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SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR THE HONOUR SCHOOL OF PHYSICS

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Ref: 11-30at_S_R_H_S_OF_PHYSICS

[1] A

  1. [2] 1.
    1. [3] (1) The subject of the Honour School in Physics shall be the study of Physics as an experimental science.
    2. [4] (2) The examination in Physics shall consist respectively of three parts for the four-year course (A, B, C) and of two parts for the three-year course (A, B) as prescribed by regulation by the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Board.
  2. [5] 2.
    1. [6] (1) The name of a candidate in either the three-year course or the four-year course shall not be published in a Class List until he or she has completed all parts of the respective examinations.
    2. [7] (2) The Examiners in Physics for the three-year course or the four-year course shall be entitled to award a pass or classified Honours to candidates in the Second Public Examination who have reached a standard considered adequate; the Examiners shall give due consideration to the performance in all parts of the respective examinations.
    3. [8] (3)
      1. [9] (a) A candidate who obtains only a pass or fails to satisfy the Examiners may enter again for Part B (three-year course) or Part C (four-year course) of the examination on one, but not more than one, subsequent occasion.
      2. [10] (b) Part A (three-year and four-year courses) and Part B (four-year course) shall be entered on one occasion only.
    4. [11] (4) A candidate adjudged worthy of Honours in the Second Public Examination for the four-year course in Physics may supplicate for the Degree of Master of Physics provided that the candidate has fulfilled all the conditions for admission to a degree of the University.
    5. [12] (5) A candidate who has satisfied the requirements for Part A and Part B of the four-year course, but who does not start or enter Part C or who fails to obtain Honours in Part C is permitted to supplicate for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Physics (Pass, or Honours with the classification obtained in Parts A and B together, as appropriate); provided that no such candidate may later enter or re-enter the Part C year, or supplicate for the degree of Master of Physics; and provided in each case that the candidate has fulfilled all the conditions for admission to a degree of the University.
  3. [13] 3. The examination shall be partly practical: this requirement shall normally be satisfied by the Examiners' assessment of the practical work done by candidates during their course of study; exceptionally, the Examiners may require a candidate to take a practical examination.
  4. [14] 4. No candidate shall be admitted to examination in this school unless he or she has either passed or been exempted from the First Public Examination.
  5. [15] 5.
    1. [16] (1) The Examination in Physics shall be under the supervision of the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Board.
    2. [17] (2) The board shall have power, subject to this decree, from time to time to frame and to vary regulations for the different parts and subjects of the examination.

[18] B

[19] In the following ‘the Course Handbook’ refers to the Physics Undergraduate Course Handbook, published annually at the start of Michaelmas Term by the Faculty of Physics.

[20] Candidates will be expected to show knowledge based on practical work.

[21] The Examiners will permit the use of any hand-held calculator subject to the conditions set out under the heading ‘Use of calculators in examinations’ in the Regulations concerning the Conduct of University Examinations and further elaborated in the Course Handbook.

[22] The various parts of the examinations for the three and four year courses shall take place in Trinity Term of the year in question and, unless otherwise stated, deadlines shall apply to the year in which that part is taken.

[23] Physics (four year course)

  1. [24] 1. The examination shall be in three parts, A, B, C, taken at times not less than three, six and nine terms, respectively after passing the First Public Examination.
  2. [25] 2. In order to proceed to Parts B and C of the four-year course in physics a minimum standard of achievement in Part A may be required, as determined by the Faculty of Physics from time to time. Any such requirement shall be published in the Course Handbook not later than the beginning of Michaelmas Full Term of the academic year preceding the year of the Part A examination. Names of those satisfying the requirement shall be published by the Examiners.
  3. [26] 3. In Part A
    1. [27] (a) the candidate shall be required
      1. [28] (i) to offer three written papers on the Fundamental Principles of Physics, and
      2. [29] (ii) to submit to the Examiners such evidence as they require of the successful completion of practical work normally pursued during the three terms preceding the examination, and
      3. [30] (iii) to offer a written paper on one Short Option.
    2. [31] (b) A candidate may also offer a written paper on a second Short Option, in which case the candidate need only submit evidence of the successful completion of practical work normally pursued during one and a half terms of the three terms specified in cl. 3(a)(ii).
  4. [32] 4. In Part B
    1. [33] (a) the candidate shall be required
      1. [34] (i) to offer three written papers on Physics, and
      2. [35] (ii) to submit to the Examiners such evidence as they require of the successful completion of practical work normally pursued during the three terms preceding the examination, and
      3. [36] (iii) to offer a written paper on one Short Option.
    2. [37] (b) A candidate may also offer a written paper on a second Short Option, in which case the candidate need only submit evidence of the successful completion of practical work normally pursued during one and a half terms of the three terms specified in cl. 4(a)(ii).
  5. [38] 5. The titles of the written papers of cl. 3(a)(i) & cl. 4(a)(i) are given in the Schedule below. Their syllabuses shall be approved by the Faculty of Physics and shall be published in the Course Handbook not later than the beginning of Michaelmas Full Term for the examination three terms thence.
  6. [39] 6. The list of Short Option subjects in cls 3(a)(iii), 3(b), 4(a)(iii), 4(b) and their syllabuses shall be approved by the Faculty of Physics and shall be published in the Course Handbook not later than the beginning of Michaelmas Full Term for the examination three terms thence. One of the short options included in the list shall be S07, Classical Mechanics.
  7. [40] 7. In cl. 4(a)(ii), practical work may be replaced by project work, if an appropriate supervisor is available. The subject, duration, and replacement value shall be approved by the Head of the Teaching Faculty of Physics or deputy, by the end of Michaelmas Full Term.
  8. [41] 8. With respect to cl. 3(a)(iii) or cl. 4(a)(iii) a candidate may take, as alternative to the written examination, an assessed course of instruction in a foreign language. A candidate proposing to take this alternative must have the proposal approved by the Head of the Teaching Faculty of Physics or deputy and by the Director of the Language Centre or deputy, by the end of the first week of Hilary Full Term preceding the examination. Approval shall not be given to candidates who have, at the start of the course, already acquired demonstrable skills exceeding the target learning outcomes in the chosen language.
  9. [42] 9. With respect to subjects under cl. 3(a)(iii) or cl. 4(a)(iii) a candidate may propose to the Head of the Teaching Faculty of Physics or deputy, not later than the fourth week of Michaelmas Full Term preceding the examination, either to offer another subject paper, or to offer instead a written account of extended practical work, in addition to that specified in cl.3(a)(ii) or cl.4(a)(ii). Candidates will be advised of the decision by the end of eighth week of that term.
  10. [43] 10. In Part C the candidate shall be required to offer
    1. [44] (a) written papers on each of two Major Options, and
    2. [45] (b) a project report on either advanced practical work, or other advanced work.
    3. [46] Candidates may also be examined viva voce.
  12. [47] 11. In cl. 10(a), the Major Options and their syllabuses shall be approved by the Faculty of Physics and the Physics Academic Committee. The titles of the Major Options are given in the Schedule below and the syllabuses shall be published in the Course Handbook not later than the beginning of Michaelmas Full Term for the examination three terms thence.
  13. [48] 12. With respect to subjects under cl. 10(a) a candidate may propose to the Head of the Teaching Faculty of Physics or deputy, not later than the fourth week of Trinity Full Term in the academic year preceding the examination, another subject paper or papers. Candidates will be advised of the decision by the end of eighth week of that term.
  14. [49] 13. In cl. 10(b), the proposed nature of the practical or other advanced work and its duration shall be submitted for approval to the Head of the Teaching Faculty of Physics or deputy with the agreement of the Physics Academic Committee.

