AMATH 473Quantum Theory
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Mathematics
- Subject
- Applied Mathematics
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 3 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
The Hilbert space of states, observables, and time evolution. Feynman path integral and Greens functions. Approximation methods. Co-ordinate transformations, angular momentum, and spin. The relation between symmetries and conservation laws. Density matrix, Ehrenfest theorem, and decoherence. Multiparticle quantum mechanics. Bell inequality and basics of quantum computing.
Prerequisites
- Complete 1 of the following
- Must have completed the following:
- Must have completed the following:
- Must have completed the following:
- Complete all of the following
Antirequisites
- Not completed any of the following:
Leads to
Fall 2026 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 6035 | 37 / 32 | TTh 10:00–11:20 |
| TUT 101 | 6338 | 37 / 32 | Th 11:30–12:20 |
Reviewed on UW Flow
100% liked it44% easy63% useful
From 4 ratings and 2 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
I was taught be Graeme Smith. He's very scattered but so hilarious. Content is cool. By the way, go hunt down Achim Kempf's lecture videos for this course on YouTube, they're fantastic and can complement/substitute in-person lectures
Dec 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Took with Graeme Smith (isn't listed on uw flow for some reason). Interesting content, Achim's notes are incredible, but the final exam really ruined the course for me. It wasn't incredibly hard, but it was so different from everything we'd done in class that I felt my time was wasted studying it so much. Overall the course itself was enjoyable and connected many things you learned in previous qm courses.
Dec 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
16 posts and comments in 14 threads mention AMATH 473, January 2012 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Spring 2024
Fun PHYS & AMATH Courses 5 points, 1 comment
u/eranand04: “seems like u have AMATH 250, MATH 237, PHYS 121. If u like lin alg: PHYS 234, 334 ,434, AMATH 373, 473, 474. If u like DE: PHYS 363, AMATH 361. If u like vector calc: PHYS 242, 342, 442”
Spring 2022
Mathematical physics Course blueprint recommendations 3 points, 21 comments
“Hey everyone, I’m going into the mathematical physics program at Waterloo next year and I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on a sort of blueprint I could follow for courses because …”
u/Yu-Li: “… PMATH 365 / PMATH 343 PHYS 242 First coop term Do your first research coop PHYS 342 3B Fall AMATH 473 AMATH 351 PMATH 347 PHYS 442 (get override request) PHYS 475 (get override request) / PHYS 468 Change coop sequence 4A winter: AMATH 474 PMATH 863 AMATH 475 PHYS 359 One more …”
Winter 2021
STAT 230 for physics 1 point, 3 comments
“Hi guys. How important do you think is taking STAT 230 for physics majors? Do you have any amath or pmath recommended courses?”
u/theorganicpotatoes: “… into pmath 347 (groups and rings), pmath 343 (intro to the math of quantum info), and then Amath 473(quantum theory 2). I had minimal stats knowledge and I was fine, but I'm sure for some courses it would have been helpful. …”
Spring 2020
Fuck this bird course bullshit: what is the theoretical hardest term you could do? 49 points, 27 comments
“You're limited to a maximum of 5 classes, you're only allowed to do courses that would be allowed for the program/major you pick. …”
u/cabbagemeister: “… Project), PHYS475 (Cosmology), PMATH945 (Clifford Algebras, Spinors, and Calibrations), AMATH473 (Quantum Theory 2) Winter: PHYS444 (Intro Particle Physics) PHYS476 (General Relativity) AMATH474 (Quantum Theory 3) PMATH467 (Algebraic Topology) PMATH965 (Symplectic Geometry) The …”
New Educational YouTube Channel 1 point, 1 comment
“Hi everyone! Me and a few of my friends have recently started an educational YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgHTovJYcpwC-KREEvenaYg) focused on university level STEM courses. …”
u/MoistGochu: “Can you make one for Quantum Theory 2? PHYS 454/AMATH 473”
Fall 2019
AMATH 473 vs PHYS 454 and AMATH 475 vs PHYS 476 0 points, 7 comments
u/supermod111: “I am in mathematical physics (2A), and I was wondering what are the differences between the two courses in each pairing, since I will take one from each in 4th year. …”
u/silverotter2: “Amath 473 & Phys 454 are cross-listed, which means they’re the same course, no matter which one you’re enrolled in; same goes for the latter 2.”
