master's:
How
do I declare Advanced Standing?
How does the AB-AM program work?
How do I bracket a course?
Core:
What
Cores am I exempt from?
Research:
How
do I find a lab to work in?
How do I sign up for Phys 90r or
91r?
Can I get paid for doing research during
the academic year?
How do apply for summer research
jobs?
How do I go about writing a thesis?
Grad School:
How
can I study for the Physics GRE?
What fellowships are available
for grad school?
Jobs:
Are
there grading positions available for undergrads?
Are there TA positions available for
undergrads?
How do I get paid?
Miscellaneous:
How
does study abroad work?
How do I go about obtaining letters
of recommendation?
How do I sign up for the Society of
Physics Students mailing list?
How do I cross register at MIT?
Where can I get a Physics Dept bumper
sticker?
When
are Howard Georgi's and David Morin's office hours?
David Morin's office hours
How do I sign up to be a Physics or Chem/Phys concentrator?
Starting with this year's freshmen, the deadline for choosing a concentration has been changed to the fall of sophomore year. However, you can still sign up in the spring of your freshman year if you wish. There is nothing stopping you from declaring "early." If you're fairly sure that you want to be a Physics or Chem/Phys concentrator, we encourage you to sign up in your freshman year. It's easy to change later if you want.
In April, David Morin will have a signup sheet for 15-minute and half-hour time blocks posted on the door of Lyman 233. These can be used either to officially sign up, or to have an "advising conversation" if you simply want to learn about Physics and/or Chem/Phys but not sign up. The College requires you to have a "conversation" with at least one department. But the more the merrier, of course, if you're thinking about various concentrations. David Morin will send an email in March to the SPS list with more details.
During the fall semester, David Morin will have another period of half-hour time blocks for sophomores to sign up. The signup process consists of going over the plan of study, choosing an advisor, filling out some minor paperwork, and discussing other concentration issues. You can fill out this form beforehand, if you wish. Try to think of three possible advisors before the meeting.
Upperclass students: If you want to change your concentration to Physics or Chem/Phys, just email David Morin to set up a meeting time (outside offiice hours, ideally, because those can get hectic).
More info on concentration signup can be found here.
Who are my fellow concentrators?
See the facebook of Harvard Students (you will need to enter your pin).
How does the Physics Dept advising system work?
All Physics and Chem/Phys concentrators automatically have Howard Georgi (Head Tutor) and David Morin (Asst Head Tutor) as advisors. You can talk with them about anything at any time, ranging from course selection, to future plans, to lab work, to concentration requirements.
In addition, all concentrators are given another faculty advisor (who may be Prof Georgi). The purpose of the faculty advisor is to act as a mentor, and to help you down the physics or chem/phys path. However, questions about concentration requirements should be addressed to Howard Georgi and David Morin. In short, when talking with your faculty advisor, you can pretend that there are no course numbers or requirements to worry about. Just get some real physics advice about what subjects are good to know, what lab experience is good to have, etc.
Who are the Physics Dept's ombudspeople?
If you ever have any questions/issues/complaints about anything that goes on in the physics dept (classes, fellow students, profs, etc.), you are strongly encouraged to talk with any of the following people:
Melissa Franklin: franklin@physics, Lyman
237, 5-1180
Howard Georgi: georgi@physics, Jefferson
456, 6-8293
John Huth: huth@physics, Jefferson
372, 5-2866
David Morin: morin@physics, Lyman
233, 5-3257
Of course, if there's another professor who you know you can talk to, then that's dandy. But if there's something you want to talk about and you don't know who to approach, you know you can at least contact any of these four people.
Your faculty advisor signs your study card. Please take this opportunity to talk with your advisor about classes, future plans, any research you've been doing, and anything else you want to talk about. You should email your advisor around the first day of classes (or before) to set up a meeting time.
How is the level of honors calculated for graduating seniors?
Information on how the Physics and Chem/Phys departmental
honors recommendations are calculated can be found here.
