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

2. Course Structure BA MPhys Physics (shown) 3 year course – BA degree
Foundation
Part A
Core
Part B
Options
Mainstream
Part C BA
MPhys
Year 2
Year 1
Year 3
Year 4
Physics (shown)
3 year course – BA degree
4 year course – MPhys
Physics & Philosophy
4 years – BA or MPhys
(or MPhysPhil)

3. 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

4. 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

5. Teaching Components Lectures Tutorials and classes Laboratory work
Projects
Major Options
Classes
Exams
All the usual components of a university physics course

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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)

10. 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

11. 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)

12. Third year GRADUATE 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

13. 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

14. Areas of Research Sub-Departments
Relevant for the 4th year options and projects
Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics
Condensed Matter and Biophysics
Atomic and Laser Physics
Astrophysics
Particle Physics
Theoretical Physics
AOPP: Climate physics, climate forecasting models, space-based measurement systems
Astro: Galaxies, dark matter, cosmology
A&L: Low temperature Physics, nonlinear optics, quantum computing
CMP: Semiconductors, superconductors, life-related molecules e.g. DNA
PP: CERN, LHC etc
Theory: Nature of matter, string theory etc 14

15. Teaching Components & who provides
Lectures
Tutorials and classes
Laboratory work
Projects
Third Year
- SR, GR and Fluids Classes
Major Options
- Classes
Exams
Department
Colleges **
Department **
Department for colleges **
University
** these provide the main opportunities for teaching

16. Physics Management Committee
Chairman of Physics
Dr John Wheater
Physics Management Committee
Who organises
the u/g teaching
in the physics
department?
Teaching Faculty
Prof Nick Jelley
Academic Committee
Astrophysics
Condensed Matter Physics
(includes Biophysics)
Particle Physics
Atmospheric, Ocean & Planetary Physics
Sub-Departments
Atomic & Laser Physics
Theoretical Physics
Teaching Faculty Office
Academic Admin
Mrs Leonard-McIntyre
Miss Hannah Glanville
Practical Course
Dr Karen Aplin
Technical Staff
Physics Sub-Faculty
(All teaching staff)

17. Where?
Teaching Faculty
Office
Teaching Labs
level 2 DWB

18. Sources of Information
Physics website – teaching pages
Teaching guide
Handbooks
Academic staff
Heads of Labs (for demonstrating)
College Tutors (College Teaching)
Option Coordinators (for 4th year Major Option Classes)
Faculty Office

19. 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

20. Handbooks Course Handbook Everything you need to know about the course
Lectures
Reading Lists
Syllabuses
Exams
Other Handbooks
Physics & Philosophy
Practical Course
Projects – MPhys
– BA

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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)

24. MPLS Division Structure
MPLS Divisional Board
General Purposes Committee
Academic Committee
Divisional Secretariat
Undergraduate Studies Panel
Graduate Studies Panel
Chemistry
Physics
Engineering
Mathematics
Plant Sciences
Earth Sciences
Materials
Statistics
Computing
Zoology

25. University Management Structure
Mathematical,
Physical and
Life Sciences
Division

26. 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