Fields in Physics II (PHYS3051)

Course overview

This course will survey classical field theories in physics, emphasising the unity, power and wide applicability of this class of theories. Topics covered will include high-energy particle physics, condensed matter physics, electromagnetism, and optics. Students will gain a sound understanding of classical field theory and topics relevant to research and practical applications.

This course consists of a survey of classical field theory in physics, focusing on applications to particle physics, condensed matter, electromagnetism and optics.ﾠ Students will gain a sound understanding of the role of classical field theory in physics, and important topics relevant to research and practical application.

PHYS3051, PHYS3951ﾠand PHYS7250 ﾠare co-badged courses and will share learning activities. PHYS7250 will have some differences in assessment to evaluate students at Level 9 (Masters) of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

In the School of Mathematics and Physics we are committed to creating an inclusive and empowering learning environment for all students. We value and respect the diverse range of experiences our students bring to their education, and we believe that this diversity is crucial for fostering a rich culture of knowledge sharing and meaningful exploration. We hold both students and staff accountable for actively contributing to the establishment of a respectful and supportive learning environment.

Bullying, harassment, and discrimination in any form are strictly against our principles and against ﾠUQ Policy,ﾠand will not be tolerated. We have developed a ﾠsuite of resources ﾠto assist you in recognising, reporting, and addressing such behaviour. If you have any concerns about your experience in this course, we encourage you to tell a member of the course teaching team, or alternatively contact an SMP Classroom Inclusivity Champion (see Blackboard for contact details). Our Inclusivity Champions are here to listen, to understand your concerns, and to explore potential actions that can be taken to resolve them. Your well-being and a positive learning atmosphere are of utmost importance to us.

Course requirements

Assumed background

Students are assumed to have completed an introductory course in classical field theory (such as PHYS2055 or equivalent) or suitable courses in intermediate electromagnetics and optics including the use of the Maxwell equations. Students are assumed to have some experience with vector analysis.

Prerequisites

You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:

PHYS2055

Recommended prerequisites

We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:

MATH2100 & (PHYS2100 or PHYS2101)

Incompatible

You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:

PHYS3951 and PHYS7250

Jointly taught details

This course is jointly-taught with:

PHYS3051 and PHYS3951 are co-badged courses and will share learning activities and assessment. There may be some differences in the assessments.

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

Worshops and ﾠpracticals will be conducted on campus. Consult your personal timetable for times and locations. Students are expected to attend these sessions in person unless they have a valid reason for being unable to attend (such as illness).

Important: if you are ill, then do not attend any classes in person.ﾠ

Public holidays have been accounted for when planning the schedule of workshops, practicals, and labs.

Aims and outcomes

The course aims to give students a solid grounding in classical field theory, to conveyﾠthe role of classical field theory in physics, and to enable students to apply classical field theory in both theoretical and experimental contexts.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.

Assessment details

Problem set

Mode

Written

Category

Tutorial/ Problem Set

Weight

20%

Due date

28/04/2025 2:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L04

Task description

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Solutions for assessment item(s) will be released 14 days after the assessment is due, and as such, an extension beyond 14 days is not possible.

See ADDITIONAL COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for hurdle(s) related to this item.

See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension/deferral information relating to this assessment item.

Late submission

A penalty of 1 grade for each 24 hour period from time submission is due will apply for up to 7 days. After 7 days you will receive a mark of 0.

Poster

Mode

Oral, Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia

Category

Poster

Weight

20%

Due date

31/03/2025

The poster presentations will take place during the scheduled workshop slot.

Learning outcomes

L01, L04

Task description

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Extension is available for submission of the poster and for the oral presentation. Outside of the allotted workshop slots, deferred oral presentations will be conducted within tutorial classes.

See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for further extension/deferral information relating to this assessment item.

Late submission

A penalty of 1 grade for each 24 hour period from time submission is due will apply for up to 7 days. After 7 days you will receive a mark of 0.

Late submission of the poster will accrue a deduction of 1 grade per day.

Final Exam

• Hurdle
• In-person

Mode

Written

Category

Examination

Weight

40%

Due date

End of Semester Exam Period

7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L04

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Exam details

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

See ADDITIONAL COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for hurdle(s) related to this item.

See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension/deferral information relating to this assessment item.

Laboratory report (2)

• Hurdle

Mode

Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation

Weight

20% 10% per report

Due date

First part before second lab session begins; full report 5pm two weeks after completing the lab.

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

Reports must be submitted electronically via the University's Blackboard system in pdf format.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Extensions will be given only in exceptional circumstances, as the lab report is a joint submission. Extensions beyond 14 days are not possible, to allow for timely release of feedback and grades for the reports.

See ADDITIONAL COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for hurdle(s) related to this item.

