Third Year

The third year curriculum consists of core lecture courses, special topic options, and laboratory projects. The lecture course offerings are outlined below, with links to course information. The laboratory projects are described below. Options for some courses and laboratories change each year, and students should consult the coordinator at the start of each semester for the most up to date listings.

Third Year Modules

For draft information on course requirements and module allocation, download Information on Third Year Physics. In 2009, you will be required to complete the Modern Optics, Special Relativity and Classical Mechanics components in 3302, while 3312 will consist of a lecture component (consisting of Solid State Physics plus one of either of Computational Physics or Computational Quantum Mechanics) as well as a laboratory component (requiring completion of two laboratories where one must be fully written up and presented at the third year conference).

Third year lecture courses are offered in modules consisting of between 11 and 18 lectures. The number and choice of modules is dictated by the particular unit taken. The lecture courses are complemented by a modern physics laboratory component. Some options are not available every year, and some will be offered concurrently with Honours. A final list of available options will be presented at the start of each of the two semesters. The code after each module listed below shows which unit it is connected with if you see a NO, then it will not be offered this year. You can click on most of these to obtain more information about the course.

First Semester

Second Semester

Modern Optics (3302)
Classical Mechanics (3302)
Electrons and Phonons (NO)
Solid State Physics (3312)
Statistical Mechanics (NO)
Computational Quantum Mechanics (3312)
Computational Physics (3312)
Fusion (NO)
Special Relativity (3302)
Topics in Astronomy and Astrophysics (NO)
Biophysics (NO)

Laboratory Projects

The experiments offered in third year are some of the most interesting and elegant laboratory activities you will encounter during your studies in Physics. There are no restrictions on which projects you with to work on, and you are free to choose those experiments which interest you most from the list of available projects. Each project takes three weeks and during this time the particular experiment is reserved for the exclusive use of your group. A short summary and detailed laboratory book entries are required for the completion of each project. A formal laboratory report is required for one project at the end of the year, and is submitted and presented at the annual Third Year Conference.

Files about the laboratory component that were originally on the WebCT site have all been copied to here.

Details on how to sign up for experiments and submit reports are here.

Links to laboratory report web sites are found at Third Year Conference Web Presentations.

Third Year Computer Lab

This is a facility within the School of Physics which is available exclusively to third year students. Students are encouraged to use the facility for general computing purposes (including email and web access). Lecture material and assignment solutions for many other modules are also available via this facility, and the astrophysics module makes extensive use of the web. The computing facility is in close proximity to most third year laboratory rooms, and students are encouraged to use graphical and data analysis packages in the analysis and presentation of experimental results. Instruction in the use of these packages is provided. The lab also doubles as a third year common room, and houses a fridge, microwave, and table tennis.

Lectopia

You will find all the lectopia for Third Year Physics linked from this page. If there is no video it is because the lecturer has not used the projector or visualizer. If there is no audio then it because the lecture room wasn't used in this session, or the lecturer forgot to switch the microphone on. I must say it is a bit of a mess at the moment (unit components aren't separated but I cannot see how to do this easily).

2009 Semester 2 Timetable

All lectures will be held in Room 2.15 of the Physics buildings with the laboratories held in various rooms in the building (see the third year lab co-ordinator for appropriate information).

Modern Optics (MO) – 302 - Lecturer: Andre Luiten – 15 lectures (starts in the week of August 24)
Classical Mechanics (QM) – 302 - Lecturer: Sergei Kuzenko – 18 lectures (starts in week of July 27)
Special Relativity (SR) – 302 - Lecturer: Ron Burman – 11 lectures (starts in first week of semester)
Solid State Physics (SSP) – 312 - Lecturer: Sergei Samarin – 18 lectures – (starts in week of September 14).
Computational Quantum Mechanics (CQM) – Lecturer: Jingbo Wang – in the even weeks of semester. Starts in week 2.
Computational Physics (CP) - Lecturer: Paul Abbott - Thursday 12PM from week 1 to 9.
The 302 tutorial on Monday afternoon will be used by Classical Mechanics.