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Short OptionsShort Options are intended to introduce either specialisttopics or subjects outside the mainstream courses. Theyallow students to experiment with new material withoutsignificant prejudice to their degree class, as they carrya low weighting.Format of the Short Option PaperPhysics Short Options will be examined by a singlecompendium paper divided into sections - one for eachoption - each containing 3 questions. Candidates offeringone Short Option should attempt two questions fromone section in 1½ hours. Candidates offering two ShortOptions should attempt four questions, two from eachsection, in 3 hours.PrelimsChoose from one of the Short Options S01, S02 or S03.The Short Option in Prelims is not subject to a resit,but is a required part of the examination and a goodperformance will help if you are on the borderline of aPass or Distinction.Parts A & BAt least one Short Option must be offered in Parts A & B(for both courses). Alternatives, including the LanguageOption, are available.For both Parts A and B, a second Short Option may beoffered in place of 6 days of practical work. Studentselecting to take this choice must inform the AssistantHead of Teaching (Academic) by e-mail at c.leonardmcintyre@physics.ox.ac.ukby the end of MichaelmasTerm.At the start of Michaelmas Term, meetings will be heldfor the 2 nd and 3 rd years to explain the options and choicesopen to them with regard to Short Options, PracticalWork and alternatives. Details about times and placeswill be announced in the Lecture List.Language OptionThe language option will involve 32 hours of classestogether with associated work in Trinity Term. It can beused to replace the Short Option paper in either Part Aor Part B.A course is offered in French every year. Courses in Germanor Spanish are offered in alternate years. In TrinityTerm 2013, the language courses will be French andGerman. The minimum entry requirement is normallyan A at GCSE in the relevant language or equivalent.There will be a presentation for those interested in takinga language option at the Language Centre, 12 WoodstockRoad on the Friday of 4 th week, Michaelmas Term, at3.00 pm. Formal application to the Head of the Physics28For the language options, final assessment is based onthe syllabus and learning outcomes published by theLanguage Centre.For further information, contact the Physics TeachingFaculty (see Appendix N) or Dr Robert Vanderplank atthe Language Centre (robert.vanderplank@lang.ox.ac.uk).Students may offer to do language option on more thanone occasion provided it is different language. For examplea student can do French in Part A and German inPart B, the subject to eligibility to take this option by thepreliminary test in the middle of Hilary Term.Alternative subjectsApplication must be made via the Assistant Head ofTeaching (Academic) by e-mail to c.leonard-mcintyre@physics.ox.ac.uk to replace the compulsory Short Optionpaper in Part A or Part B; the deadline is Friday of 4 th weekMichaelmas Term. The application will only be agreedif the proposed course and an examination paper alreadyexists within the University, and the alternative subject isconsidered appropriate. Students will be advised of thedecision by the end of 8 th week of Michaelmas Term.Pre-approved subjectsSeveral alternative subjects offered by other faculties ordepartments can be studied in place of one or two shortoptions have been pre-approved as follows:a) History and Philosophy of Science: this is a SupplementarySubject is a paper offered within the Universityby other departments. Physics students may substitutesuch a paper instead of two short options. Students mayalso take either the History of Science or Philosophy ofScience as a short option.b) Anyone wishing to do the S20: History of Sciencecourse should attend to the first lecture, to be given inthe Tanner Room, Linacre College, see the Physics Department’sLecture Database (www.physics.ox.ac.uk/lectures/). It is especially important to be present at thefirst lecture, immediately after which tutorial groups forthe term will be arranged. Please contact Prof. P. Corsi(pietro.corsi@history.ox.ac.uk). More details can befound at http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/teaching/sshistory.html. If you wish to offer this option, please inform theAssistant Head of Teaching (Academic) by e-mail atc.leonard-mcintyre@physics.ox.ac.uk by 2 nd week ofMichaelmas Term.c) S21: Philosophy of Physics, S27: Philosophy of Space-Time and S28: Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics, canbe taken separately to replace one short option. Theseoptions are offered by the Philosophy Faculty. If you wishto offer these options, please inform the Assistant Head ofTeaching (Academic) by e-mail at c.leonard-mcintyre@
