MPhys cover_19September2011.indd - Department of Physics ...

Foreword
The MPhys project, as a major part of the MPhys course has often been considered the most enjoyable part
of the course. From the comments made by students over several years, many students get a real buzz from a
good project. Read this booklet carefully to find out which projects are available and what you have to do.
You will start your Major Option Classes this Michaelmas Term, but may have been given some reading or
work to do over the long vacation, and you will therefore be a little better informed and prepared when selecting
your project. The project may be your first insight into life in a physics research group and be a chance to
see developments at the cutting edge of the subject. It is also a first look at problems whose solution may well
be unknown, to both you and your supervisor.
To get the most out of your project you must choose carefully and prepare well. Contact your project supervisor
early and discuss preparation, both in background reading and computing technique. You will find the project
supervisors and the Assistant Head of Teaching (Academic) very willing to talk to you during the choosing
and preparation stages so do take this opportunity to come and see us.
“The project has been really interesting and challenging so far. A lot of extra computer programming and
software had to be learnt in order to complete various parts of the project, or to even just understand them. My
supervisor has been a great help, he gives a lot of his time to helping me whenever I need it and helps to keep
the project flowing at a good pace.”
“INT12: Ray tracing Galileo’s telescopes. The project is unusual and interesting and allows interdisciplinary
studies between the Physics department and the MHS. I was annoyed that I got my 10th choice especially as
I am doing my masters’ elsewhere next year and was hoping to get a related subject. That said I am enjoying
my project, though the history side is challenging.”
“The project has been challenging but I’ve really enjoyed it. It has helped me better understand the area of
physics on which it is based and has given me a better idea of what a PhD in that area might be like. It would
have been nice to have been able to spend more time on the project as it seems that I’d just got into the main
part of the project when I had to stop.”
“I found the Project very interesting and thoroughly enjoyed working in the lab. I could very easily see myself
applying for a PhD due to the great time I’ve had doing my project whereas beforehand I didn’t really want
to...”
“Overall I enjoyed my project and felt that there was a reasonable amount of scope for ingenuity. I think my
supervisor gave me excellent guidance and we met regularly to discuss the work I was doing.”
“I really enjoyed doing my project - it has definitely been the most interesting part of my entire degree, and I
wish it lasted longer than 8 weeks .. I could never get bored by doing it - there were several different aspects -
theoretical calculations, followed by some numerics and plotting graphs, trying to understand the experiments
relevant to it, learning new theoretical techniques that are widely applicable to other things as well ... I probably
learned more useful things in these two months, than I did in my entire 3rd year.”
I hope you enjoy your project. Please do contact me or the Assistant Head of Teaching (Academic) if you have
any questions.
Prof. Nick Jelley, Head of the Physics Teaching Faculty
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