Course syllabus for String theory

This course assumes that the student has passed courses in Quantum Physics, Mathematical physics, Electromagnetism and Subatomic physics at the Bachelor level. Special requirements for this course is Special relativity while Quantum mechanics and Gravitation and cosmology at master level are very useful but not necessary to follow the course.

The purpose of this course is to give an gentle introduction to string theory and the fundamental questions about nature that can only be answered using strings. This is done using a minimum of advanced mathematical methods.

After having passed the course 'String theory' the student should have acquired  some understanding of the basic clash between General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics, and how this clash is resolved in string theory. The student should then have obtained a set of mathematical tools making it possible to compute various physical effects in string theory, and knowledge of how the gravitational force and the standard model of elementary particles are extracted from string theory and its so called D-branes. He/she should also be able to quantize the dynamical string theory and express it in terms of the infinite dimensional Virasoro algebra. Also very important is the expected ability to discuss and evaluate the good and weak points of string theory and its relation to physics in four-dimensional spacetime.

The course begins with an introductory discussion of the fundamental problems encountered when trying to understand our universe in terms of standard (quantum) field theory methods of elementary particle physics, and how string theory may solve them. String theory is then introduced and quantized in the most simple way possible and with a minimum of mathematics. Some of its properties are studied in particular its connection to higher dimensional physics and D-branes, a kind of dynamical surfaces. Dimensional reduction to four-dimensional spacetime is another central topic that is discussed. More advanced material like conformal field theory, low energy supergravity och scattering amplitudes are briefly mentioned but not studied in detail.

The lectures cover the most relevant material of the course while computational methods and skills are developed by solving a number of home problems.

B. Zwiebach, 'A first course in string theory' (Cambridge university press, 2nd edit. 2009)

Home problems and a mandatory oral exam