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Teaching Physics at Oxford xford hysics Professor Nick Jelley Head of Physics Teaching Faculty

Teaching Physics at Oxford

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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 Presentation

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Page 1: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

Teaching Physics at Oxford

xfordhysics

Professor Nick Jelley

Head of Physics Teaching Faculty

Page 2: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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)

Page 3: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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

Page 4: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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

Page 5: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

Teaching Components

Lectures Tutorials and classes Laboratory work Projects Major Options

– Classes Exams

All the usual components of a university physics course

Page 6: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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)

Page 7: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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

Page 8: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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

Page 9: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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)

Page 10: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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

Page 11: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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)

Page 12: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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

Page 13: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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

Page 14: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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

Page 15: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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

Page 16: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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?

Page 17: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

Where?

Teaching Faculty

Office

Teaching Labslevel 2 DWB

Page 18: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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

Page 19: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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

Page 20: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

Handbooks

Course HandbookEverything you need toknow about the course Lectures Reading Lists Syllabuses Exams

Other HandbooksPhysics & Philosophy Practical Course Projects – MPhys – BA

Page 21: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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

Page 22: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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

Page 23: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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)

Page 24: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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

Page 25: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

University Management Structure

Mathematical, Physical andLife Sciences

Division

Page 26: Teaching Physics  at Oxford

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