Source: /cirosantilli/physics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford

= Physics course of the University of Oxford

From the 2020/2021 <Oxford physics course handbooks> we can determine the following structure:
* Year 1 (CP, "Coure Preliminaries", "Prelims"). Take all of:
  * CP1 Classical mechanics, Special relativity
  * CP2 Electromagnetism, circuit theory and optics
  * CP3 Mathematical methods 1. Complex Numbers and Ordinary Differential Equations. Vectors and Matrices.
  * CP4 Mathematical methods 2. Multiple Integrals and Vector Calculus. Normal Modes, Wave Motion and the Wave Equation.
* Year 2 (Part A). Take all of:
  * A1 Thermal physics. Kinetic Theory, Heat Transport, Thermodynamics.
  * A2 Electromagnetism and optics
  * A3 Quantum physics. Quantum Mechanics and Further Quantum Mechanics.
  * Short options: at least one of:
    * Mathematical Methods
    * Probability and Statistics
    * S01 Functions of a Complex Variable
    * S07 Classical Mechanics
    * S10 Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy
    * S13 Teaching and Learning Physics in Schools
    * S14 History of Physics
    * S20 History of Science
    * S21 Philosophy of Science
    * S22 Language Options
    * S25 Climate Physics
    * S27 Philosophy of Space-Time
    * S29 Exploring Solar Systems
    * S33 Entrepreneurship for Physicists
* Year 3 (Part B). Take all of:
  * <Michaelmas term>
    * <B2 Oxford physics course>[B2 Symmetry and relativity]
    * <B4 Oxford physics course>[B4 Nuclear and particle physics]
    * <B6 Oxford physics course>[B6 Condensed-matter physics]
  * <Hilary term>
    * B1 Fluids
    * <B3 Oxford physics course>[B3 Atomic and laser physics]
    * B5 General relativity
    * B7 Classical Mechanics (for <MPhysPhil> only?)
  * B8 Computational Project
  * B9 Experimental Project
* Year 4 (MPhys). Select two from:
  * C1 Astrophysics
  * <C2 Oxford physics course>[C2 Laser Science and Quantum Information Processing]
  * <C3 Oxford physics course>[C3 Condensed Matter Physics]
  * C4 Particle Physics
  * C5 Physics of Atmospheres and Oceans
  * <C6 Oxford physics course>[C6 Theoretical Physics]
  * C7 Biological Physics

<Trinity term>, the third and final <term of the University of Oxford>[term] of each year, contains mostly revision from the previous two terms, after which students take their final exams, which basically account for their entire grade. Trinity is therefore a very tense part of the year for the students. After that they have summer holidays, until coming back for the next year of madness.

The official external course landing page: https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/course-listing/physics[]. 2021 archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20221208212856/https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/course-listing/physics[]) In those pages we see the rough structure, except that it does not have the course codes "A1" etc., and some courses are missing.

At https://web.archive.org/web/20221229021312/https://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2011-06-03/course_v3_pdf_80151.pdf page 11 we can see the global course structure giving the two options, 3 year BA or 4 year <Oxford physics masters>:
``
Year 1
(Prelims)
|
|
v
Year 2
(Part A)
|
+-----------+
|           |
v           v
Year 3 BA   Year 3 (MPhys)
(Part B)    (Part B)
|           |
|           |
v           v
BA          Year 4
            (Part C)
            |
            |
            v
            MPhys
``

Exam papers 2010-2016:
* https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/physics_past_papers_2

Practical courses notes: https://www-teaching.physics.ox.ac.uk/

Some others with lecture notes:
* Andrew Steane https://users.physics.ox.ac.uk/~Steane/teaching/lecture_course.html also books. No license. Cute HTML <quantum error correction> one: https://users.physics.ox.ac.uk/~Steane/qec/QECtute.html