See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension/deferral information relating to this assessment item.

Late submission

A penalty of 1 grade for each 24 hour period from time submission is due will apply for up to 7 days. After 7 days you will receive a mark of 0.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Additional course grading information

Each assessment will be graded out of 7, with fractional grades allowed.

Grades for each item in the assessment program will be averaged, according to the weightings shown in the Assessment Summary, to calculate the weighted average grade.

To obtain a grade of 4 or higher, students must meet both of the following requirements:

• An average grade of 3.0 or higher in the final exam.
• An average grade of 3.0 or higher in the laboratory component of the course.

ﾠ

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is not available for some items in this course.

Should you fail a course with a grade of 3 you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply.

Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.

Supplementary assessment is not available if you have failed the laboratory component of this course. The learning objectives of the laboratory component are demonstrated throughout the semester and it is not possible to validly reassess these learning objectives in the supplementary assessment period.

If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will be based on which learning outcomes(s) have not been met.

Supplementary assessment in this course will be a 2-hour examination similar in style to the end-of-semester examination. To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment.

To obtain a grade of 4 or higher, students must meet both of the following requirements:

• An average grade of 3.0 or higher in the final exam.
• An average grade of 3.0 or higher in the laboratory component of the course.

Additional assessment information

Artificial Intelligence

Assessment tasks in this course evaluate students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Applications for Extensions to Assessment Due Dates

Extension requests are submitted online via my.UQ – applying for an extension. Extension requests received in any other way will not be approved. Additional details associated with extension requests, including acceptable and unacceptable reasons, may be found at my.UQ.

Please note:

• Requests for an extension to an assessment due date must be submitted through your my.UQ portal and you must provide documentation of your circumstances, as soon as it becomes evident that an extension is needed. Your application must be submitted on or before the assessment item's due date and time.
• Applications for extension can take time to be processed so you should continue to work on your assessment item while awaiting a decision. We recommend that you submit any completed work by the due date, and this will be marked if your application is not approved. Should your application be approved, then you will be able to resubmit by the agreed revised due date.
• If an extension is approved, you will be notified via your my.UQ portal and the new date and time for submission provided. It is important that you check the revised date as it may differ from the date that you requested.
• If the basis of the application is a medical condition, applications should be accompanied by a medical certificate dated prior to the assignment due date. If you are unable to provide documentation to support your application by the due date and time you must still submit your application on time and attach a written statement (Word document) outlining why you cannot provide the documentation. You must then upload the documentation to the portal within 24 hours.
• If an extension is being sought on the basis of exceptional circumstances, it must be accompanied by supporting documentation (eg. Statutory declaration).
• For extensions based on a SAP you may be granted a maximum of 7 days (if no earlier maximum date applies). See the Extension or Deferral availability section of each assessment for details. Your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, additional extension requests for the assessment item will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g., a medical certificate. All extension requests must be received by the assessment due date and time.
• Students may be asked to submit evidence of work completed to date. Lack of adequate progress on your assessment item may result in an extension being denied.
• If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, you are advised to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester. You might be eligible to withdraw without academic penalty - seek advice from the Faculty that administers your program.
• There are no provisions for exemption from an assessment item within UQ rules. If you are unable to submit an assessment piece then, under special circumstances, you may be granted an exemption, but may be required to submit alternative assessment to ensure all learning outcomes are met.

Applications to defer an exam

In certain circumstances you can apply to take a deferred examination for in-semester and end-of-semester exams. You'll need to demonstrate through supporting documentation how unavoidable circumstances prevented you from sitting your exam. If you can’t, you can apply for a one-off discretionary deferred exam.

Deferred Exam requests are submitted online via mySi-net. Requests received in any other way will not be approved. Additional details associated with deferred examinations, including acceptable and unacceptable reasons may be found at my.UQ.

Please note:

• Applications can be submitted no later than 5 calendar days after the date of the original exam.
• There are no provisions to defer a deferred exam. You need to be available to sit your deferred examination.
• Your deferred examination request(s) must have a status of "submitted" in mySI-net to be assessed.
• All applications for deferred in-semester examinations are assessed by the relevant school. Applications for deferred end-of-semester examinations are assessed by the Academic Services Division.
• You’ll receive an email to your student email account when the status of your application is updated.
• If you have a medical condition, mental health condition or disability and require alternative arrangements for your deferred exam you’ll need to complete the online alternative exam arrangements through my.UQ. This is in addition to your deferred examinations request. You need to submit this request on the same day as your request for a deferred exam or supplementary assessment. Contact Student Services if you need assistance completing your alternative exam arrangements request.

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

Lecture notes and required reading will be provided on the course website.

Notes for the pracs will be provided, and will be available from the course website.

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.