vi
School Requirements for Year 1 Students ........................................................................ 40
14.
I
NFORMATION FOR
S
ECOND
-Y
EAR
S
TUDENTS
............................................................... 41
Information on Modules ................................................................................................... 41
Teaching Arrangements .................................................................................................... 41
Progression to Year 3 ........................................................................................................ 41
School Requirements for Year 2 Students ........................................................................ 42
15.
I
NFORMATION FOR
T
HIRD
-Y
EAR
S
TUDENTS
................................................................. 43
Information on Modules ................................................................................................... 43
Teaching Arrangements .................................................................................................... 43
Project Work ..................................................................................................................... 43
Progression to Year 4 (MPhys Students Only) .................................................................. 44
The Award of BSc Degrees ................................................................................................ 44
Life After the Third Year .................................................................................................... 44
16.
I
NFORMATION FOR
F
OURTH
-Y
EAR
S
TUDENTS
............................................................... 45
Information on Modules ................................................................................................... 45
Teaching Arrangements .................................................................................................... 45
Research Project and Dissertation .................................................................................... 45
The Award of MPhys Degrees ........................................................................................... 46
Life After the Fourth Year ................................................................................................. 46
A
PPENDIX
1
–
E
XAMINING
B
OARD
R
ULES AND
C
ONVENTIONS
................................................ 47
A
PPENDIX
2
–
S
OME
A
DVICE ON THE
A
VOIDANCE OF
P
LAGIARISM
........................................... 52
A
PPENDIX
3
–
S
AFETY
R
EGULATIONS FOR
U
NDERGRADUATES
................................................. 56
A
PPENDIX
4
–
S
UPPORTING
S
TUDENTS WITH
D
ISABILITIES
..................................................... 58
Page 1
1.
W
ELCOME TO
C
ARDIFF
U
NIVERSITY
At Cardiff you are studying in a successful, vibrant, multicultural, bilingual and diverse University, set
in the capital city of Wales. Founded in 1883, Cardiff University is established as one of Britain’s
leading universities and our ambition is to be among the top 100 universities in the world and top 20
in the UK by 2017.
Our research has global impact and is led by internationally recognised staff who share their
knowledge with you through their teaching. There are 26 Academic Schools organised into three
Colleges (Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, Biomedical & Life Sciences and Physical Sciences &
Engineering). We have over 30,000 students, from over 100 countries of which:
•
21,495 are undergraduates,
•
8,685 are postgraduates,
•
6,6055 are international students.
[2013/14 data from HESA]
We have over 1,000 students volunteering in the local community each year and our graduates are
sought after by employers, with 95% entering employment or professional training/postgraduate
study within six months of graduating.
There is a strong sense of community that is characterised by the balance we achieve between our
educational, social, cultural and sporting experiences, within a culture that fosters, promotes and
respects equality, dignity and diversity. The Cardiff University community creates an environment
where expectations can be met and ambitions realised. Your experience will be unique to you, based
on the choices you make and your level of engagement with the range of opportunities available.
We hope you take full advantage of your time here.
Welcome from the Cardiff University School of Physics and Astronomy
The School of Physics and Astronomy forms part of the College of Physical Sciences & Engineering. It
is located on the Newport Road site of the university sharing accommodation, library facilities and
lecture theatres with the School of Engineering and School of Computer Science and Informatics.
The School hosts around 40 academic members of staff, a comparable number of post-doctoral
research assistants, 60 postgraduate students and an undergraduate population of about 360. In
addition there is administrative and technical support for teaching and research.
Cardiff is a “research-led” Russell-Group university. As such it is involved with cutting-edge research
as well as teaching. Our involvement in teaching and research allows us to advance knowledge in
physics, astrophysics and astronomy and to pass on our expertise and enthusiasm to succeeding
generations of students. Research is organised in four main areas: astrophysics, instrumentation for
astronomy, optoelectronics and condensed-matter physics. We also have research groups in
education and in acoustics. Parts of the undergraduate syllabus reflect the research interests and
specific expertise of members of staff. Physics is a living subject where new developments and
discoveries are continually being made and ideas are always being challenged. Active researchers
are aware of this evolutionary process and can reflect it in their teaching so that you become aware
of the excitement of the subject.
The mission of the School of Physics and Astronomy is to be recognised locally, nationally and
internationally for the high quality of our research, teaching and educational provision in Physics,
Astrophysics and Astronomy, together with appropriate related subjects. In pursuit of these aims we
have the following objectives: