SENATE COMMITTEE ON UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES 

FACULTY OF SCIENCE - 

SubjedMATHEMATICAL PHYSICS 

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PROGRAM 

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Date NOVEMBER 14, 1974 

MOTION 

"That Senate approve - and recommend approval 

to the Board - the proposed program, as set forth 

in S.74-156, for a Mathematical Physics Honors 

Program.” 

REGISTRAR'S NOTE: 

As the proposal represents no new courses or 

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requirements but merely a combination of courses 

it is intended that, if approved, it become 

effective immediately. 

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Faculty of 

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af.tii 

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.... 

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.......Nover...14,. .1974.............................................. 

At its meeting of 12th Novther, the Senate Comnittee on 

Undergraduate Studies discussed the attached proposal for the establishment 

of an honors program in Mathematical Physics. It should be noted that 

this proposal includes no new courses or requirements but is merely a 

combination of courses to allow those students who wish to do so, approx- 

imately ten to fifteen a year,to achieve recognition for work in Mathnatical 

Physics. It is thus intended that, if the proposal is approved, it become 

effective immediately. 

This proposal is now forwarded to Senate, with the Committee's 

recc*mndation that it be approved. 

1. Mugridge 

:ans 

att. 

............Senate .Committeeon 

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.... 

A.E. Curzon 

............Urc ....grac1ia.te . 

cting Pea,n. of Science 

.Novemb 

.r

•,, ....1974 

(HONORS) PROGRAM 

The attached Mathematical Physics (Honors) Program proposal was 

approved by the Faculty of Science at its meeting of October 31, 

1974

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and is now forwarded to the Senate Committee on Undergraduate 

Studies for consideration. 

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MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS (HONORS) PROGRAM 

Proposed Calendar Entry 

An Honors program in Mathematical Physics is offered jointly 

by the Departments of Mathematics and Physics. Entry into 

this program requires the permission of both Departments. 

It is possible for graduates from this program to do graduate 

work in either Physics or Mathematics; depending upon the 

particular interest of the student, a small amountof additional 

work in either Physics or Mathematics may be required. 

Levels 1,2,3, and .4 

PkYS 201-2, 202-2, 203-2, 

234-2, and 235-2 

MATH 151-3, 152-3, 232-3, 

CMPT 103-3 

204-2, 205-2, 206-2, 233-2, 

253-4, 310-3, 312-4 

19 semester hours of electives. 

TOTAL: 60 semester hours. 

Levels 5,6,7, and 8 

PHYS 331-3 (or 332-3), 341-4, 351-4, 381-4, 382-4, 411-41, 

412-4, 421-4 

MATH 320-3, 361-3, 371-3, 422-4 

Any two of the following 5 courses: MATH 413-4, 414-4, 

420-4, 431-4, 432-4 

And three of the following 8; at least one of which 

must be either MATH 468-4 or 469-4: 

MATH 466-4 467-4, 468-4, 469-4, 470-4, 471-4, 

PHYS 461-4, 

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471-4 

Plus 8 hours of electives. 

TOTAL: 72 semester hours. 

It is recommended that CHEM 104-3 and 105-3 be taken in the 

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electivEs. Students interested in numerical methods arc 

reminded of the availability of MATH 316-3 and 416-4. 

Rationale: 

Theoretical physicists have played an important role 

in the development of modern physics. People like Maxwell, 

Boltzmann, Gibbs, Einstein and Feynman, to mention only a few, 

have revolutionized physics. More important to note is the 

fact that there has been a strong revival of mathematical 

physics in the past decade or so. It has brought mathematicians 

and physicists together in a fruitful coalition in such areas 

as Quantum field theory and Statistical Mechanics. It is 

expected that this flurry of activity in mathematical physics 

will continue for quite some years to come. 

Graduate programs in mathematical physics are now 

being instituted in various universities (e.g. University 

of Indiana), requiring students to have a strong background 

in physics and in mathematics. The program we have designed 

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enables students to take more mathematics courses than regular 

Physics Honors students, in lieu of the advanced laboratory 

courses 

in

physics, as it is felt that the advanced fourth year 

labs are not essential for students who wish to do theoretical 

physics. 

It is felt that there is both a demand and a need for 

the institution of a program in Mathematical Physics at Simon 

Fraser University. Already we have received requests from 

students for such a program. Some students have, in fact, 

switched their majors from physics to mathematics because 

they are more theoretically inclined, but would have preferred 

to obtain a degree in mathematical physics. 

It is further felt that the establishment of a program 

in Mathematical Physics would bring about a closer interaction 

between the Departments of Mathematics and Physics. 

Research in mathematical physics is highly exacting and 

usually draws students who are at the top of their class. 

For this reason, it is felt that the institution of an Honors 

program only 

in

mathematical physics is highly desirable. 

Students who are initially enrolled in the Honors program, 

but who fail to obtain Honors standing would have the following 

recourse: 1) the inclusion in his program or the addition of 

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either 

PHYS 

331 or 332 would permit the student to obtain a 

Physics Major degree, or 2) the inclusion or addition of two 

Rationale 

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of MATH 141, 142, 161, 180, 194, 196 or 241 would permit the 

student to obtain a Mathematics Major degree. 

Graduates of the Mathematical Physics program would be 

acceptable to do advanced study in either Mathematics or Physics, 

subject to the following restrictions at Simon Fraser University: 

1) graduates would be acceptable in Theoretical Physics but 

could need an upper level Physics laboratory course to qualify 

for admission to an experimental research program, 2) students 

may be required to take a few undergraduate courses in Mathematics, 

the nature and number of which would be determined by the 

particular area of Mathematics in which the student plans to 

do graduate work. 

To summarize, it is recommended that the Honors program 

in Mathematical Physics be instituted. Since'this program 

requires students to take a particular selection of existing 

courses from the Departments of Mathematics and Physics, it 

would not require either additional staff or funds. It is felt 

that the program is both viable and justifiable from the point 

of view of the importance of this subject in future research, and 

because there is a demand from students for this type of program. 

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