physics.ox.ac.uk.Please note: Students must seek permission from theirCollege tutors to study these topics as there will be afinancial cost for classes and/or tutorials. The examinationdates for the History and Philosophy of Science,S20: History of Science, S21: Philosophy of Physics,S27: Philosophy of Space-Time and S28: Philosophyof Quantum Mechanics is different from the PhysicsShort Option examination date. No examination resultswill be released before the completion of all the Physicsexaminations.Extra practical workThere are two ways to do extra practical work instead fa short option, extra practicals, or an extended practical.Extra practicals are simply more of the same experimentscarried out for the basic quota, whereas extendedpracticals are effectively a small project. Permissionto do extra practical work can be obtained by emailingTeachingAdmin@physics.ox.ac.uk, clearly stating whichof the options below you wish to apply for.The application must be made before noon on Fridayof 4 th week of Michaelmas Term. Applications submittedlate will not be considered.(a) Extra practicalsExtra practicals are an additional six days of standardpracticals. You can only book for those practicals allocatedto you by the MS (Management Scheme). If youwant to work out of allocation you must see what is freeon the day. Each of the extra practicals must be markedat least S on your MS record, and you must write upone of the practicals, selected at random. Students willbe informed which practical to write up by noon onWednesday of 4 th week of Trinity Term. No tutor inputfor this Report will be allowed. Students must submitone printed copy and an electronic of their report to thePhysics Teaching Faculty Office, NOT the ExaminationSchools, before noon on Friday of 5th week of TrinityTerm. It is also helpful if you email us a PDF file, but thedeadline will be defined by when the print out is received.Please ensure you write your candidate number ONLYon the report and NOT your name/college so that thereports can be marked anonymously.The six extra days practical work will begin only whenthe normal practical quota has been completed. Theyshould be booked and grades entered on the MS as usual.Part A students doing the six additional days of practicalin Part A will not be allowed to repeat this optionfor Part B. You may work alone or with a partner. It doesnot matter which course your partner is registered for orif they are not doing extra practicals.(b) Extended practicalExtended practical work must have the support of anappropriate supervisor, and must be equivalent to sixdays practical work. If you need assistance finding asupervisor, please contact Dr Karen Aplin once you havedecided which area of physics you would like to work in.Students must submit one printed copy and an electronicof their report to the Physics Teaching Faculty Office,NOT the Examination Schools, before noon on Fridayof 5 th week of Trinity Term. It is also helpful if you emailus a PDF file, but the deadline will be defined by whenthe print out is received.Please ensure you write your candidate number ONLYon the report and NOT your name/college so that thereports can be marked anonymously.Your supervisor may read and comment upon one draftonly of your report before submission.Assessment of extra practical workThe marking of the extra practicals and extended practicalsis done using the following categories:• Introduction and abstract• Description of method/apparatus• Experimental work/results and errors• Analysis of results• Conclusions• Good argument in the analysis, the use of clear English,writing style, and clear diagrams/plots and referenceswill also be taken into account.• 25% of the marks available will be deducted for latesubmission.Alternatives to practical workIt is possible to replace some of the practical quota byreports on Physics-related vacation placements, by takingan extra short option, or for Part A students, to take anoption related to teaching Physics in schools.(a) Vacation placementsWork carried out during a vacation placement may besubmitted for practical course credit. Should you wish togain credit for vacation work, you must firstly apply forapproval to the Head of Physics Teaching Faculty (TeachingAdmin@physics.ox.ac.uk)after the placement byreturning the form AD12 at http://www-teaching.physics.ox.ac.uk/practical_course/Admin — project substitutionfor practical work in Michaelmas term before noon onFriday of 4 th week of Michaelmas Term. It is possible tosubmit vacation work for practical credit in both Parts Aand B, as long as the projects are distinct pieces of work.You may only submit one vacation project per yearfor practical credit.29
Page 1 and 2: UndergraduateCourse Handbook2012-20
Page 3: ContentsHow to use this handbook 3I
Page 10 and 11: Students are encouraged take their
Page 12 and 13: Marking of the Assessed PracticalTh
Page 14 and 15: Summary of Examination Requirements
Page 16 and 17: Lecture timetableswww.physics.ox.ac
Page 18 and 19: Second Year 2012-2013Introduction t
Page 20 and 21: Second Year Outline of TopicsFor de
Page 22 and 23: Undergraduate Physics ConferenceThi
Page 24 and 25: ut, as you would expect, the award
Page 26 and 27: Fourth Year 2012-2013 [MPhys Course
Page 28 and 29: Fourth Year Outline of TopicsLectur
Page 32 and 33: Teaching and Learning Physics in Sc
Page 34 and 35: First YearCP1: Physics 1Classical M
Page 36 and 37: B2: III. Quantum, Atomic and Molecu
Page 38 and 39: Appendix BFOR PHYSICS AND PHYSICS a
Page 40 and 41: OpticsElementary geometrical optics
Page 42 and 43: Statistical mechanicsBoltzmann fact
Page 44 and 45: Appendix EFOR THIRD YEAR STUDENTSFi
Page 46 and 47: B3: V. General Relativity and Cosmo
Page 48 and 49: S16: Plasma PhysicsDebye Length. Pl
Page 50 and 51: C3: Condensed Matter PhysicsSymmetr
Page 52 and 53: Appendix HEXAMINATION REGULATIONSSP
Page 54 and 55: 7. In cl. 4(a)(ii), practical work
Page 56 and 57: Appendix KPhotocopying and scanning
Page 58 and 59: Appendix L (Lecture and Practical F
Page 60 and 61: Appendix MAcademic Staff Telephone

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