PHYSICS 230A · PHYS 230AQuantum Field Theory
Physics · 6 units · Graduate courses (200-299)
Introduction to relativistic quantum field theory starting from first principles. Topics include particles as unitary representations of Poincare group; fields as finite-dimensional representations of Lorentz group; discrete space-time symmetries; quantization of free scalar, spinor, and gauge fields; Casimir effect; classical interacting scalar, spinor, and gauge fields; and LSZ formalism for calculation of S-matrix from quantum field theory correlators.
S/U or letter grading.
When it runs
- Spring 2026
- Spring 2027
Scheduled, not typical — from UCLA’s Schedule of Classes, which publishes Fall 2025 through Spring 2027 and nothing before it.
Requisites
Official UCLA wording
Requisite: course 221C or equivalent and knowledge of basic special relativity.
BruinTree reads · Prerequisite
needs reviewconfidence 0.20 · from text- PHYSICS 221C
- all of
- equivalent
- knowledge of basic special relativity
- · could not read "equivalent" (no course number found)
- · could not read "knowledge of basic special relativity" (no course number found)
Requires
Everything that has to come before this course, not just the courses named in the requisite above.
PHYSICS 230A
- PHYSICS 221CQuantum Mechanics
- PHYSICS 221AQuantum Mechanics
- PHYSICS 221BQuantum Mechanics
1 direct requisite. The whole upstream is here — 4 courses over 3 levels. Every course here opens its own tree.
Unlocks
What this course is a requisite for, and what those courses lead to in turn.
PHYSICS 230A
- PHYSICS 226AElementary Particle Physics
- PHYSICS 226BElementary Particle Physics
- PHYSICS 226CElementary Particle Physics
- PHYSICS 226DBeyond the Standard Model
- PHYSICS 230BQuantum Field Theory
- PHYSICS 230CQuantum Field Theory
- PHYSICS 237AString Theory
- PHYSICS 237BString Theory
- PHYSICS 291Research Tutorial: Elementary Particle Theory
7 courses list this as a requisite. The whole downstream is here — 17 courses over 3 levels. Every course here opens its own tree.