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Original post by _Avi
So to obtain a PhD in Theoretical Physics, I would have to do Maths (which I don't mind, but would prefer to do Physics)? There is no option through the Natural Scienes course? Also, what is this "Part III" that you mention? Part III of the Natural Sciences course?


You can still go do theoretical physics phds at every other uk uni using your natsci degree but for a cambridge theoretical physics phd they only use students from their part III maths course (which you can either do as a 4th year maths student or as a standalone MaSt but to do it as a standalone MaSt you would need to pay for it but if you do it as 4th year of their maths program it is funded by sfe still)

Part III is a undergraduate masters year (the bit that gives you the MSci instead of BA) which covers more advanced material (though at cam they cover same level of content as post grad masters) so even though it is called Part III it is the 4th year of your course

Part III of natsci and part III of maths are different :smile:
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 61
Original post by madmadmax321
You can still go do theoretical physics phds at every other uk uni using your natsci degree but for a cambridge theoretical physics phd they only use students from their part III maths course (which you can either do as a 4th year maths student or as a standalone MaSt but to do it as a standalone MaSt you would need to pay for it but if you do it as 4th year of their maths program it is funded by sfe still)

Part III is a undergraduate masters year (the bit that gives you the MSci instead of BA) which covers more advanced material (though at cam they cover same level of content as post grad masters) so even though it is called Part III it is the 4th year of your course

Part III of natsci and part III of maths are different :smile:


I knew about the Part III's and their differences but I'm really taken back by the fact the you cannot do a PhD in Theoretical Physics with a NatSci MSc 😱
Original post by _Avi
I knew about the Part III's and their differences but I'm really taken back by the fact the you cannot do a PhD in Theoretical Physics with a NatSci MSc 😱


This is the link to where they say their stance on it

http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/study/ExtApplPhDPlacesTheoPhys.pdf
Original post by _Avi
I knew about the Part III's and their differences but I'm really taken back by the fact the you cannot do a PhD in Theoretical Physics with a NatSci MSc 😱


In addition to my other link this one shows that they say the same goes for their quantum information research too (in the qualifications heading)

http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/study/phdstudentships.html
Reply 64
Original post by madmadmax321
This is the link to where they say their stance on it

http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/study/ExtApplPhDPlacesTheoPhys.pdf


That is regarding external applicants. This though says you can: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/maampdmtp
Original post by _Avi
That is regarding external applicants. This though says you can: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/maampdmtp


The first link sent you is the further information to that, you can apply but as they state in the pdf and second link that are both directly off their department page, they in reality only take their part III maths students for the areas that are more formal (and they say they take 1-2 students per year for the less formal cosmology and gauge theory)

If you feel like watching it imperial have a video on youtube about imperials msc theory masters and someone asks the same question and even they say that in practice Cambridge only take from their part III maths

also again as stated in the pdf directly from the cam theoretical physics website 'a large majority of successful applicants will have first taken Part III of the Mathematical Tripos' so


Look on the datmp website as thats where their detailed admissions info is, that is just a more general admissions statement.

If you want to do a theoretical physics phd at cambridge then youre going to have to do a maths degree there (and get a great first), if you read some of the phd student bios on the theoretical physics website for cam they mostly have all done part III maths (some its called MaSt but its the same course)
Original post by madmadmax321
You can still go do theoretical physics phds at every other uk uni using your natsci degree but for a cambridge theoretical physics phd they only use students from their part III maths course (which you can either do as a 4th year maths student or as a standalone MaSt but to do it as a standalone MaSt you would need to pay for it but if you do it as 4th year of their maths program it is funded by sfe still)

Part III is a undergraduate masters year (the bit that gives you the MSci instead of BA) which covers more advanced material (though at cam they cover same level of content as post grad masters) so even though it is called Part III it is the 4th year of your course

Part III of natsci and part III of maths are different :smile:


You can do part iii maths after nat sci part ii if you are good enough
Original post by samb1234
You can do part iii maths after nat sci part ii if you are good enough

While still being classed as an undergrad though? if yes then thats fine but the only things I would check as the OP would

1. check youre classed as an undergrad still when transferring (so they get funding)
2. Check module choice isnt limited due to not having done straight maths for first 3 years (as likely the limited ones for theory would be GR and HEP and QI as they are the most mathematically demanding
Reply 70
Original post by madmadmax321
While still being classed as an undergrad though? if yes then thats fine but the only things I would check as the OP would

1. check youre classed as an undergrad still when transferring (so they get funding)
2. Check module choice isnt limited due to not having done straight maths for first 3 years (as likely the limited ones for theory would be GR and HEP and QI as they are the most mathematically demanding


1. the Tripos system should mean it's still undergrad, but yeah best to d/check :smile:
Original post by madmadmax321
While still being classed as an undergrad though? if yes then thats fine but the only things I would check as the OP would

1. check youre classed as an undergrad still when transferring (so they get funding)
2. Check module choice isnt limited due to not having done straight maths for first 3 years (as likely the limited ones for theory would be GR and HEP and QI as they are the most mathematically demanding


I am not 100% sure if you are still classed as an undergrad, but I believe you are as you apply internally rather than through the graduate admissions system. If you want to do it, according to the departments website
'students obtaining a first in NST physics and whose applications are supported by the college should normally be allowed to progress to Part III.' I would assume that most of the physicsy modules would be accessible to you depending on your modules in part ii but i suspect the pure stuff probably wouldn't be
Reply 72
Original post by madmadmax321
Look on the datmp website as thats where their detailed admissions info is, that is just a more general admissions statement.

