• Offered for Year: 2025/26

• Module Leader(s): Dr Aleksey Kozikov
• Lecturer: Dr Toby Hallam
• Other Staff: Mr George Theodorou

• Owning School: Mathematics, Statistics and Physics
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

• Capacity limit: 100 student places

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

To raise awareness of and develop students' transferable career management skills relevant to Physics and related fields
To enable students to apply current career information and labour market insights to make informed decisions about their future careers
To encourage students to reflect on their employability attributes and effectively market these skills in job applications, interviews and other professional contexts
To deepen students’ understanding of employability and transferable skills, preparing them for the national and international labour markets
To introduce and enhance practical laboratory skills by engaging students in challenging experimental Physics activities that build on Stage 2 knowledge
To enable students to demonstrate advanced capabilities in measurement, error analysis and experimental techniques to ensure accuracy and reliability in laboratory work
To foster the development of data analysis skills within the context of the scientific method, enabling students to interpret experimental results and validate scientific models
To enhance students’ scientific writing skills, equipping them to produce detailed, structured and high-quality reports on experimental Physics
To continue developing programming skills in Python and LabView , enabling students to use these tools effectively for data acquisition, analysis and automation in Physics experiments
To build students’ confidence in planning, designing and conducting experiments while applying critical thinking to troubleshoot issues and refine procedures
To ensure students are well-versed in laboratory safety practices, including the safe handling of cryogenic gases and radiation, as well as adherence to risk assessment protocols
To provide opportunities for students to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical applications, bridging gaps between classroom learning and hands-on experimentation
To support students in developing communication and teamwork skills through collaborative laboratory work and professional presentations

Outline Of Syllabus

Professional Skills:
Awareness and development of employability attributes
Understanding of occupational and labour market information
Skills in marketability, including application writing and interview techniques

Laboratory Experiments:
The laboratory experiments reinforce key aspects of Physics, including material covered in Stage 2 taught modules
They introduce new physical behaviour and theories that extend and connect to topics from taught modules
Emphasis is placed on experimental design, troubleshooting and analysing results, which are essential for modern scientific research

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Semester 1 includes a six-week lecture-based professional skills component.

The remainder of Semester 1 and all of Semester 2 consist of in-person practical lab classes, where students collect data for analysis during independent study. Small group practical teaching, supported by postgraduate researchers and academics, is used to bridge the theoretical foundations of contemporary Physics with hands-on experimental activities.

The teaching methods are well-suited to enable students to develop a broad range of skills, from understanding fundamental concepts and facts to engaging in higher-order critical thinking.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The laboratory sessions provide the opportunity for the student to demonstrate their understanding of laboratory Physics and the underlying skills. Emphasis is placed upon scientific communication, error analysis and analytical excellence.

The professional skills portfolio provides the opportunity for the student to demonstrate their understanding of LMI, careers research skills, self-awareness and practical applications of career management.

The Lab Report assessment explores formal scientific communication methods.

The lab book assessment is for content developed during the timetabled laboratory sessions and explores accurate analysis and elements of record keeping. It is marked throughout the academic year. The assessment is split into 5 submission deadlines.

For IOP accreditation students must develop appropriate experimental skills through undertaking a variety of experiments covering the breadth of the subject and, where relevant, reflecting degree specialisms.

Students gain experience in using a variety of apparatus, acquiring robust data and identifying sources of error and uncertainty, processing, interpreting and analysing data, and presenting experimental results.

Reading Lists

• PHY2028's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• PHY2028's Timetable