As you might have seen on my Twitter (or Facebook), the course registration in Sweden started about a week ago. For the past year I’ve been absolutely determined to study “Scientific calculation & Simulation” as my “specification” of my Masters of Engineering Physics.
But as with most things, the decision becomes harder when you actually have to make it. There were 2 factors weighing in on my decision, the specification (inriktning in Swedish, there is no real equivalent in English/American schools) and the time in which I should study it.
I have two big hobbies in my life, Programming and Physics. The former is something I’ve worked with the past 10 years and the latter is something that have been exclusive to study, I don’t actually really see myself going into a career in Physics, but I absolutely love to study the subject. To be able to understand how the world works and perhaps even have the ability to explain it to someone else is fantastic.
I have also thought for the past year that “If I can do it in 1 year, I will.” During my second year I studied 11.5 credits extra. I need 300 credits to graduate and have 191.5 currently. One term is 30 credits. In Swedish schools we study 3 terms normal courses and then spend one term doing our thesis project for another 30 credits during our last 2 years. However, if I just study another 20 credits extra during the 4th year I will be done with all my courses and can then do the thesis project during the summer and thus finish in slightly more than a year. I think 20 credits extra in a year is by no means impossible and frankly, after having spent the week planning and looking at schedules, I don’t even think it’s going to be difficult.
Because I think my thesis project will be more applicable to my future career if I choose the calculation specification, I will choose that over “Accelerators – technology and physics”. Because I think I can finish in a year without much further difficulty, I intend to so as well. It was quite a lot of work to find a plan that involved enough physics to keep my interest in that field satisfied, but I think I finally found a plan that works. There were quite some compromises but if I were to read everything I wanted to, it would be almost a full years worth of extra courses.
So, here is the plan I hope to follow. I think it’s going to be an interesting year.
Studyplan