Note that these departmental recommendations (which
are given in English: honors, high honors, highest
honors) are not necessarily the same as the overall
college honors degrees (which are given in Latin: cum
laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude). Everything
you could ever possibly want to know about honors degrees
can be found here.
Can I take Astro 191r instead of Physics 191r?
Astro 191r can be substituted for Physics 191r for the Honors Physics concentration if (1) you are a joint Physics and Astro concentrator, and/or (2) you have demonstrated a strong interest in Astro. "Strong" here means that you have taken two Astro classes, or have taken one Astro class and done some research in the field.
Do cross-listed courses count for concentration credit?
Not necessarily. The cross-listed designation in the course catalog is fairly meaningless, so it's best to ignore it. The official list of courses that count as "Physics" or "Related" is in the Handbook.
How
can I tell if a course counts for concentration credit?
Check the "Physics" and "Related" lists
in the Handbook.
If you think a course should count but it's not listed
there, just run it by Howard Georgi or David Morin.
What fields offer secondaries?
The main page for secondaries is here.
How does a secondary field affect my honors calculation?
It doesn't affect it at all. We will still follow the rule that any course that can count (as listed in the Handbook) does count. For example, if you designate four CS courses for a CS secondary (and thus remove the "conc" label from three of these on your student record, because at most one course can be double counted for a concentration and a secondary), then we will still include all four CS courses in your Physics or Chem/Phys honors calculation.
How do I remove the "conc" label from a course?
Because you can double count only one course for your concentration and secondary, if overlapping courses have been marked "conc", you will need to remove this label (except on at most one course that is double counted). To remove it, just print out a copy of your transcript and bring it to David Morin's office, and let him know what should be un-"conc"-ed.
How do I declare Advanced Standing?
Eligible students who decide to use Advanced Standing to graduate after only six or seven terms in the College or to apply to one of the specified master's degree programs must apply for Advanced Standing by the appropriate deadline during the third term before they intend to graduate or enter the master's program. This deadline, ordinarily on the same date as that for seniors filing degree applications or changing concentrations, will be published yearly in the "Academic Calendar" in the Handbook for Students. Forms for applying for Advanced Standing will be available from the Registrar's Office at 20 Garden Street and from the offices of the Allston Burr Senior Tutors in the houses. Everything you ever wanted to know about Advanced Standing can be found here.
How
does the AB-AM program work?
Candidates for the AB-AM degree in physics must meet
both the academic and course requirements for the honors
AB degree in physics and the AM degree. A given course
can be counted for only one of the two degrees, i.e.,
one course cannot meet the requirement for the AB degree
and then be counted again for the AM degree. Any undergraduate
who wishes to apply for this degree must file an application
for the graduate program in physics just as any other
student files for graduate work at Harvard. This application
should include two letters of recommendation. The GRE
is not required. Only students with advanced standing
are eligible to apply for this four-year program. Undergraduates
taking graduate courses in their third year may bracket
those which they wish to apply on their graduate degree.
General information on the AB/AM program can be found here.
Further information on the Physics Master's requirements
can be found here (look
for the paragraph starting with "Candidates
for the AB-AM degree in physics..." about a third
of the way down the page.)
Note: The Physics Master's program is quite demanding.
Only a couple students do it each year. Likewise, only
a couple students use Advanced Standing to graduate
in three years.
How do I bracket a course?
Any courses which Advanced Standing students take for graduate credit must be "bracketed," which means they will not count toward the bachelor's degree. Most students earn all their AM credits in their fourth year at the College, but third-year students are also permitted to bracket courses in anticipation of the AM degree. Students who bracket courses before they are admitted to a graduate program should understand that they cannot "unbracket" if they do not enter an AM program. In exceptional cases, students may begin bracketing courses for the AM even earlier in their academic programs; this requires the approval of the department chairman or other person overseeing graduate study in the department.
Students must submit bracketing petitions in each term in which they are taking a bracketed course. Petitions are available in the Office for Undergraduate Education, University Hall 1st Floor North, and must be returned to this office by the fifth Monday of the term.
