Overview

So... why take this course?

String theory is now an integral part of modern high-energy theoretical physics. Important ideas currently being investigated by particle physicists and early universe cosmologists (theorists and experimentalists) came out of string theory - most notably extra dimensions, branes, and supersymmetry.

This course is intended for brand-new Masters students in Physics, and will be introductory: you won't be expected to know QFT or GR already! (See also prerequisites info .)

• If you want to do a Ph.D. in string theory, you should definitely take this course; it will enable you to go and study on your own the more advanced textbooks (e.g. Polchinski; see textbook info).
• If your intended field of study is particle theory or astrophysics, then you should come out of this course with good basic useful intuition about string theory to complement your quantum field theory intuition.
• I also hope to catch some intrepid mathematicians, condensed-matter theorists and particle experimentalists in my stringy web .

Since this is a graduate course, you should expect to take some initiative and to work for a good grade. I won't promise that this course will be an easy ride, but it will be rewarding.

This graduate course is offered in conjunction with the 2004-5 thematic visitor program on the Geometry of String Theory at Fields (& Perimeter) Institutes .

Regularly updated by course professor or her e-representative.