Course Description Document

Course Title	Astrophysics with a Year Abroad (2025-26)
Course Code	4422
Award Title	Master of Physics (MPhys)
Awarding Body	University of Southampton
Teaching Institution	University of Southampton
Regulated by	Office for Students
Accreditation	Institute of Physics (IOP)
Regulations	The Regulations of the University can be found on the University's Governance Webpages: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/about/governance/regulations-policies
Location of study	Southampton
Length of the course	4 Years
Tuition Fees	Fees for students can be located by the student fees page. https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentservices/money-matters/student-fees/index.page

Course Overview

Physics and astronomy are dynamic subjects which are continually being developed by new discoveries and innovations. In choosing to study physics at Southampton, you will benefit from being taught by research-active physicists who enjoy an outstanding international reputation in all research areas carried out within Physics & Astronomy. We assign a high priority to the continual development and improvement of our teaching methods and curriculum design in order to guarantee students a highly stimulating, as well as enjoyable and fruitful, learning experience.
Astronomy is one of the strong research features of Southampton and students greatly benefit from extensive contact with staff involved in cutting-edge research. This is particularly true for final year projects that often involve working with the latest results from international observatories. In addition Southampton has pioneered the award-winning field trip to the Izana Observatory in Tenerife. This provides Astrophysics students with an opportunity to carry out observational work at an international professional observatory.
In the fourth year you spend 30 weeks working in a research laboratory abroad. This will take place in the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Boston, USA starting 1 September. During this period of time you will be under the immediate supervision of a local member of staff who will guide you in your work on a previously agreed programme of study. A member of staff from Southampton will visit you during your first 3 months to ensure satisfactory progress. At all stages both the Personal Tutor and Southampton Programme co- ordinator will proactively maintain communication with you.
Physics & Astronomy recognises the potential diversity of our students both at home and internationally and thus this document has been written in accordance with the University’s Diversity Policies and and current anti- discrimination legislation.
Exit awards are only available under exceptional circumstances. Note that students must meet the standard criteria for progression to these awards before they can be granted. Note that for BSc Physics to be considered as an exit award, PHYS6017 Computer Techniques in Physics must be passed with at least a 40% mark.
Your contact hours will vary depending on your module/option choices. Full information about contact hours is provided in individual module profiles.

Aims of the Course

•introduce you to the main branches of physics;
•help you to understand the principles of physics;
•provide you with a foundation for a successful career as a physicist, and opportunities to develop skills transferable to a wide range of other careers, and to prepare you for further studies in physics leading to a graduate degree such as a Ph.D.;
•offer you the opportunity to study some of the advanced concepts and techniques of contemporary physics, particularly in astronomy and photonics;
•enable you to develop skills in problem solving and critical and quantitative analysis in physics;
•enable you to develop practical skills in experimentation and measurement;
•provide you with the opportunity for a broader education by studying other subjects in addition to physics;
•provide you with a friendly and supportive environment and enrich your learning experience through interaction with staff engaged in internationally respected research;
•provide you with some of the basic IT and numeracy skills necessary for further study and employment, including word-processing, data analysis and internet-based research;
• enable you to develop computer programming skills and statistical techniques to support data analysis;
•help you develop key skills: personal organisation and teamwork, finding and using information, written and oral presentation;
•ensure that you become an increasingly independent learner and physicist as you progress through the programme.
•explain to you the challenges involved in carrying out ground-based and space-based observations of the fundamental parameters of the universe.
•give you the opportunity to study some advanced concepts in contemporary astrophysics
•ensure that you become an increasingly independent learner and physicist as you progress through the programme

Course Structure

The tables below provide a list of the modules that make up your course.

Each module is worth a specified number of credits: you can take a combination of core and compulsory modules enabling you to cover key subject knowledge. Some courses have option modules which enable you to develop your own interests.

Each level of your programme requires a certain number of credits. The number of option modules you can take depends on the number of core modules at a given level and this is also influenced by the requirements of the regulatory requirements for professionally accredited courses. Some courses also have pre and co-requisites, and these are included in individual module information.

Your learning will be led by the latest research, and modules can change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. You can always find the most up-to-date information about your modules and who is teaching them via the information on our webpages and, post enrolment, via the Faculty hub.