There are three important aspects of bracketing to keep in mind:
1) Bracketing is irreversible after the fifth Monday of the term.
2) Under no circumstances may any bracketed course be considered both for undergraduate and graduate credit.
3) Bracketed courses in no way affect your undergraduate record. They will not be included in your A.B. degree credit, grade point average or departmental honors.
You are exempt from:
Quantitative Reasoning,
Science A,
Science B,
along with ONE of:
Historical Study A,
Historical Study B,
Literature and Arts A,
Literature and Arts C.
For more Core info (joint concentrations, advanced standing, etc), look here.
How do a find a lab to work in?
The procedure is simple and informal: Look through the faculty webpage to see what professors are doing things you might be interested in, and then send out one or two emails and/or knock on doors. If this doesn't yield a positive response, then send out another one or two emails, etc. It usually doesn't take long to find something. Let the prof know what your background is.
Some people have asked about a centralized list of available projects, but we purposely don't have such a list because (1) We've tried it, and it's impossible to keep up to date. Jobs get created and taken far too often. (2) Sometimes professors think up projects on the spot (or they just realize that they do in fact have a job for one more undergrad) when a student contacts them. (3) Equivalently, if a professor isn't on the list, this might give you the false impression that there isn't anything available, when in fact the professor might think of something when contacted. So a list might actually have negative value.
How do I sign up for Phys 90r or 91r?
Stop by Lyman 233 to pick up a 90r/91r form from David Morin, or you can print one out here. Your lab supervisor signs this form, and David Morin signs your study card. The completed form is due by study card day.You are expected to spend about as much time in the lab as you would in a regular course, but talk with your supervisor to see exactly what he/she expects. For more info, see the 90r/91r webpage.
Can I get paid for doing research during the academic year?
Yes, and there are various ways to get paid. The money can come directly from the lab you're working in if such funds happen to be available. Or, the money can come from the Student Employment Office, via the Harvard College Research Program, the Faculty Aide Program, or Federal Work Study. Other possibilities are also listed on the SEO's website. Note that you cannot get paid and get 90r credit at the same time.
How do I apply for summer research jobs?
There are lots and lots of summer research opportunities out there. See here for details.
How do I go about writing a thesis?
First, note that a thesis is not required for the Physics or Chem/Phys concentrations. About ten Physics and Chem/Phys students write a thesis each year. If you choose to write one, stop by Lyman 233 at the beginning of the spring semester to pick up forms with all the details. The theses are due roughly at the end of April. A thesis can be based on Phys 90r work or on summer research. Students normally write the thesis as part of a 90r in the spring, and the thesis grade is the 90r grade. Continual feedback from your advisor is strongly encouraged on the thesis. You should view your thesis as an opportunity to improve your scientific writing.
How can I study for the Physics GRE?
A practice booklet can be found on the ETS webpage here. There are some other exams on the SPS webpage. A description of the Physics exam can be found here.
Although a few students take the Physics GRE in the spring of their junior year, most take it in November in their senior year. Don't wait until the December date, because the scores might not arrive in time. Save the December date for a retake, if you feel that you need to do that; but again, the scores might not arrive in time. Take one of the practice exams early, so you can see what topics are covered and what the problems look like. Save at least one exam for a few days before the actual test, so you can get your mind in test-taking mode.
If you look at the scoring on the available practice exams, you will see that you can miss quite a few problems and still get a very good score. While there may be a few zingers on the exam, most of the problems are straightforward, and it's just a matter of whether or not you remember the things you learned in your classes. If you remembered everything, then there would still be a few obscure problems you'd miss, but you would do extremely well. Similarly, if you knew everything in a Physics-11 level book, then there would be a few harder problems you'd miss, but you would still do extremely well. You may want to look at such a book to learn about some topics that we tend to skip here, such as nuclear physics.
One last note: Don't forget to sign up by the registration deadline!
What fellowships are available for grad school?
