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My background : I'm currently in my junior year in college majoring in astrophysics. I have taken GR, and some intro cosmology here and there, but nothing in great depth.

I had my heart set on taking a full physical cosmology class this spring. As luck would have it, I can't take the physical cosmology class due to scheduling conflict ! I intend to proceed to graduate school in astrophysics, so I would have to take the graduate level cosmology then, but in the mean time, I was thinking of teaching myself undergrad cosmology out of Barbara Ryden's book.

My question is : any advise for undergrads teaching themselves this subject matter ? Are there any "go to" resources? is Ryden a good choice?

Qmechanic
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Tze Goh
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It can be done - I have done almost all my study by distance education (outback Australia for my undergrad degree). First choose the book of the course you are studying. Second, find out whoever else is doing the course and sit in quietly on their study group. Third, Youtube is a fantastic resource - I used it to connect with GR. Fourth, you will need excellent English. Fifth, make sure you do all the exercises in the book, don't think that just reading it is of much value. If you can swipe the study guide for the subject can provide a compressed version also.

Good luck! Besides, what is the worst that can happen? Just don't let it get in the way of your other subjects (free advice from me as a physics and chemistry teacher).

Stephen Anastasi
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