Your main objective in this course is to develop a working intuition of quantum mechanics. Even if you believe your future is in string theory, you have a moral obligation to understand the simple predictions of quantum mechanics.
When was the last time you lost sleep thinking about water? The electric dipole moment of this simple molecule is key to the workings of all biological machinery, from the folding and aggregation of proteins, to the medium that supports the complex signaling and regulatory networks of cells. It's hard to image life without water. The origin of the dipole moment is the bent shape of H2O -- that much is clear. But why isn't the lowest energy configuration of the molecule linear? Aren't ground states typically symmetric?
In this course you will learn why the water molecule is bent, along with many other simple things. The goal is for you to be able sort things out on a fundamental level and without slavish devotion to mathematical formalism. Only when you have mastered this skill will it be safe for you to take up string theory.
Because the course does not follow a particular text, and covers several topics not normally found in graduate-level books, it is important that you attend all the lectures.
Grades in the course are based on homework (50%) and a written final exam (50%). Feel free to work through homework problems in groups; we only ask that the actual writing down of solutions be done individually. The lecturer and TAs in the course are very generous in giving out advice and hints, especially to students who can demonstrate prior efforts. Homework assignments are given out weekly on the course web site.