F371 Physics with Medical Physics
Programme Specification (2007/08 Intake)
This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of
the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might
reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if they take full
advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
More detailed
information about the learning outcomes, content and teaching, learning
and assessment methods are published in the School
Handbook, and each module code below is linked to its detailed
description.
10. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards
This programme is studied in four 'stages' usually over four years, each divided into two semesters,
and is University-based throughout that time. School of Physics programmes have a
Stage 1 year structured so that transfers between programmes are straightforward in
most cases.
The programme is divided into units of study called modules. The credit
rating of a module is proportional to the total workload. 1 credit is
nominally equivalent to 10 hours of work. The 'level' of a module
indicates its position in the progressive development of academic
cognitive abilities, and/or practical skills. An 'elective' is an unspecified module
that allows the student to broaden their education, e.g. by
learning a foreign language. More details are given in
the module description template
specification.
The following tables describe the programme planned for delivery to students commencing Stage 1 in the academic
year 2007/08. Some modules
will be updated or replaced in future years as a consequence
of normal programme development activity, and staff rotation.
Stage One (2007-2008) |
Code | Title | Period | Credits | Level | Notes |
PHY1003 |
Properties of Matter |
I |
10 |
1 |
|
PHY1105 |
Relativity I and Vectors |
I |
10 |
1 |
|
PHY1108 |
IT Skills for Physicists |
I |
10 |
1 |
|
List 1 |
Option(s) from List 1 |
|
20 |
|
|
PHY1118 |
Quantum and Astronomical Phenomena |
I |
10 |
1 |
|
PHY1110 |
Practical Physics I |
I,II |
20 |
1 |
Pass without condonement required. |
PHY1002 |
Thermal Physics |
II |
10 |
1 |
|
PHY1104 |
Fundamental Electromagnetism I |
II |
10 |
1 |
|
PHY1106 |
Waves and Oscillators |
II |
10 |
1 |
|
PHY1107 |
Practical Electronics I |
II |
10 |
1 |
|
List 1 Options |
PHY1115 |
Mathematical Skills |
I,II |
20 |
1 |
|
PHY1116 |
Mathematics for Physicists |
I,II |
20 |
1 |
|
Stage Two (2008-2009) |
Code | Title | Period | Credits | Level | Notes |
PHY2201 |
Statistical Physics |
I |
10 |
2 |
|
PHY2002 |
Quantum Physics I |
I |
10 |
2 |
|
PHY2003 |
Practical Electronics II |
I |
10 |
2 |
|
PHY2009 |
Physics of Crystals |
I |
10 |
2 |
|
List 2 |
Option(s) from List 2 |
|
20 |
|
|
PHY2017 |
Practical Physics II |
I,II |
20 |
2 |
Pass without condonement required. |
PHY2006 |
Fundamental Electromagnetism II |
II |
10 |
2 |
|
PHY2007 |
Relativity II and Mechanics |
II |
10 |
2 |
|
PHY2208 |
Optics |
II |
10 |
2 |
|
PHY2013 |
Anatomy and Physiology |
II |
10 |
2 |
|
List 2 Options |
PHY1126 |
Mathematics for Physicists |
I,II |
20 |
1 |
Required if not already taken. See note below. |
PHY2018 |
Mathematics with Physical Applications |
I,II |
20 |
2 |
|
Notes
- PHY1116 and PHY1126 are alternate codes for the same module
Stage Three (2009-2010) |
Code | Title | Period | Credits | Level | Notes |
PHY3030 |
Quantum Physics II |
M1-M11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHY3102 |
Solid State Physics I |
M1-M11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHY3148 |
Biophysics and Ionizing Radiation |
M1-M11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHYM421 |
Statistical Mechanics |
L1-L11 |
10 |
M |
|
PHY3122 |
Project and Dissertation |
M1-M11, L1-L11, T4-T6 |
30 |
3 |
Pass without condonement required. |
PHY3143 |
Advanced Electromagnetism |
L1-L11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHY3146 |
Applied Optics and Acoustics |
L1-L11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHYM422 |
Quantum Physics III |
L1-L11 |
10 |
M |
|
List 3a |
Option(s) from List 3a |
|
20 |
|
|
List 3a Options |
PHY2018 |
Mathematics with Physical Applications |
M1-M11, L1-L11 |
20 |
2 |
Required if not already taken. |
