teaching physics at oxford
DESCRIPTION
φ. xford. hysics. Teaching Physics at Oxford. Professor Nick Jelley Head of Physics Teaching Faculty. Foundation. Year 1. Part A Core. Year 2. Part B Mainstream. Part B Options. Year 3. BA. Part C Options. Year 4. MPhys. Course Structure. Physics (shown) - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Teaching Physics at Oxford
xfordhysics
Professor Nick Jelley
Head of Physics Teaching Faculty
Course Structure
Foundation
Part ACore
Part BOptions
Part BMainstream
Part COptions
BA
MPhys
Year 2
Year 1
Year 3
Year 4
Physics (shown)
3 year course – BA degree4 year course – MPhys
Physics & Philosophy
4 years – BA or MPhys (or MPhysPhil)
Physics Courses - Aims and Objectives
thorough understanding and broad knowledge of the general principles of physics
understanding of how to set up physical models and solve them with a wide range of techniques
familiarity with modern experimental techniques, how to record and analyse data and work safely in the laboratory
experience of how to communicate scientific results clearly and concisely both verbally and in writing
some experience of an open-ended assignment opportunity to acquire some expertise in a more
specialised field of physics
Masters of Physics
In addition to the general aims outlined:
will acquire an in-depth knowledge of two specialised fields of physics
through a major project will have learned how to plan, execute and write up an open ended piece of work
will gain experience of a research environment
Teaching Components
Lectures Tutorials and classes Laboratory work Projects Major Options
– Classes Exams
All the usual components of a university physics course
What is special about Oxford?
Colleges!
Students for first degree courses are admitted to the University by Colleges
The college, through subject tutors, is responsible for the academic progress and small group teaching throughout the first degree course
Decisions on progression (in case of academic or other difficulties) and change of course are taken by the college
Permanent academic staff usually have joint appointments (university lecturer and college subject tutor)
Undergraduate view
The college is the centre of life at Oxford Friends, social life, sport College physics tutors and lecturers direct studies, set
work, give tutorials and complain if work isn’t done Lectures, labs, exams are ‘external’ activities Physics is a ‘large’ subject – about 160 students a year –
about 6 per year in a given college This is the pattern for most of the first three years of the
course
Phys & Phil is a little different because it involves a small cohort (around 15 each year) – who will all get to know each other, independent of college
Your view
As a graduate student you will have a college connection and may use it for social activities
Most postdocs do not have a college connection, unless it is through teaching
The focus of life (at least on the experimental side) is the research group and sub-department, even the other parts of the physics department may well seem quite remote
The course – first year
Foundation year – maths and physics lectures and tutorials
(roughly 50:50) plus practical work Prelims – June (towards end of Trinity Term)
– four 2.5hr compulsory written papers• CP1 Mechanics & Special Relativity; • CP2 Electromagnetism, Circuits, & Optics• CP3 Mathematical methods• CP4 Differential Equations & Waves
– short option (more maths, astronomy, quantum ideas)– satisfactory practical work
Other ‘general interest’ lectures (not examined)
Second year – Part A FHS
Core Physics Lectures (optics; electromagnetism; thermal physics; quantum physics)
Mathematical Methods Practical work (includes electronics) Communications skills (Giving a short talk) Short Option part A exam (end of TT)
– A1 Thermal Physics; A2 Electromagnetism & Optics; A3 Quantum Physics (100 marks each)
– short option paper (50 marks)– satisfactory practical work (50 marks)
To this point BA (3 yr) and MPhys (4 yr) courses are the same
Third year – part B FHS Decision on which course (BA or MPhys) taken in Michaelmas Term in
light of part A (2nd year) results Mainstream lectures on:
– Flows, fluctuations and complexity
– Symmetry & relativity
– Quantum, atomic and molecular physics
– Sub-atomic Physics (nuclear and particle physics)
– General relativity and cosmology
– Condensed-matter physics Short option Practical work Communications skills (Practical write-up counts towards final mark)
Third year
BA (3 yr) course Select from mainstream subjects Project Part B exam (June)
– four 1.5hr exams from mainstream– short option paper– project report– satisfactory practical work
MPhys (4 yr) course Take all mainstream subjects part B exam (June)
– 3 3hr exams on mainstream– short option paper– satisfactory practical work
GRADUATE
Fourth year - MPhys
Two Major Options from:Astrophysics; Lasers & Quantum Information Processing; Condensed Matter Physics; Particle Physics; Physics of Atmospheres & Oceans; Biological Physics; Theoretical Physics.