Fall 2018
What first year CS electives did you take? Do you wish you chose different ones? 5 points, 5 comments
u/UWGooseHunter: “PMATH 450 PMATH 451 CO 463 CO 466 AMATH 473 STAT 433 I wish I took different ones. The work was too easy tbqh”
Spring 2018
What courses are you taking next term? 4 points, 47 comments
“Mine will be a boring one. ACTSC371, MATH237, STAT231, CO342 and AFM101”
u/Kakateo: “AMATH 473, PHYS 434, PHYS 442, PHYS 474 and probably AMATH 461”
Fall 2017
Highest grade you've ever received at UW? 11 points, 72 comments
“highest grade in any course you have taken here”
u/uwaterloophys: “100 in Phys 121, Math 135, Math 137, CS 145, Phys 122, Phys 124, Math 245, Amath 456, Amath 473, etc.”
PSA: UWCourseLinker back up, disabled by default, call with [[course code]] 39 points, 31 comments
u/RayDWatson: “Testing all course codes 1/61: [[ACC604]] [[ACC605]] [[ACC606]] [[ACC607]] [[ACC608]] [[ACC609]] [[ACC610]] [[ACC611]] [[ACC620]] [[ACC621]] [[ACC622]] [[ACC623]] [[ACC624]] [[ACC625]] [[ACC626]] …”
u/RayDWatson: “… [[AMATH447]] [[AMATH451]] [[AMATH453]] [[AMATH455]] [[AMATH456]] [[AMATH463]] [[AMATH473]] [[AMATH475]] [[AMATH477]] [[AMATH495]] [[AMATH655]] [[AMATH663]] [[AMATH673]] [[AMATH675]] [[AMATH690]]”
u/UWCourseLinker: “… 2 AMATH 455 - Control Theory AMATH 456 - Calculus of Variations AMATH 463 - Fluid Mechanics AMATH 473 - Quantum Theory 2 AMATH 475 - Introduction to General Relativity AMATH 477 - Statistical Mechanics AMATH 495 - Reading Course AMATH 655 - Control Theory AMATH 663 - Fluid …”
Any way to disable UWCourseLinker from posting? 16 points, 26 comments
“posting a reply to my comment I find the bot annoying.”
u/Jackhofmann: “PSYCH 483 PSYCH 484 PSYCH 485 PSYCH 486 PSYCH 490R PSYCH 499A PSYCH 499B PSYCH 499C PSYCH 621 PSYCH 630 PSYCH 677A PSYCH 704A PSYCH 704B PSYCH 707 PSYCH 710 PSYCH 714 PSYCH 717 PSYCH 720A PSYCH 721A …”
u/Jackhofmann: “… AMATH 331 AMATH 342 AMATH 350 AMATH 351 AMATH 391 AMATH 442 AMATH 453 AMATH 456 AMATH 463 AMATH 473 AMATH 495 AMATH 663 AMATH 673 AMATH 731 AMATH 732 AMATH 740 AMATH 751 AMATH 871 AMATH 875 AMATH 900 ANTH 100 ANTH 100W ANTH 201 ANTH 202 ANTH 204 ANTH 222 ANTH 241 ANTH 300 ANTH …”
Fall 2016
Has anyone done a depth in physics. 2 points, 6 comments
“I kind of want to do a depth in phys but I only took 111 and 112. So the second year courses I can use for depth is restricted to are health physics, optics, magnetic/electric or quantum. …”
u/I_NoScopedUrMom: “I'm a physics major and I've commented on a similar post before; your best option for depth is quantum and optics. Do not take magnetism. …”
u/I_NoScopedUrMom: “… These courses will give you a good understanding of quantum physics (only two are amath): AMATH 250, AMATH 373, PHYS 234, PHYS 334, PHYS 454 (crosslisted with AMATH 473). …”
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