PHY3112 |
Energy and the Environment |
L1-L11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHY3128 |
Electronics for Measurement Systems |
L1-L11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHY3134 |
Computational Physics |
L1-L11 |
10 |
3 |
If PHY2004 also taken. |
PHY3140 |
Methods of Theoretical Physics |
L1-L11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHY3142 |
Stars From Birth to Death |
L1-L11 |
10 |
3 |
|
List 3b |
Option(s) from List 3b |
|
10 |
|
|
Elective |
Elective(s) |
|
10/20 |
|
|
List 3b Options |
PHY2004 |
Scientific Programming in C |
M1-M11 |
10 |
2 |
|
PHY3129 |
Device Physics |
M1-M11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHY3144 |
Galaxies and Observational Cosmology |
M1-M11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHY3145 |
Topics in Theoretical Physics |
M1-M11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHY3149 |
Analytical Dynamics |
M1-M11 |
10 |
3 |
|
Stage Four (2010-2011) |
Code | Title | Period | Credits | Level | Notes |
PHYM401 |
Solid State Physics II |
M1-M11 |
10 |
M |
|
List 4a |
Option(s) from List 4a |
|
20 |
|
|
PHYM415 |
Project and Dissertation |
M1-M11, L1-L11 |
40 |
4 |
Pass without condonement required. |
PHYM428 |
General Problems |
M1-M11, L1-L11 |
20 |
M |
|
PHY3135 |
Nuclear and High-Energy Particle Physics |
L1-L11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHYM434 |
Imaging and Signal Processing |
L1-L11 |
10 |
M |
|
List 4c |
Option(s) from List 4c |
|
10 |
|
|
List 4a Options |
PHYM411 |
Independent-Study Module |
M1-M11 or L1-L11 |
10 |
M |
|
PHYM423 |
Classical and Quantum Fluids |
M1-M11 |
10 |
M |
|
PHYM432 |
Relativity and Cosmology |
M1-M11 |
10 |
M |
|
List 4b |
Option(s) from List 4b |
|
10 |
|
|
List 4b Options |
PHY3129 |
Device Physics |
M1-M11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHY3142 |
Stars From Birth to Death |
M1-M11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHY3145 |
Topics in Theoretical Physics |
M1-M11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHY3149 |
Analytical Dynamics |
M1-M11 |
10 |
3 |
|
List 4c Options |
PHYM411 |
Independent-Study Module |
M1-M11 or L1-L11 |
10 |
M |
|
PHYM425 |
Quantum Devices |
L1-L11 |
10 |
M |
|
List 4d |
Option(s) from List 4d |
|
10 |
|
|
List 4d Options |
PHY3112 |
Energy and the Environment |
L1-L11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHY3128 |
Electronics for Measurement Systems |
L1-L11 |
10 |
3 |
Requires PHY2003. |
PHY3134 |
Computational Physics |
L1-L11 |
10 |
3 |
If PHY2004 also taken. |
PHY3140 |
Methods of Theoretical Physics |
L1-L11 |
10 |
3 |
|
PHY3144 |
Galaxies and Observational Cosmology |
L1-L11 |
10 |
3 |
|
This programme is intended to:
- Provide education and training of high quality in Physics.
- Stimulate and encourage in students a questioning and
creative approach, thus developing their enthusiasm for Physics and
a capacity for independent judgement.
- Facilitate students' personal development through the acquisition and use of
a wide range of transferable skills.
- Provide students with a sound foundation in
Physics with an emphasis on medical physics,
preparing them
well for employment or further study and meeting the national needs
for qualified graduates as identified by the relevant professional
accrediting bodies.
- Produce graduate physicists who are well-prepared for
more-advanced professional work, and research, in Physics and related areas.
The School of Physics intends to provide students taking this programme with:
- Opportunities to engage with a range of advanced concepts and applications,
drawing upon the specialist expertise of the staff.
- The opportunity, through the flexibility provided by a wide
range of choices of both degree programmes and modules, to complete a programme
of study relevant to their interests and aptitudes.
- Regular and frequent small-group contact with
staff with the appropriate teaching skills and experience, including current
activity in high-level research.
- An environment which is caring and supportive in both
academic and pastoral aspects and which will have encompassed an appropriate
range of teaching methods and broadened their learning experience.
