Module choices
All this information will be explained to you during Intro Week so don't panic!
If you want to know more about specific modules please go to: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/physics/teaching/modules. It will take you to a list of all the Physics Courses, each page has a 'Module Description' link on it.
Single honours
All SINGLE HONOURS first year students must take four core Physics modules (two in each semester)
PHY101 Mechanics, Heat and Matter (20 credits)
PHY102 Fields, Waves and Quanta (20 credits)
plus
PHY113 Professional Skills in Physics I (10 credits)
PHY114 Professional Skills in Physics II (10 credits)
All first year Physics students must also take the Mathematics core half module:
MAS165 Mathematics for Physicists (10 credits).
This core represents 70 credits. The remaining 50 credits can be obtained in two ways.
EITHER, you can take the following module of subsidiary Mathematics:
PHY112 Introductory Mathematics for Physicists & Astronomers (20 credits)
plus unrestricted modules to the value of 30 credits.
It is advisable to select 10 credits in Autumn semester and 20 in Spring, to give an overall 60:60 split.
These units can in principle be chosen from a wide range of science and arts modules, though many students take Astronomy and Medical Physics modules which are part of the corresponding Dual Honours programmes. Module descriptions to all our university modules can be found via the module descriptions link on the departmental website. Other choices are possible, such as Philosophy, Politics, Management or a language, and you can investigate such possibilities in Intro Week. The University will send you a booklet containing details of all courses available to first-year students; note, however, that timetabling problems may preclude a particular choice, and possible pre-requisites must be satisfied.
OR, you can take 40 credits (20 credits each) Further Mathematics:
MAS110 Mathematics Core I
MAS111 Mathematics Core II
plus unrestricted modules to the value of 10 credits
A good A-level Mathematics record (ideally an A-grade) is advisable for this choice. It is recommended, but not essential, for Theoretical Physics students to take the Further Mathematics units.
Note that this option may not be available if the School of Mathematics and Statistics has a particularly large first-year cohort, because the allocated lecture theatres may not be large enough to accommodate additional students. This was the case in 2011/12, and may be so again this year. If this is so, Theoretical Physics students should be allowed to take this option (because the regulations for this degree include more Mathematics units in later years), but ordinary Single Honours Physics students will not be accepted. We apologise in advance if this turns out to be the case: such circumstances are unfortunately beyond our control.
Dual degree courses
The Dual Honours degree combinations which involve a component of teaching within Physics & Astronomy are:
Physics/Astrophysics
Physics/Philosophy
Physics/Medical Physics
Physics/Computer Science
Some dual degree courses have no unrestricted module choices, however, Physics and Computer Science and Physics and Philosophy do offer you some choices. The appropriate combination of units for these courses is given in the University Regulations for Undergraduate Study, and these will usually be printed automatically on your Registration form.
For the Dual degree courses taught largely in this department, the regulations are as follows:
Physics/Astrophysics (120 Credits Core - no options available)MAS165 Mathematics for Physicists (10 credits) |
Physics/Medical Physics (120 Credits Core - no options available)FCE101 Introduction to Bioengineering (20 credits) |
Physics/Philosophy (80 Credits Core - 40 credits of options available)MAS165 Mathematics for Physicists (10 credits) (b) units to the value of 40 credits from the following PHI103 Self and Society (10 credits) |
Physics/Computer Science (110 Credits Core - 10 credits of options available)COM160 Computer Problem Solving and Object Oriented Design (20 credits) Unrestricted units to the value of 10 credits |
Study abroad students
If you are on a student abroad programme you can choose from the Mphys Physics core modules OR the Mphys Theoretical Physics core modules show below:
Mphys PhysicsCORE MAS165 F4 Mathematics for Physicists (10 credits) PLUS one of the following: (i) PHY112 F4 Introductory Mathematics for Physicists and Astronomers 20 unrestricted units to the value of 30 credits OR (ii) MAS110 F4 Mathematics Core I (20 credits) |
Mphys Theoretical PhysicsCORE MAS165 F4 Mathematics for Physicists (10 credits) PLUS one of the following: (i) PHY112 F4 Introductory Mathematics for Physicists and Astronomers (20 credits) unrestricted units to the value of 30 credits OR (ii) MAS110 F4 Mathematics Core I (20 credits) |