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PX402-45 Physics Project

Department
Physics
Level
Undergraduate Level 4
Module leader
Matthew Broome
Credit value
45
Module duration
28 weeks
Assessment
100% coursework
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry
Introductory description

The project gives students the opportunity to develop their own ideas in a particular field of interest. Usually students work in a pair, within one of our research groups and alongside postgraduate students and other members of staff. The experience of working more independently should be valuable to students' future careers, whether they intend to work as scientists or not, and can help students make their career choices.

Module web page

Module aims

To provide experience of working on an extended project in a research environment in collaboration with a supervisor and, typically, with a partner

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

You will work, normally in pairs, on an extended project which may be experimental, computational or theoretical (or indeed a combination of these). Through discussions with your supervisor you will establish a plan of work which you will frequently review as you progress. In general, the project will not be closely prescribed and will contain an investigative element. Over the Christmas vacation you will independently write an interim report which will be marked and returned (with feedback) by your supervisor. At the end of the second term, you will again independently write a final report, which will be assessed by two independent members of academic staff. You will also prepare a poster describing your project to be presented at an open poster session along with other project posters, at which you will also be required to defend it.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • To complete a piece of physics research
  • To write a scientific report on your work and defend it at a poster session
Indicative reading list

Research journals and books

Subject specific skills

Research skills in physics

Transferable skills

Analytical, communication, IT, organisational, problem-solving, self-study

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 2 sessions of 1 hour (0%)
Project supervision 40 sessions of 1 hour (9%)
Private study 408 hours (91%)
Total 450 hours
Private study description

Analysis of techniques and results, discussing with partner, reading and working through research papers, writing interim report and final thesis, preparatory reading (over long vacation), preparing poster and poster presentation for oral defence of the thesis

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Assessment group A1
Weighting Study time
Dissertation & Report 100%

Dissertation + Interim Report

Feedback on assessment

Written feedback provided by supervisor (end of term 1), written feedback written from the two \r\nindependent assessors of the dissertation.

Courses

This module is Core for:

  • Year 4 of UPXA-FG33 Undergraduate Mathematics and Physics (BSc MMathPhys)
  • UPXA-FG31 Undergraduate Mathematics and Physics (MMathPhys)
    • Year 4 of FG31 Mathematics and Physics (MMathPhys)
    • Year 4 of FG31 Mathematics and Physics (MMathPhys)
  • Year 4 of UPXA-F303 Undergraduate Physics (MPhys)