12. Programme outcomes
On successful completion of this programme, it is intended that the student should be able to demonstrate:
- Subject knowledge and skills
- Knowledge and understanding of most fundamental laws and principles of physics,
along with their application to a variety of areas in physics, in particular their application in medical contexts, some of
which are at (or are informed by) the forefront of the discipline.
- Ability to solve advanced problems in physics using appropriate
mathematical tools. Students should be able to identify the relevant
physical principles, to translate problems into mathematical statements
and apply their knowledge to obtain order-of-magnitude or more precise
solutions as appropriate.
- Ability to use mathematical techniques and analysis to model
physical behaviour and interpret mathematical descriptions of physical
phenomena.
- Core academic skills
- Ability to plan and execute under supervision, an experiment or
investigation, analyse critically the results and draw valid
conclusions. Students should be able to evaluate the level of
uncertainty in their results, understand the significance of error
analysis and be able to compare these results with expected outcomes,
theoretical predictions or with published data. They should be able to
evaluate the significance of their results in this context.
- Effective use of IT skills at the level needed for project work; for
example a familiarity with a programming language, simulation software,
or the use of mathematical packages for manipulation and numerical
solution of equations.
- Sound familiarity with laboratory apparatus and techniques.
- Personal and key skills
- A working knowledge of a variety of experimental, mathematical
and/or computational techniques applicable to current research within
physics.
- The ability to communicate complex scientific ideas, the conclusions
of an experiment, investigation or project concisely, accurately and
informatively;
- The ability to manage their own learning and to make use of
appropriate texts, research articles and other primary sources;
Reference points used to construct this specification:
13. Teaching, learning and assessment methods
Teaching/learning:
- Subject knowledge and skills
- Material is introduced by lectures and directed reading/research.
Students are given clear guidance in how to manage their learning and
are expected to take progressively more responsibility for their own
learning at each stage. Understanding is developed and consolidated in
problems classes and tutorials and by laboratory work and private study
exercises, carried out individually and in pairs or groups. A mix of
self-assessed and tutor-marked work provides rapid feedback. Project
work is used to integrate material and make knowledge functional. A set
of compulsory core modules cover the 'fundamental physical laws' in
progressively greater depth at each stage of the programme. These laws
are applied in the options modules and projects at Stages 2-4.
Mathematical skills are learned within dedicated modules and
are applied and reinforced in the other Physics modules.
- Core academic skills
- The Practical Physics modules at Stages 1 and 2 provide a thorough training
in the execution and critical analysis of an experimental investigation. These
skills are developed further in the final projects which require students to
plan and execute experiments. They must also present and defend their conclusions.
- The 'IT Skills for Physicists' module, which is continually updated to reflect
developments in technology, provides the essential training in IT
skills needed by students to complete the programme. Other modules
require students to apply and develop these skills. Several optional
modules offer specific training in computer programming and
packages. Computing and IT modules are taught in the School's own
computer rooms and a mix of lectures, and self-study packs supported
by module instructors and demonstrators.
- Personal and key skills
- Initial training in the manipulation, presentation and interpretation
of data occurs during Stage 1 in the Mathematics, IT Skills, and Practical Physics modules
and in tutorials. These skills are developed and used at progressively higher levels throughout
the programme.
- Initial training in scientific communication occurs during Stage 1 in the Practical Physics module
and in tutorials. These skills are developed and used at progressively higher levels throughout
the programme.
- Students learn, with the guidance of tutors and module instructors, to take progressively more
responsibility for managing their own learning at each stage of the programme.
- Students learn, via project work, to interact with research staff
beyond their peer group. They learn to obtain help and insights from
staff beyond the teaching faculty, an important skill when moving to more
advanced research environments.
Assessment methods:
- Subject knowledge and skills
- Direct assessment is through a range of mid-semester
tests (Stage 1 and 2 only), formal written examinations, and marked
coursework in the form of problem sheets, laboratory reports,
reports/essays based on directed reading and research.
- The MPhys project assessment is based on performance in project
work, oral presentations, planning ability, a formal written report and
a poster presentation. An important element is the ability of the student to
defend their work during vivas. Students must answer questions not just
from their immediate supervisor/lab-demonstrator, but also from a
professional physicist with a different background and perspective.
Assessment criteria are published in
the School Handbook.
- Core academic skills
- Analytical skills are assessed within many modules through a range
of formal written examinations, and marked coursework in the form of
problem sheets, etc. These skills are primarily demonstrated in
project work however. The MPhys
project assessment is based on performance in project work, oral
presentations, planning ability, a formal written report and a
poster presentation. Assessment criteria are published in the
School Handbook.
