Courses

These are the academic courses I took at Rochester Institute of Technology. Most of them were completed.



Science

Sophistication Level: S = 2

1011-211: Chemistry Principles I
1011-212: Chemistry Principles II
1011-205: Chemistry Principles I, Lab
1011-206: Chemistry Principles II, Lab
1017-200: Physics Orientation I
1017-201: Physics Orientation II
1017-311: University Physics I
1017-312: University Physics II
1017-313: University Physics III
1017-375: University Physics I, Lab
1017-376: University Physics II, Lab
1017-377: University Physics III, Lab
1017-301: University Astronomy
1017-317: Introduction to Computational Physics & Programming
1017-314: Introduction to Modern Physics I
1017-315: Introduction to Modern Physics II
1017-321: Introduction to Lab Techniques
1017-350: Sophomore Physics Seminar
1017-374: Modern Physics Lab


Sophistication Level: S = 3

1017-401: Intermediate Mechanics I
1017-402: Intermediate Mechanics II
1017-480: Mathematical Physics I
1017-481: Mathematical Physics II
1017-559: Mathematical Physics III
1017-431: Electronic Measurements
1017-415: Thermal Physics
1017-559: Principles of Biophysics I
1017-359: Nanoscience, Engineering, and Technology
1017-411: Electricity & Magnetism I
1017-412: Electricity & Magnetism II
1017-522: Quantum Mechanics I
1017-523: Quantum Mechanics II
1017-440: Stellar Astrophysics
1017-455: Optical Physics
1017-421: Experimental Physics

Mathematics

Sophistication Level: S = 2

1016-240: Precalculus
1016-251: Calculus I
1016-252: Calculus II
1016-253: Calculus III
1016-305: Calculus IV
1016-258: Introduction to Mathematica
1016-265: Discrete Math I
1016-351: Probability & Statistics I
1016-352: Probability & Statistics II
1016-306: Differential Equations I
1016-331: Matrix Algebra
1016-420: Complex Variables

Sophistication Level: S = 3

1016-307: Differential Equations II
1016-407: Dynamical Systems
1016-432: Linear Algebra
1016-467: Graph Theory
1016-481: Problem Solving
1016-411: Real Variables I
1016-412: Real Variables II
1016-511: Numerical Analysis
1016-531: Abstract Algebra I
1016-532: Abstract Algebra II
1016-559: Differential Geometry
1016-571: Topology I


Liberal Arts

Sophistication Level: S = 2

0505-215: Fine Arts: Film Arts
0514-210: Introduction to Psychology
0509-211: Ethics
0510-210: Cultural Anthropology

Sophistication Level: S = 3

0507-444: Strategy & Diplomacy: Europe
0507-442: Contemporary Middle East
0507-449: History of Russia Since 1917
0507-488: Modern Germany


Independent Study

Sophistication Level: S = 3

1017-541: Physics Research
1017-595: Advanced Physics Research I
1017-595: Advanced Physics Research II
1017-595: Advanced Physics Research III
1016-599: Differential Geometry & General Relativity I
1016-599: Differential Geometry & General Relativity II




Sophistication and Rigor Levels

S and R levels are a threshold structure I invented to rank the relative difficulties of academic courses relative to similar curriculum. Sophistication levels S refer to the vertical scale of the content itself, which is reasonably well-defined for subjects requiring pre-requisite knowledge and skills. This loosely corresponds to two-year intervals within the universities. Rigor levels R refer to the fact that the very same subject can be treated with different degrees of relative difficulty. In principle these would be defined so that higher levels are inherently superior.


Sophistication Levels: (Content Difficulty)

S = 5: Specialist

S = 4: Graduate

S = 3: Upper Undergraduate

S = 2: Lower Undergraduate

S = 1: General / Popular


Rigor Levels: (Test Difficulty, Relative To Content)

R = 5: Extremely Difficult

R = 4: Very, Very Hard

R = 3: "Ivy League Hard"

R = 2: Moderately Difficult

R = 1: "Easy Class"


Roughly: (1) "too easy", (2) "respectable", (3) "solid", (4) "hard", and (5) "way too hard".