If you are applying to grad school, the main fellowships
you should consider are:
The
Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowship
Program
National Science
Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships
The National Defense
Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship Program
Ford
Foundation Predoctoral Fellowships
American
Association of University Women
The earliest of the deadlines is late October, which tends to creep up quickly as the semester gets rolling, so be sure to get started in time.
Are
there grading positions available for undergrads?
There are always at least a few homework grading jobs
available. Send an email to David
Morin if you are interested, with a list of the
classes you are qualified to grade, and your grades
in those classes when you took them (excepting PS 2/3
and Phys 11). Which courses need graders usually isn't
determined until enrollments are finalized after study
card day.
Are
there TA positions available for undergrads?
There are occasionally TA positions available for
undergraduates, depending on the number of graduate
students who will be teaching in a given term. The
final data usually isn't known until a about a week
before classes start (and sometimes not until after
they start), but if you are interested, send an email
to David
Norcross and David
Morin at least a month in advance. Any available
spots are usually in PS 2/3, Phys 11, or Phys 15.
How
do I get paid?
Students receiving pay from the Physics Department
(whether for grading, being a TA, working in a lab,
or anything else) MUST complete four
forms and also fill out weekly time sheets. Links to
these five documents are:
Physics
Department Temporary Payroll Appointment Form
W-4
form
M-4
form
I-9
form (note required documentation on last page)
Time
sheet
You can also pick up the four forms from Maggie Kenar in Jefferson 367 (to the left of the receptionist's desk). Time sheets are also available from Maggie Kenar. All forms (and I-9 documentation) and time sheets should be handed in to Maggie Kenar.
The one exception is that if you have already filled out W-4, M-4, and I-9 forms within the last 12 months for the Physics Department or another department at Harvard, then this information is still on record, so you can ignore these three forms. But in any case you must fill out the Appointment Form for each new job.
Time sheets must be filled out to get paid. Do these regularly - do not wait until the end of the semester. There are occasionally wrinkles in the central payroll system, so you should make sure you hand in your first time sheet early, so that any wrinkles can be ironed out quicky.
The only exception to filling out time sheets occurs with certain types of pay for summer research. But students doing summer research will be given further detailed instructions (of which filling out the above four forms is a subset) in May.
Physics and Chem/Phys concentrators are more than welcome to take a semester or an entire year abroad. General information on study abroad can be found here, but you should see Howard Georgi or David Morin to discuss issues specific to the concentration. Most students choose a few of their courses to be ones that satisfy concentration credit, but other students arrange to complete all of their concentration requirements at Harvard and just take humanities courses during their time abroad.
If you are looking to be funded during your time abroad (for example, during the summer), you can search the Funding Database for International Experience for available funds.
How do I go about obtaining letters of recommendation?
See here for some guidelines.
How do I sign up for the Society of Physics Students mailing list?
The SPS list provides a forum for announcements of interest to the Harvard undergraduate physics community. The list is moderated, but anyone may subscribe or unsubscribe freely. Go here to sign up. For more information on the Society of Physics Students, see the SPS webpage.
Concentration emails are sometimes sent to the SPS
list (instead of the smaller "concentrators" list)
if the content is relevant to the wider SPS group.
Therefore, all Physics and Chem/Phys concentrators
should sign up for the SPS list.
How do I cross register at MIT?
There are loads of courses offered at Harvard, but if you can't find what you're looking for, and if you don't mind the commute to MIT, then by all means look into cross registering for a course there. Instructions on how to do this can be found at here. In addition, Sam Lipoff '04 has written some helpful advice on cross registering.
As far as the concentration honors grade calculation goes, we don't average in the grades of courses taken elsewhere (MIT, abroad, etc.). It's essentially just like you took the courses pass/fail here. (But this doesn't count against your two pass/fail concentration courses taken here. You can still take those, if you wish.)
Where can I get a Physics Dept bumper sticker?
Stop by Lyman 233 to pick one up, or just print one out. And then as you travel around the world to exotic places, you can take a picture of yourself with the bumper sticker and we'll post the photo here.
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