If you want to do a theoretical physics phd at cambridge then youre going to have to do a maths degree there (and get a great first), if you read some of the phd student bios on the theoretical physics website for cam they mostly have all done part III maths (some its called MaSt but its the same course)


Well yep. Just properly read the PDF link you sent, part III is practically essential to do a PhD and 100% essential to do a "more popular" area. So what are the ways to do part III with a NatSci degree, would I have to do another year and do part III or will I able able to swap? Or do I have to do a Maths degree or decide to go to another uni?
Original post by _Avi
Well yep. Just properly read the PDF link you sent, part III is practically essential to do a PhD and 100% essential to do a "more popular" area. So what are the ways to do part III with a NatSci degree, would I have to do another year and do part III or will I able able to swap? Or do I have to do a Maths degree or decide to go to another uni?


Some of the other posters just mentioned you can do the first 3 years of nat sci and then transfer to the part III maths if you have done well enough in nat sci

If I was you I would email the cambridge admissions and ask
1. as a transfer from nat sci to part III maths tripos do you still get funding for the part III maths year (though by the sounds of it you will)
2. Are you limited in what modules you can take? if so which ones and how would this effect the project topics you can do
Reply 74
Original post by _Avi
Well yep. Just properly read the PDF link you sent, part III is practically essential to do a PhD and 100% essential to do a "more popular" area. So what are the ways to do part III with a NatSci degree, would I have to do another year and do part III or will I able able to swap? Or do I have to do a Maths degree or decide to go to another uni?


Original post by madmadmax321
Some of the other posters just mentioned you can do the first 3 years of nat sci and then transfer to the part III maths if you have done well enough in nat sci

If I was you I would email the cambridge admissions and ask
1. as a transfer from nat sci to part III maths tripos do you still get funding for the part III maths year (though by the sounds of it you will)
2. Are you limited in what modules you can take? if so which ones and how would this effect the project topics you can do


You could also ask in the Peterhouse Q&A thread. The policy will be the same no matter which college you apply to.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4057087
Ask the Admissions Team - 2017 entry

But, why not just apply to Maths (or Maths with Physics) instead of NatSci from the outset?

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Reply 75
Original post by jneill
But, why not just apply to Maths (or Maths with Physics) instead of NatSci from the outset?


But the Maths with Physics course does not cover Physics in as much detail compared to the NatSci course (obviously). With the limited Physics, I'm pretty sure it would limit my career choices. If it was possible to do Maths and Physics, or Physics and Maths, or Physics with Maths - that would be perfect as these are my two favourite subjects.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 76
Original post by _Avi
But the Maths with Physics course does not cover Physics in as much detail compared to the NatSci course (obviously). With the limited Physics, I'm pretty sure it would limit my career choices. If it was possible to do Maths and Physics, or Physics and Maths, or Physics with Maths - that would be perfect as these are my two favourite subjects.


I'm no expert in the Maths (with Physics) route but my impression was there is plenty of physics content in it. The first year of Maths with Physics includes all the Physics content from the NatSci Tripos, and from then on there's plenty of flexibility.

Having a Cambridge MMaths (i.e. including Maths Part III) will not limit a physics career (or Physics PhD options).

I'm sure some of the other posters can confirm (or deny)!
Reply 77
Original post by jneill
I'm no expert in the Maths (with Physics) route but my impression was there is plenty of physics content in it. The first year of Maths with Physics includes all the Physics content from the NatSci Tripos, and from then on there's plenty of flexibility.

Having a Cambridge MMaths (i.e. including Maths Part III) will not limit a physics career (or Physics PhD options).

I'm sure some of the other posters can confirm (or deny)!


To do a Physics PhD, would I need Part III? To be honest, I don't think I would, but that's what I thought about Theoretical Physics. 😬😄
Original post by _Avi
To do a Physics PhD, would I need Part III? To be honest, I don't think I would, but that's what I thought about Theoretical Physics. 😬😄


(with the exception of cam and some other places that specify a 4 year course being needed) you dont 'need' part III to do a physics phd but it'd still be a big advantage as youve covered a lot more advanced content, part III courses are kind of designed for people that plan to go do a phd after their undergrad. It doesnt really make sense to not do a part iii course if you want to do a phd, you cover more advanced content and you do a larger research project giving you a better taste of what a phd is going to be like

A note: if you were to take maths instead of nat sci, you would miss out on some more applied physics topics possibly and you would do no labs so you wouldnt be able to do a experimental physics phd
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by _Avi
To do a Physics PhD, would I need Part III? To be honest, I don't think I would, but that's what I thought about Theoretical Physics. 😬😄


I think you can probably forget about Physics PhD at the moment and just concentrate on getting very good grades on maths and physics in a-level as that will give you a good base to apply to pursue the route you're interested, not only at Cambridge but also at other good unis.
Even if you eventually get in Cambridge for undergrad course, you may not want to stay at Cambridge for PhD (or even a master's level), depending upon a field of theoretical physics you want to do. (You may even change your mind about theoretical physics, too)
It's not a very good idea to narrow your target uni for postgraduate course so early.
(edited 7 years ago)

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