Page 33
performance in all these modules determines your progression to the next year of study (or level),
and your final degree classification is based on modules taken in Year 2 and 3 (and Year 4 on the
MPhys programmes and the Professional Placement in placement degrees). You will be able to
discuss your choice of modules with members of staff at enrolment at the beginning of each year or,
for existing students, at pre-enrolment, which is held at the end of each academic year.
Credits and Progression
For each module which you successfully pass, you will acquire credits. Progression from one year to
the next and your final degree classification are based on both credit accumulation and average
marks. Rules for progression are discussed in detail in Appendix 1, but as a basic rule you should aim
to accumulate 120 credits each year (i.e. the equivalent of passing 12 single modules). If you fail a
module you may be required to resit it, or repeat the assessment, in the summer resit period or
during the next academic year. It is in your interests that you pass first time, leaving the summer
free for employment and relaxation. Please note that you cannot resit a module which you have
passed in order to improve your marks and resits are capped at 40%.
Module Catalogues
Details of the module organiser, teaching methods, schedule of assessment, aims and learning
outcomes and outline syllabus of all physics and astronomy modules are given in the School’s
Module Catalogue. You should consult these entries carefully so that you are clear what to expect
and what will be expected of you. Information on free-standing modules is given in the University’s
Free-Standing Module Catalogue, available on the University’s web site. Modules advertised or
referred to may be changed or withdrawn both before and after selection for various reasons,
including the loss of key members of staff or insufficient take-up by students.
The School’s Module Catalogue also specifies the compulsory and optional modules you will be
required to select for each degree scheme. Because the content of modules and programmes of
study vary from time to time, the current module catalogue should be regarded as giving the
definitive information on each degree programme.
You are provided with a Module Catalogue at registration in Year 1. The catalogue is updated each
year and the current version is always available at the following web site:
http://www.astro.cardiff.ac.uk/teachingandlearning/resources/catalogue.pdf
Your Responsibilities
The School of Physics and Astronomy undertakes to provide high-quality taught programmes of
study, to deliver them in a competent and professional way, and to listen to your comments. But you
also have responsibilities which, when fulfilled, will help you gain the most from your studies. Not all
of these responsibilities are stated in explicit rules and regulations because we expect that you will
become self-motivated, develop a responsible attitude to the use of your time, and acquire the
ability to organise your work to meet deadlines. We have tried to help you focus your efforts by
providing “learning outcomes” for each of our modules. Learning outcomes form a list which shows
the principal things which an “average-ranking student” should be able to do after completing the
module, i.e. a kind of “syllabus” but concentrating on what you need to be able to do or to be able to
reproduce to demonstrate your understanding of the subject. Learning outcomes do not describe
everything you should expect to gain from the course and you are expected to extend your
knowledge and expertise by further reading, discussion and reflection.
Page 34
So what are your responsibilities? The most obvious is that you should take command of your
learning – we do our best to teach you and guide you through the various subjects, but you have to
do the learning! To this end, you should attend all teaching sessions – including lectures,
laboratories, exercise classes and tutorials. You should attempt all exercises and problems provided,
handing in work by the specified deadline. In some cases exercise marks are part of your continuous
assessment. If you cannot complete an exercise, hand in your efforts anyway; you will then get
feedback as to where you have gone wrong. When you meet concepts or problems you do not
comprehend, you should ask staff for help – we can only deal with problems when we know they
exist. If you have comments on the modules, tell us. Tell the lecturer, tell your representative on the
staff-student panel, put it on the questionnaire which you are asked to complete at the end of each
semester. If you are unable to complete work on time or attend teaching sessions for good cause,
then you should inform your tutor or the General Office and where required submit written
extenuating circumstances (e.g. to request an extension to a deadline). If illness or other external
factors have affected your work or prevented you from taking examinations, this will be taken into
account by the Examining Board, but note that written notification with supporting documentation
from a doctor or counsellor is then required. You also have a responsibility to work in accordance
with the School’s safety procedures (Appendix 3). In doing experimental work and in moving round
the building you should always be aware of the safety of yourself and others. You have a
responsibility to report all accidents to a member of staff, who will then complete an accident report
form. Any enquiries on safety matters in the laboratories should be addressed to the responsible
member of staff or the laboratory technician whenever practical.
Beyond your Degree
After obtaining your degree you will probably wish to seek professional employment in industry, the
public sector, the City etc., or pursue some type of further training. The latter might be teacher
training, for example, or you might prefer to pursue study for a higher degree. Whatever your
aspirations, the School tries to offer help and advice through its Careers Officer and its contacts with
the University’s Careers Service. You should also discuss your career aspirations with your Personal
Tutor. During the course of your life as a student you may undertake employment or work
experience, and we strongly recommend that you keep a record of these activities so that you can
use them to support applications for employment. To this end, the University encourages you to
maintain a personal record of your achievements, which subsequently can be written into the form
of a CV.
Higher degrees are basically of two different types. A Masters course (MSc) is a one-year structured
course which provides an element of vocational training. (Note that an MSc is distinct from our
MPhys or an MSci, the latter both being first degrees whilst the former is a higher degree.)
Alternatively, you can study for an MPhil (one year) or a PhD (three years), both of which are
undertaken by research. The School of Physics and Astronomy offers both MPhil and PhD
postgraduate training as well as taught MSc Programmes in Physics, in Astrophysics and in
Biophotonics. If you are interested in doing a higher degree by research, at Cardiff or elsewhere,
then you should speak to our Postgraduate Admissions Tutor.