10 UC/14 MSc, BSc(Hons)/2
UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY
Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
Template 3: UC Regulation Changes
Proposal Description
R
Purpose of the proposal
To correct the majoring requirements for the BSc(Hons)and MSc in Astronomy to reflect current course offerings.
Justification
Over the past year, the Department has examined the BSc and postgraduate offerings, in part with the assistance of
Erskine visitor Professor Robert Lambourne, a leading UK physics and astronomy educator. The outcome of this is a an
updating of the majoring requirements for the BSc(Hons) and MSc in Astronomy.
The previous regulations were outdated and included courses that were no longer offered.
The new configuration is shown below.
400-level
All years
ASTR480
Project (30 pts)
PHYS407
Research methods
Even years
ASTR425(325)
Structure and
Evolution of Galaxies
PHYS413(323)
Laser Physics and
Modern Optics
Odd years
ASTR423(323)
Stellar Structure and
Evolution
PHYS419(319)
Atmospheric, Oceanic and
Climate Dynamics
PHYS415
General Relativity
PHYS411
Advanced Quantum Mechanics
PHYS416
Quantum Field Theory
PHYS412
Advanced Cond Matter
ASTR422
Cosmology
MDPH403
Radiation Physics
MDPH406
Medical Imaging
BSc(Hons) students must take ASTR480, PHYS407, ASTR422, ASTR423 or ASTR425, PHYS415, plus four out of the
remaining course options offered that year (which can include a courses or courses offered by another department). All
options may not be offered in any one year, and additional Special Topic courses may be offered from time-to-time.
MSc students must take ASTR480, PHYS407, ASTR422, ASTR423 or ASTR425, plus three out of the remaining course
options.
PHYS407 contains a common core of material that was previously part of the ASTR480 and PHYS480 research projects,
for example designing and producing a poster paper for a scientific conference.
PHYS415 (General Relativity) deals with the fundamental structure of space and time with particular application to black
holes and to the Universe as a whole.
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10 UC/14 MSc, BSc(Hons)/2
At the conclusion of 400-level studies, all Astronomy students will have completed a broad programme of essential
study in stellar, galactic, and extragalactic astrophysics, with BSc(Hons) students having the additional theoretical
understanding of the physics of spacetime.
The following courses are to be deleted/not offered:
ASTR421 Astronomical Methods, ASTR424 Radiative Transfer Processes in Astronomy, PHYS414 Relativistic
Electrodynamics, PHYS417 Atmospheric Remote Sensing (material to PHYS419), PHYS418 Physics of Atmospheres
(material to PHYS419), PHYS442 (400-level equivalent of PHYS312), PHYS444 (400-level equivalent of PHYS314),
PHYS446 (400-level equivalent of PHYS316)
Calendar Form
New Regulations
2014 UC Calendar Page 407
Schedule A to the regulations for the degree of Bachelor of Science with Honours, under Astronomy
REPLACE
ASTR480, ASTR424, PHYS407 and six courses as follows:
(a) at least one course from ASTR 421-427
(b) the remainder from PHYS401-460 with a maximum of two courses from PHYS 441-460
BY
ASTR480, PHYS407, ASTR422, ASTR423 or ASTR425, PHYS415, and four other courses from PHYS411-460,
MDPH403, MDPH406, with a maximum of two courses from PHYS440-460.
REPLACE
Note: Students will normally be expected to have taken PHYS311 and PHYS312 and those with an interest in
theoretical physics courses will normally be expected to have taken PHYS326.
BY
Note: Students will normally be expected to have taken PHYS311, PHYS312 or PHYS313, and PHYS326.
2014 UC Calendar Page 421
Schedule A to the regulations for the degree of Master of Science, under Astronomy
REPLACE
ASTR480, ASTR424, PHYS407 and six courses as follows:
(a) at least one course from ASTR 421-427
(b) the remainder from PHYS401-460 with a maximum of two courses from PHYS 441-460
BY
ASTR480, PHYS407, ASTR422, ASTR423 or ASTR425, and three other courses from ASTR421-427, PHYS411-460,
MDPH403, MDPH406, with a maximum of two courses from PHYS440-460.
REPLACE
Note: Students will normally be expected to have taken PHYS311 and PHYS312 and those with an interest in
theoretical physics courses will normally be expected to have taken PHYS326.
BY
Note: Students will normally be expected to have taken PHYS311, PHYS312 or PHYS313, and PHYS326.
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