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Admissions

UCAS Course Code (3 year): F300
UCAS Course Code (4 year): F303

Brief Course Outline

Duration of course: 3 or 4 years
Degrees awarded: BA/MPhys

Course statistics for 2012 entry

Intake: 167
Applications shortlisted for interview: 48.7%
Successful applications: 20.0%

Open days

26 and 27 June, and 20 September 2013

Contact details

Department of Physics,
Clarendon Laboratory,
Parks Rd,
Oxford OX1 3PU
+44 (0) 1865 272200
Please email us at enquiries@physics.ox.ac.uk
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See also

 

UG student profile iconUG pod oxford iconSubject brochure

Physics

Courses tab icon About the course Course outline Entrance requirements How to apply

Project work/international opportunities

A wide choice of fourth year MPhys projects is available across all six physics sub-departments and sometimes from related departments. Occasionally students arrange to do their projects at outside laboratories. Those taking the three-year BA course undertake a group project in the first term and an individual project in the second term of their third year.

A typical weekly timetable

In the first year your time is equally divided between mathematics and physics, with about ten lectures and two paired tutorials a week. In addition you spend one day a week, over two terms, in the practical laboratories. In the second and third years the core and mainstream physics topics are covered, with about ten lectures a week and a mix of tutorials and small group classes. Practical work occupies two days a fortnight over four terms. In the fourth year you take two major options, about six lectures plus one class a week, plus the MPhys project.

Diary iconA week in the life of an Oxford Student

Rachel Gregory, a first year Physics student, shares her timetable to show an example of a student’s week at Oxford University. >>

1st year
Courses

Foundation courses:

  • Classical mechanics & special relativity
  • Electromagnetism & circuit theory
  • Mathematical methods I
  • Differential equations, waves & optics

Short options

  • Astronomy
  • Complex analysis
  • Quantum ideas

Assessment

First University examinations:
Four written papers; short option paper; satisfactory laboratory work

2nd year
Courses

Core courses:

  • Thermal physics
  • Electromagnetism & optics
  • Quantum physics
  • Mathematical methods II

Short options: e.g.

  • Classical mechanics
  • Energy studies
  • Introduction to biological physics

Assessment

Final University examinations, Part A (both): Three written papers; short option paper; laboratory work

3rd year

Courses

Mainstream courses:

  • Flows, fluctuations and complexity
  • Symmetry and relativity
  • Quantum, atomic and molecular physics
  • Sub-atomic Physics
  • General relativity and cosmology
  • Condensed-matter physics

Short options: e.g.

  • Physics of Climate Change
  • Classical mechanics
  • Plasma physics

Assessment

Final University examinations, Part B (MPhys):
Three written papers; short option paper; laboratory work
Final University examinations, Part B (BA):
Four written papers; short option paper; laboratory work; project report

4th year
Courses

Project and two option courses:

  • MPhys project

Major options

  • Astrophysics
  • Laser science & quantum information processing
  • Condensed matter
  • Particle physics
  • Atmospheres & oceans
  • Theoretical physics
  • Biological physics

Assessment

Final University examinations, Part C (MPhys):
Project report
Two major option papers

Exams are taken in June at the end of each year of the courses. Most written papers are of 2.5 or 3 hours duration. Short options are shared across years 1–3 and are examined by a 1.5 hour paper; the titles shown are illustrative and may change from year to year of the course.

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