- IT skills are assessed directly with marked worksheets, assessed portfolios,
and practical tests. They are also indirectly assessed because such skills
are necessary to complete project work satisfactorily.
- Personal and key skills
- Assessment of key skills is mostly through items of coursework:
written and oral presentations, and through project work.
14. Support for students and students' learning
The University Library maintains its principal collections in the main library buildings on the Streatham and St Luke's campuses, together with a large library at Camborne School of Mines and a number of specialist collections in certain Schools. The total Library collection comprises over a million volumes and 3000 current periodical subscriptions.
Information Technology (IT) Services provide a wide range of services throughout the University including open access computer rooms, some of which are available 24 hours, 7 days a week. Helpdesks are maintained on the Streatham, St Luke's and CSM campuses, while most study bedrooms in halls and flats are linked via RESNET to the University's campus network. Additionally, the School of Physics has its own dedicated facilities.
The University provides a wide range of student support services including:
- Student Counselling Service
- Student Health Centres
- Study Skills Service
- Nursery (Streatham campus)
- Student Advice Centre (Guild of Students)
- Chaplaincy
- International Office
- English and Foreign Language Centres
The University Careers Advisory Service provides expert advice to all students to enable them to plan their futures, through guidance interviews, psychometric testing, employer presentations, skills events, practice job interviews and CV preparation.
Teaching staff can be easily contacted by e-mail, telephone, letter, or in person.
Further information about the above services is published on the WWW.
The School provides:
Candidates must satisfy the general
admissions requirements of the University.
The normal minimum entry qualifications required for this programme are
equivalent to GCE A levels in Mathematics (or Pure Mathematics) and Physics. Offers of places
typically require three GCE A levels at grades BBB or equivalent (300).
The School has an Equal
Opportunities Policy and welcomes applications from students
with other types of qualifications or prior learning experience (for
example, an Access to Science course). For more information, refer
to the detailed entrance requirements School of Physics which are
published on the Physics Entry Data page of the University of Exeter Undergraduate
Prospectus, or contact the Admissions Tutor.
16. Regulation of assessment and academic standards
Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed
School Assessment Marking Strategy, underpinned by institution-wide
assessment procedures. The security of assessment and academic
standards is further supported through the external examiners appointed
for each programme. Their responsibilities are described in the
University's Code of
Good Practice for External Examiners and include access to draft
papers, course work and examination scripts. Attendance at the Board of
Examiners and the provision of an annual report are both required.
Clear procedures are also in place for the monitoring of these annual
reports at both School and University level. See the University's Teaching
Quality Assurance (TQA) Manual for details of these processes.
School assessment marking strategy is published in the School Handbook.
The Handbook also publishes the rules governing degree awards and
classification for this programme. Briefly, an Honours Degree is awarded to
students who have passed all modules and it is classified based on a weighted average of marks, as follows:
Class I | 70% + |
Class II, Division I | 60-69% |
Class II, Division II | 50-59% |
Class III | 40-49% |
17. Indicators of quality and standards
The University and its constituent Schools draw on a range of data
in their regular review of the quality of provision. The annually
produced Performance Indicator Dataset details admission, progression,
completion and first career destination data, including comparisons over
a five-year timespan.
Progression statistics are included in routine internal monitoring
and review processes (see 18 below).
This programme is accredited by the Institute of Physics.
The School of Physics was subject to Subject Review by the Quality Assurance Agency in 1999, when
the educational provision was graded as excellent with a score of 22/24 points.
QAA reports are published on the QAA website.
Research activity in Physics and Astronomy was classified as 5A by the RAE 2001 exercise.
18. Methods for evaluating and improving quality and standards
The University has procedures in place for the regular review of its
educational provision, including the annual review
of both modules and programmes which draw on feedback from such
sources as external examiners' reports, student evaluation, student
achievement and progression data, and the staff peer
appraisal scheme. In addition, subject areas are
reviewed every three years through a subject and
programme quality review scheme that includes external input. These
procedures are recorded in codes of practice contained in the TQA Manual.
Certain programmes are also subject to review and/or accreditation by
professional and statutory bodies, while nearly all subject areas are
reviewed from time to time by the national Quality Assurance Agency for
HE; see the QAA web site for review reports on subjects at Exeter. See section
17 for details of recent outcomes applicable to this programme.