Project undertaken in HT Exam (TT)
– 2 Major Option papers– project report
GRADUATE
Areas of ResearchSub-Departments
•Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics•Condensed Matter and Biophysics •Atomic and Laser Physics•Astrophysics•Particle Physics•Theoretical Physics
Relevant for the 4th year options and projects
Teaching Components & who provides
DepartmentColleges **
Department **Department
Department for colleges **UniversityDepartment for colleges **
Lectures Tutorials and classes Laboratory work Projects Third Year
- SR, GR and Fluids Classes
Major Options- Classes
Exams
** these provide the main opportunities for teaching
PhysicsManagement
Physics Management Committee
Chairman of PhysicsDr John Wheater
Teaching FacultyProf Nick Jelley
Academic Committee
Teaching Faculty OfficeAcademic AdminMrs Leonard-McIntyreMiss Hannah Glanville
Practical CourseDr Karen AplinTechnical Staff
Physics Sub-Faculty(All teaching staff)
Astrophysics
Condensed Matter Physics(includes Biophysics)
Particle Physics
Atmospheric, Ocean & Planetary Physics
Sub-Departments
Atomic & Laser Physics
Theoretical Physics
Who organisesthe u/g teachingin the physicsdepartment?
Where?
Teaching Faculty
Office
Teaching Labslevel 2 DWB
Sources of Information
Physics website – teaching pages www.physics.ox.ac.uk/teaching.asp
Teaching guide www.physics.ox.ac.uk/academic/T-guide/Tguide-top.htm Handbooks Academic staff
– Heads of Labs (for demonstrating)– College Tutors (College Teaching)– Option Coordinators (for 4th year Major Option Classes)
Faculty Office
Webpages (summary)
Teaching Page – Online lecture list & access to lecturers online material– Handbooks– Past exam papers and examiners reports– Practical course information– Teaching opportunities (situations vacant and sought)
Physics Teaching Faculty page (from staff page)– mainly administrative information but– Teaching guide pages– Quality assurance procedures
Handbooks
Course HandbookEverything you need toknow about the course Lectures Reading Lists Syllabuses Exams
Other HandbooksPhysics & Philosophy Practical Course Projects – MPhys – BA
Faculty Office Carrie Leonard-McIntyre – Assistant Head of Teaching (Academic) Sian Owen – Access Officer and BPhO administrator Hannah Glanville – Secretary to Assistant Head of Teaching Kay Leigh – Clarendon receptionist
Handouts from lecturers Problem sets Answers (some of the time, but see web pages)
Graduate Office Kate Gear – Graduate Secretary
Practical Course Karen Aplin – Assistant Head of Teaching (Expt) Neil Clifford, Keith Long, Peter Shrimpton John Saunders, Mohamed Cheddi, Jeff Lidgard
University Examinations
Otherwise known as ‘Public Examinations’ ( as opposed to College ‘Collections’ – tests at the start of each term)
End of each year of the course First year (prelims) – qualifying exam – must be passed to
enter the ‘Final Honours School’ – but result does not count towards class of degree
Years 2, 3, 4 – parts A, B, C of ‘Finals’ – results do accumulate towards final degree class
Exams (other than short and major options) are not set by the lecturers – but by a team drawn from the academic staff
The Finals Team is kept in line by two external examiners who report formally to the Vice-Chancellor annually
The bigger picture
Physics is part of the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS) Division (one of four academic divisions)
The Division oversees quality of courses – largely through internal and external examiners reports – it approves proposals for new courses and major changes to
existing ones– appoints academic staff
Above the divisions is the Educational Policy and Standards Committee (EPSC)– sets University wide standards– interacts with national bodies such as HEFCE (funding) and QAA
(academic standards)
MPLS DivisionStructure
MPLS Divisional Board
General Purposes Committee
Academic Committee
Divisional Secretariat
Undergraduate Studies Panel
Graduate Studies Panel
Chemistry Physics Engineering Mathematics
Earth Sciences Materials Statistics Computing
Plant Sciences
Zoology
University Management Structure
Mathematical, Physical andLife Sciences
Division
Summary
We need and welcome your help in delivering the physics courses
More specific ‘how to’ details will be covered in the talks that follow
Important points to note:– split in responsibility between College and Department– consequent need for communication– difference between the formative tasks (tutorials and laboratory
sessions) in the which the aim is to teach understanding and the summative assessments (mainly written examinations and the project report) of student performance