PHYSICS 464/564, COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS

This is an eCampus (online) course with no regularly-scheduled lab or office hour, but with video lectures including encapsulated slides. The instructor gladly works with students via email, and since he is often out of town, this is the preferred approach (communication through Blackboard is less immediate). Seriously, for this online course to work for you, you must be proactive in putting questions to the instructor, to other students, and in getting help quickly before you fall behind.

New Mandatory Requirement: You must have a short, personal conversation with the instructor each week. You can arrange by email to meet him in his office Wngr 499, or you can call him (before 9 PM Pacific time) on Skype (rubinhlandau), or his cell phone (541-224-4549), or you can ask him to call you.

Prerequisites: PH 265 or CS 161 or introductory programming experience, PH 211, MTH 252;
Corequisites: MTH 306 (Series & Matrices), or equivalent.

Text:	Landau, Paez, Bordeianu, A Survey of Computational Physics; introductory computational science
	Princeton University Press, 2008.
eTextBook (Python)	We have created a Python version of the text in the form an eTextBook. We will provide you with free access to it if you agree that it is for your personal use only, and that you will partake in a survey about the book at the beginning and end of the term. If you want access, please email the instructor (rubin@science.oregonstate.edu) with a statement of your agreement.
Electronic Enhancements	Sample Codes in multiple languages, Animations, Applets, Visualizations, etc., see text's CD
Electronic Lectures (Videos)	All on line, some on DVD available from instructor.

Grade

Quality and completeness of projects (best N-1 of N)	50%	Midterm	20%
Final Exam	20%	Participation	10%

The projects involve some programming and explorations, usually done with a modification of a sample code. In order to receive a full grade, each project, to the extent possible, must describe in your own words the five major elements (use these as headings):

1. Equation solved	4. Results; preferably visualization
2. Algorithm used	5. Critical analysis (what you learned or not)
3. Code listing (preferably link to it)

The exams emphasize assigned readings, understanding of concepts and vocabulary, but not programming details Use of any compiled language is acceptable, although we recommend Python or Java.

Acceptable Cooperation: You are encouraged to discuss assignments with the instructors and other students. Even if you work in a group, it is still your responsibility to understand the work you hand in. When you place your name on an assignment, it is viewed as a signed statement that it is your work and that if asked to, you can explain it. Warning: Handing in another student's assignment (either in original or modified form) without acknowledgement is academic dishonesty and will result in an F grade for the entire course. Sample codes are given to you, there is no credit for just running them.

College Science Computer Support On-line Unix tutorial Physics Department Computer Support

Needed Software and Computational Physics Lab: You should be able to load up your personal computer with all the software you will need for this course (and it's all free!). The text describes how to do this, although you may want find a friend if you have trouble. Just what you will need depends on the computer language you use (we recommend Python or Java). There are two Computational Physics labs in the OSU Physics Department that were set up for use of this course. You may have to get a key from the Physics Department office.

Partial support for this course has been provided by the National Science Foundation for the CPUG degree program and the BMACC project.
© Rubin H Landau, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331

Course Description & Aims	Learning Outcomes	CPUG A CP Curriculum	Project Instructions
Sample Project Report	Video Lectures, Only Slides	Student Expectations	Acceptable Cooperation with Others