[Yao]

Is it better to take the undergrad level pchems in order, or can I take pchem thermo/kinetic fall semester, then wait a year and half before taking pchem quantum? I'll be taking the physics E&M during that time, and other chem classes.

Also, is it okay to take pchem thermo/kinetic alongside diff eq, without yet taking phys E&M?

[Borek]

IMHO quantum and thermo/kinetics are separate enough to be taken in any order, when and where I studied back in eighties Quantum chemistry and Physical chemistry where two separate courses.

[Corribus]

There is no right way to teach (or learn) pchem, which is reflected in the fact that textbooks order the topics in different ways. I personally favor a molecular approach, in which QM and associated topics are taught before statistical mechanics, thermo, and kinetics, but that's actually not the traditional way it was taught. The traditional way (thermo first, then QM) reflects the historical order of development, even though QM radically changed how we understand thermodynamic concepts.

Anyway: either way is fine as long as they don't list one course as prerequisite of the other. In that case they may use concepts learned in the earlier course, which could make it difficult for you.

[Yao]

Thanks so much! I was worried because I'm not the best at math and physics, so I wanted to take diff eq and modern physics first.

[Corribus]

Won't hurt, but typically they will teach you the math you will to need to know in order to succeed in intro pchem. Understanding college level calculus is usually sufficient.