[50] Schedule

[51] Fundamental Principles (Part A)

  1. [52] A1: Thermal Physics
  2. [53] A2: Electromagnetism and Optics
  3. [54] A3: Quantum Physics

[55] Physics (Part B)

  1. [56] Three papers, B1 to B3, each of three hours, each consisting of two subjects, as follows:
  2. [57] B1: I. Flows, Fluctuations and Complexity, and II. Symmetry and Relativity
  3. [58] B2: III. Quantum, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and IV. Sub-Atomic Physics
  4. [59] B3: V. General Relativity and Cosmology, and VI. Condensed-Matter Physics

[60] Major Options (Part C)

  1. [61] C1: Astrophysics
  2. [62] C2: Laser Science and Quantum Information Processing
  3. [63] C3: Condensed Matter Physics
  4. [64] C4: Particle Physics
  5. [65] C5: Physics of Atmospheres and Oceans
  6. [66] C6: Theoretical Physics
  7. [67] C7: Biological Physics

[68] Physics (three year course)

  1. [69] 1. The examination shall be in two parts, A and B, taken at times not less than three and six terms, respectively, after passing the First Public Examination.
  2. [70] 2. Part A of the examination shall be the same as the Part A of the examination of the four-year course in Physics and the same conditions, arrangements and examination timings shall apply.
  3. [71] 3. In Part B
    1. [72] (a) the candidate shall be required
      1. [73] (i) to offer four of the subjects I-VI specified for papers B1 to B3 in the Schedule of the four-year course (Part B), each subject having the weight of half a paper, and
      2. [74] (ii) to submit to the Examiners such evidence as they require of the successful completion of practical work normally pursued during one and a half terms in the academic year of the examination, and
      3. [75] (iii) to offer a written paper on one Short Option.
    2. [76] (b) to offer a project report in the form of either an extended essay on a subject approved by the Head of the Teaching Faculty of Physics or deputy (by the end of sixth week of Hilary Full Term), or an account of extended practical work undertaken in the academic year in which the examination takes place.
    3. [77] (c) candidates may be examined by viva voce.
  4. [78] 4. With respect to cl. 3(a)(ii) a candidate may offer instead a written paper on a second Short Option.
  5. [79] 5. The Short Options of cl. 3(a)(iii) and cl. 5 are those specified in cl. 6 of the four-year course.
  6. [80] 6. In cl. 3(a)(ii), practical work may be replaced by project work, if an appropriate supervisor is available. The subject, duration, and replacement value shall be approved by the Head of the Teaching Faculty of Physics or deputy, by the end of Michaelmas Full Term.
  7. [81] 7. With respect to cl. 3(a)(iii) a candidate may take, as alternative to the written examination, an assessed course of instruction in a foreign language. A candidate proposing to take this alternative must have the proposal approved by the Head of the Teaching Faculty of Physics or deputy and by the Director of the Language Centre or deputy, by the end of the first week of Hilary Full Term. Approval shall not be given to candidates who have, at the start of the course, already acquired demonstrable skills exceeding the target learning outcomes in the chosen language.
  8. [82] 8. With respect to subjects under cl. 3(a)(iii) a candidate may propose to the Head of the Teaching Faculty of Physics or deputy, not later than the fourth week of Michaelmas Full Term preceding the examination, another subject paper. Candidates shall be advised of the decision by the end of eighth week of that term.