Physics Honours students must complete six full-courses from those listed below, subject to the constraints indicated. A list of courses chosen for the year must be submitted to the within two weeks of the start of lectures, on the form provided at the Honours Induction Day.
There are two types of courses: full and half. A full-course is typically 20 lectures. Half-courses will be 10 lectures in length. It is up to you how you arrange your six courses. It is advised, however, that you take a heavier load in your first semester, so that you have more time to devote to your project in the second semester. Recommended options are: 4 courses in first semester and 2 courses in second semester, 3.5 courses in first semester and 2.5 in second semester, or 3 courses in each semester. You should consult with your supervisor to gauge how your research project load is distributed.
Written examinations scheduled for courses, both full and half length, will be held as usual at the end of Semester (see Important Dates section), typically in week 14 (stu-vac) and week 15. However, mid-semester tests may be held as part of the assessment for courses, to assist students with gauging their progress.
A proposed two-year Program of Courses is given below, particularly to aid mid-year intake and part-time students who will continue with their candidature into 2009. It is possible there will be minor amendments to the list of courses.
Timetables and Course Outlines will be posted on the webpage prior to the start of each Semester. Schedules are set to avoid clashes with Senior Physics options and Mathematics Honours courses, where possible.
A compulsory session on Safety and Resuscitation will be held on the Honours Induction Day, Monday 25 February 2008. This course is not for credit.
Timetables for 2008
Honours courses, Semester 1, 2008
Time
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thur
Fri
9 am
ATP
NP
IBP
10 am
AQM
NP/TLP *
AQM
ATP
11 am
TLP
NP
AET
AET
12 pm
AOP
AOP
1 pm
IBP
2 pm
AET
RPD
3 pm
RPD
4 pm
RPD
All courses are in Physics Lecture Theatre 4. Except TLP* held in Tutorial Room 414 starting Week 2 (on 11 March).
Notes: AET has scheduled 3 lectures a week. (There are still a total of 20 lectures.)
TLP will not start until Week 2 (on 11 March). The Tuesday 10AM lecture will be in Tutorial Room 414.
IBP has replaced Advanced Nanoscience (as was advertised in the Handbook).
Honours courses, Semester 2, 2008
Time
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thur
Fri
9 am
10 am
MSP/BR
GR
11 am
RQM
RQM
RQM
12 pm
MSP/BR
GR
SP
SP
1 pm
GR
2 pm
3 pm
4 pm
Lecturers
Semester 1 courses
AET – Advanced Electromagnetic Theory (Prof. Don Melrose)
AOP – Advanced Optical Physics (Dr Boris Kuhlmey & Prof. Martijn de Sterke)
AQM – Advanced Quantum Mechanics (Dr Stephen Bartlett)
ATP – Advanced Thermal Physics (Prof. Martijn de Sterke & Dr Joe Khachan)
TLP – Teaching and Learning Physics (Dr Manju Sharma); half-course, in first half of semester
IBP – Industry, Business and Physics (Dr Kostya Ostrikov); half-course, in second half of semester
RPD – Radiation Physics & Dosimetry (co-ordinator, Dr Zdenka Kuncic)
NP - Nuclear Physics (Dr Serdar Kuyucak, Dr Nigel Marks & A/Prof. Geraint Lewis) Semester 2 courses
GR – General Relativity (A/Prof. Geraint Lewis)
RQM – Relativistic Quantum Mechanics (Prof. Don Melrose)
SP – Space Physics (Prof. Iver Cairns & Dr Mike Wheatland)
MSP – Modern Semiconductor Physics (Prof. David McKenzie) first half of semester
BR – Bayesian Reasoning (A/Prof. Geraint Lewis, Dr Peter Tuthill & Dr Mike Wheatland) second half of semester
Other Course Possibilities
Senior Physics Options Students may choose one or possibly two Senior Physics lecture courses (not previously taken). Any Senior Physics option chosen must be taken at the Advanced level. Students who have come from another University must consult the Physics Honours Coordinator regarding their choices.
Full Honours courses cover 20 lectures and are roughly equivalent to 4 Credit Points. Units from Senior Physics courses are 39 lectures and count for 4 Credit Points, typically spanning two subject areas. For Honours students wishing to take one subject area from a Senior Physics option, additional work and assessment tasks will be given to preserve equity in the value of a course over different academic years. The list of options is available on the Physics Student web page at the link for Senior Physics.
Master of Medical Physics and Master of Applied Nuclear Science Courses The School of Physics offers the postgraduate coursework degrees Master of Medical Physics and Master of Applied Nuclear Science. Honours students may choose to take up to two of the courses offered in these Masters programs. A maximum of 8 Credit Points in total will be allowed for such courses, and students may take each course at the 4 or 6 Credit Point level, with appropriate adjustment of content and assessment, within the overall limit. For more information students should contact the Postgraduate Coursework Coordinator, .
Courses in other Disciplines As long as students take at least 4 out of their 6 courses within the School of Physics, they may take courses offered by other departments, with the approval of the . In the past, approved courses have been taken from Departments including Chemistry, Engineering, History & Philosophy of Science, Biochemistry and Education.
In particular, students may include courses from Honours or Senior level (Advanced) from the School of Mathematics & Statistics, subject to the same limitations for Physics and Senior level courses given above, and with the approval of the Honours Coordinator. You should be aware that all Senior Mathematics Units of Study are worth 6 Credit Points (and count for 1.5 courses in your Honours Program). Honours Mathematics courses are equivalent to 4 Credit Points.
