Physics: Study Scheme

Applicable to students admitted in 2012-13
There are two streams in the physics major programme: Physics Stream and Enrichment Stream in Physics. After declaring Physics as their major, all students may declare to specialize in the Enrichment Stream in Physics and select certain courses as prescribed below. Students must earn final cumulative major GPA 3.0 or above to fulfill the minimum GPA graduation requirement for Enrichment Stream in Physics.

Major Programme Requirement

Students are required to complete a minimum of 71 units of courses as follows:
  Units
1. Faculty Package (All Streams): 9
Group D: PHYS1111 (3 units)
Group C: MATH1010 (3 units)
A 3 unit-course from the following
Group B: CHEM1070 or 1280
Group E: STAT1011 or 1012
Group A: LSCI1000 or 1001 or 1002
[Notes 1 and 2]
2. Required Courses:
All Streams 38
Introductory Calculus-Based Physics Series and Analytic Skills
PHYS1122, 2041, 2051
Laboratory Skills
PHYS1712, 2711, 2722
Student-Centred Learning
PHYS2510, 2520
Upper-level Core Courses
PHYS3011, 3021, 3022, 3031, 3041
Capstone (Subject Matter)
PHYS4050
Research Component, Presentation, Project Learning, and Capstone (Various Skills)
PHYS4801[Notes 3], 3710, 4610
MATH2010, CHEM1070 3 or 6
[Note 4]
Enrichment Stream in Physics 3
Capstone
PHYS4620
3. Elective Courses:
Physics Stream 21or18
[Notes 4 & 5]
At least 21 units of other PHYS courses [Note 5].
Among the choices are: PHYS2061* or equivalent [Note 6], PHYS2401, 3051*, 3061*, 3410*, 3420, 3730*, 3810, 4011*, 4021*, 4031*, 4041*, 4051*, 4061*, 4420, 4430, 4440, 4450, 4460, 4470, 4480, 4490, 4491, 4492, 4620, 4630, 4710, 4711, 4712 [Note 7], PHYS4801 or 4802 [Note 3], PHYS4811, 4812, and all courses at PHYS5000 level and MSEG5000 level [Note 8]. Students may seek approval from Department to substitute up to 6 units of electives by relevant courses at the appropriate (typically 3000 or 4000) level offered by other programmes.
Enrichment Stream in Physics 18or15
[Notes 4 & 5]
At least 18 units of other PHYS courses with not less than 12 units from the following groups:
Group A (at least 6 units):
Advanced Core Courses
PHYS4011*, 4021*, 4031*, 4041*
Group B:
Upper-level Mathematical Skills
PHYS3051*, 4051*
Upper-level Computational Skills
PHYS3061*, 4061*
Upper-level Laboratory Skills
PHYS3410*, 3730*
Total: 71
Explanatory Notes:
1. The Department of Physics will consider having an exemption mechanism for majors to place out PHYS1111 based on his/her HKDSE preparation, when more information on HKDSE becomes available. If a student is granted exemption, PHYS1122 should be taken to fulfill Faculty Package requirement. Placement test may be required and approval by the Department of Physics may be subject to conditions.
2. Depending on whether an exemption mechanism exists for MATH1010, students exempted from MATH1010 should take MATH1030 to fulfill the Faculty Package requirement of the Physics Major Programme.
3. If a student has not taken PHYS4801, PHYS4802 could be taken as a substitute of PHYS4801 to fulfill the major requirement. Students may also take both of the courses if interested. In this case, PHYS4802 will be counted as an elective.
4. The numbers 6 and 18 for Physics Stream (or 15 for Enrichment Stream in Physics) apply to students not taking CHEM1070 to fulfill the Faculty Package requirement of the Physics Programme. Students should note that CHEM1070 is a required course.
5. Elective courses marked * (note: * is NOT part of the course code) are especially useful to preparations towards postgraduate studies in physics and related fields.
6. Students may seek approval from the Department to substitute PHYS2061 by CSCI2800/1510/1520/1110/1120 and to substitute PHYS3410 by ELEG2202.
7. Students may take no more than two courses among PHYS4710, 4711 and 4712.
8. PHYS5000-level and MSEG5000-level courses are offered by the Division of Physics and Division of Materials Science and Engineering, respectively, for students in postgraduate programmes.

 

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