Progress Monitoring

You have worked on the vocabulary on the topic “Studying physics”. Tick (V) the points you are confident about and cross (X) the ones you need to revise.

		to do a course in physics
		a single subject degree course/a modular degree structure
		a compulsory(core)/optional/elective course
		to choose speciality
		lectures/laboratory work/tutorials/workshops
		state-of-the-art optional courses
		problem solving/project planning/report writing/presentation skills
		to undertake professional placement
		to gain ‘real life’ hands-on experience
		excellent research facilities
		to design and perform experiments
		to take part in department social events
		the guidance and support of a departmental academic supervisor
		to do a final year research project
		interpretation and analysis of experimental data
		to develop new measurement instruments/electronic devices/components
		to gain relevant knowledge/qualification/professional skills
		to gain relevant knowledge/qualification/professional skills
		to gain relevant knowledge/qualification/professional skills
		to open doors to a wide variety of careers
		broad training and adaptability
		to make a real expert

Progress Test

1. Cross out the odd word.

1. radiation, magnetism, aerodynamics, sound

2. solids, liquids, gases, pressure

3. technique, spectrometer, microscope, satellite

4. to develop, to manufacture, to test, to design

5. concept, idea, skills, theory

6. celestial mechanics, quantum optics, meteorology, star formation

2. Give English equivalents to these Russian word combinations.

1. учить формулы и законы

2. ставить и решать сложные задачи

3. экспериментальные методы физики

4. посещать лекции, семинары, консультации

5. оборудование для проведения исследований

6. приобретать профессиональные навыки

7. стать настоящим специалистом

3. Write the word and the Russian equivalent next to each transcription.

e.g. [ɪ'kweɪʒ(ə)n]	equation	уравнение
[ɪk'spɪəriən(t)s]
[rɪ'sɜːʧ]
[ˌʌndə'grædjuət]
[fə'sɪlətiz]
[ˏ æplɪ'keɪʃ(ə)n]
[kəm'pəunənt]
[tek'niːk]
['sæt(ə)laɪt]

4. Complete the sentences with the correct tenses.

1. Since her childhood Sandra McLean (to be interested) in stars, planets and galaxies.

2. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) website, gamma ray bursts (to be) the most powerful explosions the universe (to see) since the Big Bang.

3. I (to love) being a student at Manchester University. I (to choose) to come here first because of the exemplary physics degree programme which covers all the topics that (always to interest) me, including modern physics such as relativity and quantum mechanics.

4. He (to enjoy) studying here because the facilities (to be) excellent and the university (to have) links with other major research centres such as CERN so the teaching (to be) always up to date.

5. As far as I know, Chris (to work) at Los Alamos National Laboratory for three years now.

6. I (just; to start) a Master’s degree course in astrophysics.

Credit Points

Tasks	Get real	Writing	Summarizing	Progress test	Total
Maximum score	10	10	10	30	60
Your score
%

Script

Here at the university students are offered different types of "Physics with…" degrees, such as Physics with Nuclear Astrophysics, Physics with Satellite Technology, Physics with Business Management and some others.

Most of the physics courses have a common first year and it is possible, thanks to the modular degree structure, to transfer between many of the different programmes during the first year. It’s very convenient because during your common first year you can change your registered course up to the end of the first year as your interests develop.

There are required, so called, ‘Core’ physics modules that are common to all degree programmes. They cover such subject areas as Newtonian and Relativistic Mechanics, Atomic Physics, Physics of Fields and Waves, Quantum Mechanics, Solid State physics, Thermodynamics as well as Electromagnetism, Computational Mathematics, Relativity and some others.

There is also a great variety of ‘Optional’ modules, which are modules in other departments, or specialist modules for some of the more focused programmes. They allow you to choose your speciality. These include Mathematical Modeling, Medical Imaging, Special and General Relativity as well as Experimental Techniques and Advanced Theoretical Techniques or even Physics of Music. I should say that, these optional courses are really “state -of-the-art” and cover many research topics. So this is how students gain some first-hand experience of research atmosphere. Besides, they develop such skills as test and measurement, project planning, report writing and presentation.

In fact, all BSc programmes normally last for three years, or four years if you decide to take a Professional Training Year and gain ‘real life’ hands-on experience. A Professional Training Year is a period of paid professional training. You might spend this period in the UK or abroad. Today more and more students tend to undertake their professional placement in the USA, Germany, France, Japan as well as Central and South Africa. That is why electives in Modern Languages are very popular.

At the moment I’m doing the BSc single subject Physics degree course. I got interested in this course because I think it is the most flexible of all the degree programmes and reflects both theoretical and experimental aspects of the subject. I mean, there is a great opportunity for hands-on experiments that confirm the learning in lectures.

In addition to lectures, laboratory work and tutorials there are workshops in problem solving where you work with other students in small groups. Also all students, both BSc and MPhys, undertake a research project in their final year of study. This is done with the guidance and support of your departmental academic supervisor. My project title is “Measuring optical properties using electron beams”.

I think I’ll take a MPhys course because I want to develop my research skills and move on to a PhD.

(Adapted from http://www2.surrey.ac.uk/physics/about/; www.york.ac.uk/physics)