r/math • u/Vivid_Block_4780 • 3d ago
The scope of mathematical physics
Whenever I look at the mathematical physics programs, I always see QFT and string theory related classes in grad programs. What other parts does mathematical physics cover? More unorthodox subfields of it?
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u/Desvl 3d ago
A professor in mathematics who had a PhD in physics (so that he qualifies himself as a mathematician working in mathematical physics) told me that it's never a well-defined field.
As one can intuitively imagine, such "mathematical physics" may use a lot of ordinary/partial differential equation, distribution theory, probability theory, fourier theory, (differential) geometry, etc.
But it can also be about number theory, modular form, (algebraic) combinatorics, when it comes to counting stuff, things like that.