course-details-portlet

FY8904

Computational Physics

Assessments and mandatory activities may be changed until September 20th.

Credits 7.5
Level Doctoral degree level
Course start Spring 2026
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction English
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement Assignment

About

About the course

Course content

Linear algebra, finite difference methods, stochastic methods, ordinary differential equations, partial differential equations, optimization, linear programming, genetic algorithms, simulated annealing, Fourier methods, wavelet analysis, Monte Carlo methods, molecular dynamics, quantum mechanics, cellular automata.

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

The student will learn a selection of computational methods and how these can be used to solve problems within different fields of physics.

Skills and general competence:

The student will be able to formulate a strategy to solve a given problem using one or more computational methods, make it concrete through programming and running the program and then critically analyze the obtained result, communicate the result in writing in a format close to the standard used in international physics journals.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and exercises .The course will be given in English if students on the international master program in physics are attending the course. Expected workload in the course is 225 hours.

Joint lectures with TFY4235.

Further on evaluation

The final exam is a multiday take-home exam (100%).

Specific conditions

Admission to a programme of study is required:
Physics (PHFY)

Course materials

Lecture notes in English; Press, Flanery, Teukolsky and Vetterling: Numerical Recipes.

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From
TFY4235 7.5 sp Autumn 2010
This course has academic overlap with the course in the table above. If you take overlapping courses, you will receive a credit reduction in the course where you have the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject areas

  • Physics

Contact information

Course coordinator

Lecturers

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Physics

Examination

Examination

Grade: Passed / Not Passed

Examination arrangement: Home examination

Re-sit examination - Autumn 2025

Home examination
Weighting 100/100 Duration 4 days Exam system Inspera Assessment

Examination arrangement: Assignment

Ordinary examination - Spring 2026

Assignment
Weighting 100/100 Exam system Inspera Assessment