If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an option module, it may not be offered. If an option module will not be run, we will advise you as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.

The core and compulsory modules available on your course are as follows:

Pathway
Part I The following structure assumes entry via the MPhys with Astronomy programme, having taken the by-invitation module PHYS2011 in Part II. The information in this programme specification is accurate at the time of writing, but may change in minor ways from year to year due to staff availability or other factors. Some of these modules are subject to pre- requisites and exclusions that, for brevity, are not given here; this information is available in the module specifications on the Physics & Astronomy Undergraduate Teaching website. The module requirements for each programme are shown for each Part below; modules are either core (must be taken and passed), compulsory (must be taken) or optional (may be taken). It should be noted that it may not be possible to run some optional modules if the number of students registered on the module is very small. It should also be noted that optional module choice can be restricted by the University Timetable, which varies from year to year: some optional modules may clash with other optional or compulsory modules. Please be aware that many modules are shared between different cohorts; the class size depends on cohort size, which varies from year to year.
Part I Core You will take the following core modules:
Code	Module Title	ECTS	Type
MATH1006	Mathematical Methods for Physical Scientists 1a	7.5	Core
PHYS1015	Motion and Relativity	5	Core
PHYS1017	Physics Skills 1	5	Core
PHYS1022	Electricity and Magnetism	5	Core
PHYS1201	Physics Skills - Programming and Data Analysis	7.5	Core
MATH1007	Mathematical Methods For Physical Scientists 1b	7.5	Core
PHYS1005	Introduction to Astronomy and Space Science	7.5	Core
PHYS1011	Waves, Light and Quanta	5	Core
PHYS1013	Energy and Matter	5	Core
PHYS1019	Physics Skills 2	5	Core
Part II You must complete the following modules.
Part II Core
Code	Module Title	ECTS	Type
PHYS2006	Classical Mechanics	7.5	Core
PHYS2013	Galaxies	7.5	Core
PHYS2022	Physics from Evidence I	7.5	Core
PHYS2023	Wave Physics	7.5	Core
PHYS2001	Electromagnetism	7.5	Core
PHYS2003	Quantum Physics	7.5	Core
PHYS2011	Design and Observation in Astronomy	7.5	Core
PHYS2024	Statistical Mechanics	7.5	Core
Part III
Part III Core You must complete the following modules.
Code	Module Title	ECTS	Type
PHYS3007	Theories of Matter, Space and Time	7.5	Core
PHYS3008	Atomic Physics	7.5	Core
PHYS3010	Stellar Evolution	7.5	Core
PHYS3002	Nuclei and Particles	7.5	Core
PHYS3011	Photons in Astrophysics	7.5	Core
Part III Compulsory
Code	Module Title	ECTS	Type
PHYS6005	Cosmology	7.5	Compulsory
PHYS6017	Computer Techniques in Physics	7.5	Compulsory
Part IV
Part IV Core
Code	Module Title	ECTS	Type
PHYS6013	Research Thesis - Astrophysics	60	Core

Learning and Teaching

Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning, and assessment activity, with each ECTS credit taken equivalent to 20 hours of student effort. While your actual contact hours may depend on the option modules you select, the information available on our webpages give an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities.

When not attending lectures, seminars and other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and for other types of assessments and examinations.

Full information about contact hours is provided in individual module information.

Should you wish to revisit this following enrolment, these indications have been located in a permanent resource. This can be accessed at any time via the link below:

https://sotonac.sharepoint.com/teams/CourseSupplementaryInformation/SitePages/Study-Time.aspx

How we'll assess you

Summative assessment(s) usually take place at the end of each module, although some may have interim assessments throughout. Assessment methods might include written examinations and a range of coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations and projects for example. The marks from summative assessments count towards your module mark.

Each module normally contains at least one piece of practice or formative assessment for which you receive feedback. Formative assessments are developmental and any results do not count towards your module mark, but they are an important part of your learning.

The information available on our website gives an indication of the assessment methods used on your course, at each level of your course.

Should you wish to revisit this following enrolment, these indications have been located in a permanent resource. This can be accessed at any time via the link below: https://sotonac.sharepoint.com/teams/CourseSupplementaryInformation/SitePages/Assessment.aspx

Staff involved in delivering the different elements of the course

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on your course. The team includes senior academics, professional practitioners, specialists with industry experience, demonstrators and technical officers.

