[Until 1 October 2011: Special Regulations for the Preliminary Examination for Psychology, Philosophy, and Physiology

[1] A

1. [2] 1. The subjects of the examination shall be:
2. [3] (1) Physiology
3. [4] (2) Neurophysiology
4. [5] (3) Introduction to Philosophy
5. [6] (4) Introduction to Probability Theory and Statistics
6. [7] (5) Introduction to Psychology.
7. [8] 2. A candidate shall be allowed to offer himself or herself for examination in one, two, or three subjects.
8. [9] 3. A candidate shall be deemed to have passed the examination if he shall have satisfied the Moderators in three subjects.
9. [10] 4. In the case of candidates who have satisfied the Moderators in three subjects in a single examination or in two subjects in Hilary Term and in Physiology in Trinity Term the Moderators may award a Distinction to those of special merit.

[11] B

1. [12] (1) Physiology [13] The paper is as specified for Subject I* Physiology and Pharmacology of the Systems of the Body for the Preliminary Examination in Physiological Sciences. In addition, questions on Excitable Tissues as specified for paper (2) Neurophysiology will be available only to those candidates who do not offer paper (2) Neurophysiology. [14] Candidates will be required to submit notebooks or other records of practical work, in General Physiology only, as specified for the Preliminary Examination in Physiological Sciences.
2. [15] (2) Neurophysiology [16] Excitable Tissues. Membrane potential, ion pumps. Action potential, refractory period. Receptor potentials. Neuromuscular transmission. Synaptic mechanisms. [17] Chemical Transmitters. Storage and release of transmitter. Removal and synthesis of transmitter. Selected drugs acting on the nervous system. [18] Efferent Mechanisms. Muscle contraction. Muscle receptors. Spinal reflexes. Higher motor centres. Autonomic nervous system. [19] Afferent Mechanisms. Hearing. Vision. Somaesthetic system, including pain. [20] One three-hour paper will be set.
3. [21] (3) Introduction to Philosophy [22] As specified for the Preliminary Examination for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.
4. [23] (4) Introduction to Probability Theory and Statistics [24] This examination is intended to test the candidate's understanding of the elements of probability theory and of the principles of statistics as applied to the design and analysis of surveys and experiments and to the interpretation of the results of such investigations. The topics below are more fully detailed in Definitions and Formulae with Statistical Tables for Elementary Statistics and Quantitative Methods Courses, which is prepared by the Department of Statistics. Copies of this will be available at the examination. [25] Descriptive statistics and statistical presentation using graphs and simple measures of central tendency and dispersion. Frequency distributions. Samples and populations. The addition and multiplication laws of probability; conditional probability and Bayes' Rule. The binomial, Poisson and normal distributions: their properties and uses and the relationships between them. Statistical inference using sampling distributions, standard errors and confidence limits. Common uses of z, t, chi-square and F tests and nonparametric tests including tests of hypothesis for the mean, median or proportion of a single population or for the difference between two or more populations, goodness-of-fit tests and tests of difference between two population distributions. [26] Parametric one-way Analysis of variance. Kruskal-Wallis non-Parametric analysis of variance. [27] The analysis of 2-way contingency tables using chi-square tests. Linear regression and correlation. [28] A comprehensive list of formulae together with statistical tables will be available at the examination. [29] One three-hour paper will be set.
5. [30] (5) Introduction to Psychology [31] Methods and topics in: development; individual differences; social behaviour; animal behaviour; the neural basis of behaviour; perception; learning; memory; language; cognition; skills; abnormal behaviour. [32] One three-hour paper will be set. [33] For papers (4) and (5) only examiners will permit the use of any hand-held pocket calculator subject to the conditions set out under the heading ‘Use of calculators in examinations’ in the Regulations for the Conduct of University Examinations.]