Progress & Assessment
Your personal tutor will discuss your progress at end of each term. A record is kept of your attendance at example classes (and associated marks in the assessed problems), and of your attendance and marks in the laboratory. While your tutor will learn if you are missing classes, or not doing well on coursework, you are the person in the best position to identify any issues you are having. If you feel that you are having problems please raise these with your tutor before these end-of-term meetings. Students whose general performance does not improve, or who do not do well in the January Mathematics examination, will be asked to discuss the matter further with the Director of Studies.
Your engagement with your course will be recorded at a number of monitoring points (6 in term 1, 5 in term 2, and 2 in term 3). Missing 3 of these will result in your being required to discuss the matter with your tutor, whilst missing 6 will probably lead to your being required to withdraw, although we will normally intercede earlier. It is hoped that this approach to monitoring your progress will allow us to identify well before the Summer examinations students who are having major problems with the course or with adjusting to University study. We expect that any student who is having difficulties will seek help or advice for themselves at an early stage, rather than letting things slide until the problems become severe.
Examinations
In the first year, examinations are held at two points during the year. There will be written examinations for Analysis in week 15 (first week of term 2). The remaining examinations take place in the third term in weeks 34 to 37 (weeks 5 to 8). The method of registering for the examinations and assessed work will be explained at the appropriate time.
Marks for the year are considered by the First Year Board of Examiners according to conventions harmonised across the University. The overall pass mark for the year is 40%. It is also necessary to achieve a satisfactory performance (40%) in each of five required core modules and to pass modules worth 90 CATS credits or more in order to proceed to the second year of the course.
The Required Core modules are:
MA149 Linear Algebra, MA152 Mathematical Analysis II, PX154 Physics Foundations, PX155 Classical Mechanics and Relativity, PX157 Electricity and Magnetism.
Note that some examinations may be scheduled on Saturdays. Examination scheduling is dealt with for the whole University by the Registry and is largely outside the control of the Physics Department. The timetables are published on their website of the Examination Office.
Resits
For those who do not pass at the first attempt there are re-sit examinations in September. You should note that, when the Examination Board considers the resit marks, they consider only the marks obtained in the resit examinations. These marks are not recombined with assessed coursework modules or, in the case of Mathematical Analysis, with the January examination mark.
Right to Remedy Failure
In addition to resits required by the Board of Examiners, you may be offered optional resits. These are to allow you to remedy failures in modules, in which a pass is not necessary to progress (modules which are not required core modules and in which passes are not necessary to ensure you have passed modules worth at least 90 credits). If you have any questions relating to optional resits offered to you, please discuss these with your tutor in the first instance.
Resits (required or optional) are only available in modules, that are predominantly assessed by written examination.
Assessed Work
It is a rule in the department, and elsewhere in the University, that where assessed work is submitted late, credit is normally reduced by 5% of the original total available credit for each day or part of a day by which it exceeds the deadline, and other departments apply similar penalties. Stricter rules apply to weekly problem sheets. Allowance can be made when work is missed or submitted late because of illness, provided that a medical certificate has been submitted to the staff member responsible.
Mitigating Circumstances
If your performance is likely to be (or has been) affected by personal circumstances, you can ask for these to be taken into account. If the Mitigating Circumstances panel recommend it, you may be offered a further first attempt (FFA) at a failed written examination.
Cheating
The University has Regulations defining and proscribing cheating in examinations and assessed work. You are expected to be aware of these Regulations and abide by them.
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