Postgraduate research students who have undertaken appropriate training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars if their research specialism is directly related to the topic of the module and may also be involved in practical classes, project work and field trips. All contributions will be carried out under the supervision of the module leader.

Fees

What your fees pay for

Your tuition fees pay for the full cost of tuition and standard exams.

Extra costs you may experience

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.

Depending on the nature of your course, you may be able to choose modules which may have additional costs, such as field studies, travel overseas or industrial placements which will change the overall cost of your course. Details of these costs can be found in module information.

Please also ensure you read the section on additional costs in the Fees, Charges and Expenses Regulations.

The following course-related costs are not included in your fees:

Type	Details
Calculators	Where a calculator is required, all Casio Calculators are allowed but they must be Non-Programmable, Scientific models. More information is available in the Examination Regulations https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentadmin/assessment/assess-overview/exam-regulations.page
Stationery	You will be expected to provide your own day-to-day stationery items, e.g. pens, pencils, notebooks, etc. Any specialist stationery items that you may need will be specified in the relevant module profile.
Textbooks	Where a module specifies essential texts, the Library will identify the optimal option(s) to support the module via the course Reading List. This may include e-books (ideally with unlimited concurrent usage) or a digitised chapter extract, supported by a limited number of print books (where available). You may request that the Library purchases additional print copies via 'suggest a book', borrow an additional copy via our inter-library-loans service or you may prefer to buy your own copies for high demand titles.
Printing	In most cases, written coursework such as essays and projects are submitted online. However it may be necessary to submit a hard copy of some projects, business projects and dissertations. The costs of printing a hard copy for submission of such work will be your responsibility. You will also have to cover the cost of photocopying. https://www.southampton.ac.uk/isolutions/students/printing.
Fieldwork: logistical costs	PHYS2011: The field trip component takes place over two consecutive weeks within the Easter break, at the premises of the University of La Laguna, Tenerife and at the Observatorio del Teide, Tenerife. While the field trip is heavily subsidised by the faculty, a student contribution to the costs is required; in academic year 2016-17, this is £450 per student. Flight costs, all local travel costs in Spain, and all hotel accommodation costs during the week in La Laguna, all costs of staying at the residencia at the observatory, as well as all food costs during week 2 at the observatory are included. The only unavoidable additional costs students will incur in Spain are food costs during the day in the first week. Any student who genuinely cannot afford to pay the student contribution for some reason should contact the course co-ordinator to discuss this privately.
Placements (including Study Abroad Programmes)	PHYS6013: For AY 2016/17 onwards: The stay at Harvard will typically be for 9 months. Rentable home accommodation is available, and tuition fees will be charged at 15% of the standard level. A £500 Southampton Opportunity scholarship will be awarded to help cover for the difference in living costs between Southampton and Boston and the purchase of at least one return flight.

Bursaries, scholarships and other funding

We award scholarships and grants for travel, academic excellence, or to students from underrepresented backgrounds.

You may be able to get a University of Southampton bursary to help with your living costs.

If you are a care leaver or estranged from your parents, you may be able to get a specific bursary.

You may be able to get a scholarship or grant that's linked to your chosen subject area.

Financial Support

The Student Services Centre offers support and advice regarding student finances. You may be able to access our Student Support fund and other sources of financial support during your course. You can find more information about financial support via our webpages: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentservices/money-matters/student-support-fund/index.page

Academic support

The Student Support Hub is your first point of contact when it comes to seeking support. The team will answer your questions or concerns about your wellbeing, fees and funding, accommodation and visas. The team will help make sure you receive the support you need, guiding you to further support services where required. You can find more information about student support via our webpages:

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentservices/index.page

One of the most important people you will meet while you are a student at Southampton is your Personal Academic Tutor, who will be allocated to you for your arrival at the University and who is normally a member of academic staff in your own or a closely related subject area. Your Personal Academic Tutor will offer one-to-one support and advice throughout your time at Southampton and will support you in your studies or with other issues you may have. You can find out more via our webpages:

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentadmin/academic-support-guidance/personal-tutor.page

Disclaimer

As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our courses to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. As a result, this course may be revised during a student's period of registration; however, any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Please read our Disclaimer to see why, when and how changes may be made to a student's course.