Physics Courses, Assessment and Degree Structure
In each academic year, your physics courses add up to a total of 120 ‘credits’. Each of the following is a 20-credit course, unless otherwise stated. Students currently on Physics with Acoustics take all Acoustics Options. Students currently on Pure and Applied Physics follow the BSc Physics programme at levels 5 and 6. For all programmes it is possible to take a placement year following successful completion of level 5. See also an overview of the different types of Physics Degrees.
Click on any course title below to find detailed information on syllabus, texts and full module specification (including assessment information). Course titles have their Course Reference Numbers (CRN’s) in brackets.
Reading Lists (see also individual course pages below, in the first instance)
Physics Foundation Year (level 3)
Semesters 1 & 2
Foundation Physics A (50142)
[ mechanics.matter.waves ]
Foundation Physics B (50143)
[ electricity.fields.atoms ]
Foundation Physics Laboratory (50158) †
[ design.analysis.experiments ]
Foundation IT and Study Skills (50159)
[ careers.skills.exercises ]
Semester 1
Foundation Mathematics 1 (52551)
[ algebra.geometry.matrices ]
Semester 2
Foundation Mathematics 2 (52552)
[ vectors.calculus.series ]
† Introduction to Probability and Statistics replaces Foundation Physics Laboratory for Mathematics with Foundation Year students
Physics First Year (level 4)
Semesters 1 & 2
Mechanics, Relativity and Quantum Physics (59402)
Electricity, Magnetism and Light (59403)
Physics Laboratory 1 (59407)
Physics in Context (59406)
Modelling of Physical Systems (59404)
Mathematics (59405)
Electronic Engineering students only:
Semester 1
Mathematics 39013 (39013) [ foundation.to.calculus ]
Semester 2
Mathematics and Computing (31140) [ theory.analysis.simulation ]
Physics Second Year (level 5)
Semesters 1 & 2
Electromagnetism (59408)
Thermal Physics (59410)
Quantum Physics (59411)
Waves and Optics (59412)
Semester 1
Physics Laboratory 2 (59409)
Semester 2
Group Project (59413) †
† or Principles of Acoustics or Foreign Language (S1 & S2) or Educational Principles and Practice in STEM
Physics Third Year (level 6)
Semesters 1 & 2
Project in Physics (13748) – 40 credits
Semester 1
Nuclear and Particle Physics (60831)
Physics Laboratory 3 (60692)
Semester 2
Condensed Matter Physics (60832)
and
Astrophysics & Planetary Physics (60694) or Photonics & Nanotechnology (60695)
Physics MPhys Fourth Year (level 7)
Semesters 1 & 2
Research Project (34049) – 60 credits
Semester 1
Advanced Quantum Mechanics (34048) – 30 credits
Semester 2
Thin Films and Materials Characterisation (34050) – 30 credits
Degree Classification
i) BSc. The class of degree awarded for BSc is calculated with a weighting of 75% from final year results and 25% from results of the previous year. While students are required to achieve all the necessary credits of their course, the 3-year BSc degree class is calculated using individual year results from the best 100 (of 120) credits.
ii) MPhys. The class of degree awarded for MPhys degree is calculated using the best 100 (of 120) credits from levels 5 and 6 and all 120 credits from level 7 with a weighting of 50% from level 7 year, 35% from level 6 and 15% from 5.