Course coordinator
Associate Professor Tyler Neely
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 4
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Mathematics & Physics School
This course provides a short introduction to research in physics. Students choose a topic and a supervisor, and submit a written report by the end of semester.
Students also present a seminar.
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 againstﾠUQ Policy,ﾠand will not be tolerated. We have developed aﾠsuite of resourcesﾠto 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.ﾠ
Course requirements
Restrictions
Permission of Head of School
Course contact
Timetable
Additional timetable information
There is an optional `Research Training' session - 1 hour / week - There is a one hour weekly lecture time scheduled to introduce and discuss the various research milestones as the semesters proceed. A timetable of topics will be released via Blackboard. Note that not all of these lecture times will be devoted to this course, but will be directed at several research courses, including MSc, MQTech, and Honours.
You should have regular meetings as agreed with your supervisor. Typically this is one hour a week.
You need to map out a program of work with your supervisor in the early weeks of your project, as background to your project plan (due end of 2nd week), and discuss updates of the program at regular intervals.
Aims and outcomes
The aim of the research project is to develop the research skills of the student by carrying out a small project at the cutting ede of a specialised area of physics.ﾠ
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Be able to plan, develop and carry out an independent research project.
LO2.
Obtain an in-depth knowledge of the specific topic area through a thorough literature review.
LO3.
Develop research skills and be able to locate and use information sources.
LO4.
Present results of research in a written thesis.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Outline of research
|
pass/resubmit/fail (100% penalty for fail/non-submission) |
Week 2, Fri 5:00 pm |
| Presentation | Project Talk | 1 grade penalty for non-completion |
Week 13 Mon - Fri |
| Examination |
Oral Examination
|
Helps examiners determine thesis grade. pass/resubmit/fail (100% penalty for non-completion)) |
Exam week 1 - Exam week 2
The oral examination should occur during the exam period. Failure to attend will result in a 100% penalty and failure for the course. If you have circumstances (documented), please email the course coordinator within 5 days to seek rescheduling. |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Research report | 100% |
Exam week 1, Mon 5:00 pm |
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
Outline of research
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- pass/resubmit/fail (100% penalty for fail/non-submission)
- Due date
Week 2, Fri 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L03
Task description
You should write a research proposal of up to but not more than one page, describing the background and aims of your project. Make sure you include the title, your name, and that of your supervisor. Please show this to your supervisor before you submit it to the masters coordinator.
Further details on Assessment Guidelines will be posted on the course Blackboard site.
Hurdle requirements
Failure to pass or submit the proposal will result in a failure for the course. Students will be able to resubmit the proposal if not passed by the examiners in the first instance.Submission guidelines
Submit via email to course coordinator.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
A timely submission of the research outline is required in order to receive feedback and to ensure that the project can be successfully completed during semester. Hence an extension beyond 7 days is not possible.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension information relating to this assessment item.
Project Talk
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 1 grade penalty for non-completion
- Due date
Week 13 Mon - Fri
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
In the second last week of the semester students will give a short 15 minute talk on their #4 Masters project to their research group and expert and non-expert examiners. if the examiner(s) cannot attend a recording (via Zoom or similar) should be provided to them.
Students who fail to give a talk receive a 1 grade penalty on the thesis grade.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension information relating to this assessment item.
Oral Examination
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- Helps examiners determine thesis grade. pass/resubmit/fail (100% penalty for non-completion))
- Due date
Exam week 1 - Exam week 2
The oral examination should occur during the exam period. Failure to attend will result in a 100% penalty and failure for the course. If you have circumstances (documented), please email the course coordinator within 5 days to seek rescheduling.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
During the exam period after you hand in your report each student shall attend an oral examination with three assessors (supervisor/s and expert and non-expert examiner) who have read the report and attended the seminar. The student should arrange a suitable time and location with the supervisor and examiners. The course coordinator may attend that their discretion.
Hurdle requirements
Failure to complete the oral exam will result in a failure for the course.Exam details
| Planning time | no planning time minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Open book examination - any written or printed material is permitted; material may be annotated |
| Exam platform | Other |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
The oral examination should occur during the exam period. Failure to attend will result in a 100% penalty and failure for the course. If you have circumstances (documented), please email the course coordinator within 5 days to seek rescheduling.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension information relating to this assessment item.
Research report
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 100%
- Due date
Exam week 1, Mon 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
The student will write a formal, referenced scientific report on their work for the semester. It will be examined by the supervisor and one or two examiners allocated by the course coordinator, each with a weighting of 50%.
PHYS7722 is a 4 unit course. The report is expected to be around 25-30 pages, excluding title pages and bibliography.
At the end of the semester each student will submit a report of around 15-20 pages excluding title pages and bibliography. This length is just a guideline. Heavily theoretical theses will tend to be shorter, while experimental theses with many plots and a lot of data to display will tend to be longer. Conciseness and clarity is appreciated by examiners.
The report should introduce the project, explaining the motivation and the wider context of the research field. It should show familiarity with the literature. The description of the project should be thorough enough that a new student wanting to reproduce your work would be able to do so, based on the information given in the thesis. The results should show clearly what aspect of this work was performed by the student, and if/how this improves on what has previously been done. The student may want to include in their conclusion options for how this project could be extended in the future.
At an Examiners Meeting the two marks will be reviewed and discussed before a final mark is awarded. The default is that the Supervisor's mark and Examiner's mark should carry equal weight.
In all project assessment, comparison should be made not with other students within the year, but with previous students and with standards at other Australian and overseas universities, having in mind that Masters results should reflect not only an assessment of achievements within the Masters year, but also a judgement on the potential of students to carry out independent research work in the future.
Students are strongly urged to submit a draft of their report to their supervisor for feedback well before the due date!
Submission guidelines
Submit via email to the course coordinator.
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.
A timely submission of the research report is required in order to receive feedback and to ensure that the project can be successfully completed during semester. Hence an extension beyond 14 days is not possible. If you feel you are unlikely to submit your report on time and have extenuating circumstances, then you should speak to both your supervisor and Masters convener as soon as this is apparent. Requests for extensions should be made in advance of the due date, by submitting the UQ Application for Extension of Assessment Due Date.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension and deferred examination information relating to this assessment item.
Late submission
There will be an immediate course penalty of 5% applied for late submission, and then an additional 2% for every additional 24 hour period.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Students who obtain a final mark of less than 20% will obtain a grade of 1. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Students who obtain a final mark of at least 20%, and less than 45%, will obtain a grade of 2. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Students who obtain a final mark of at least 45%, and less than 50%, will obtain a grade of 3. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Students who obtain a final mark of at least 50%, and less than 65%, will obtain a grade of 4. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Students who obtain a final mark of at least 65%, and less than 75%, will obtain a grade of 5. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Students who obtain a final mark of at least 75%, and less than 85%, will obtain a grade of 6. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Students who obtain a final mark of at least 85% will obtain a grade of 7. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for 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.
If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.
To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment.
Additional assessment information
Artificial Intelligence
To pass this course, students will be required to demonstrate a detailed understanding of course material together with a range of associated skills independent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) tools.
For assessment tasks that are completed in-person (including examinations) termed “secure assessment”, the use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted unless otherwise advised. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Other non-secure assessment tasks (such as assignments) are designed to help you develop your understanding and skills, and to prepare you for secure assessment. You are thus generally encouraged to complete such assessment without the use of AI/MT, unless explicitly advised to the contrary in the assessment item. In any event, if you choose to use such tools, then you must clearly reference any such use within your submitted work. A failure to reference AI or MT use 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
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks |
Not Timetabled |
Research report and seminar Independent study leading to a report and seminar. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
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 for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.