PHYC 3250

Computational Methods in Phyc

Lec 01 selected

The objective of this course is to teach students the use of computers in physical analysis. The UNIX operating system will be introduced and used throughout the course. A modern programming language will be applied to a selection of problems drawn from physical theory and experiment. This is a hands-on, practical, and interactive class with an emphasis on the development of computational skills that scientists use.

Sections

Lecture

From the syllabus

From the Winter 2026 syllabus by Jesse Maassen and Jonathan Irving. Winter 2027 is taught by Rutenberg A., so details may differ. Open the PDF

Grading

65%Homeworks (5)13% each; due Jan 27, Feb 10, Mar 3, Mar 17, Mar 31
35%Project reportDue April 9

Textbooks

  • Computational Physics, Mark Newman
  • Numerical Recipes: The Art of Scientific Computing, W. H. Press, S. A. Teukolsky, W. T. Vetterling, and B. P. Flannery (optional)
  • Numerical Methods for Physics, A. L. Garcia (optional)

Course rules

Late work
Assignments and the final report lose 10% per day late, up to a maximum deduction of 50%.
Illness
Students may email a Student Declaration of Absence to request an assignment extension of up to three days.
Academic integrity
Discussion is allowed, but calculations and writing must be your own, and submitted code must be your own.
Generative AI
Generative AI and large language models are not permitted for any assessment.
Delivery
Classes are in person and are not recorded.

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