MMathPhys/MSc in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics Handbook (2025-26 Entry)

3. Teaching and Learning

 

Teaching for the course will be provided jointly by the Department of Physics and the Mathematical Institute through lectures and classes. 

You will be assigned an academic adviser from one or the other of these faculties, based on your areas of interest. Please note, this is separate to your college adviser.

Students undertaking a dissertation will have a separate dissertation supervisor with whom they will have supervision meetings. 

Course timetables can be found on the MMathPhys website:

The Physics department hosts its course materials on Canvas:

There you will find lecture notes, recordings, reading lists and problem sheets for each course. 

For courses taught by the Mathematical Institute, these are hosted on Moodle:

3.2 Lectures and Course Material

Lecture timetables can be found on the MMathPhys website:

Please note that with the number of courses offered on this course, there will inevitably be clashes on the timetable. 

All lectures are recorded. So if you are not able to attend in person, you can watch these online (see following subchapter).

Course materials include lecture notes, recordings, reading lists and problem sheets recordings. Students will access these on two different platforms, depending on which department manages the course. 

Physics

Canvas:

Maths

Moodle: 

3.3 Classes

Enrolment

The majority of lecture courses will be accompanied by problem sets and weekly or fortnightly problem classes. These will be held in the same department that does the lecturing for the course. 

Classes are not mandatory but it is in your own best interest to attend and complete the problem sheets, especially if you intend to offer the course as one of your assessed units. Note that for Groups and Representations, you are assessed on both homework completion and the written invigilated exam.

If you wish to be assessed by homework completion, then you must officially sign-up for the class and submit the required problem sheets.

If you wish to attend classes and receive feedback on submitted problem sheets, then you must officially sign-up to a class. 

Dates and times of Physics classes can be found on Canvas:

To sign-up officially, you will need to log-in to the Teaching Management System (TMS) and enrol yourself for a class. 

(Link)

Dates and times of Maths classes can be found on Moodle:

You also enrol in classes via Moodle.

Instructions can be found at the following link: 

Class enrolment will be available by the end of 1st week each term and you will be notified by the MSc Course Administrator when it opens.

Please note, if you are taking the Advanced Philosophy of Physics option, you will arrange tutorials directly with the course tutor and there will not be a separate class registration process. 

Withdrawal

You will have until Monday week 4 of each term to request a class switch or to withdraw from the class altogether. To do so, please contact your class tutor as well as the MTP administrator.

It is important to withdraw from a class if you no longer wish to take it. If you do not withdraw from a class, then your college will be charged for your attendance. Furthermore, when you withdraw from a class, your tutor and teaching assistant will know not to expect you to attend, and will not need to enquire any further to the reason for non-attendance or be concerned about your absence from classes.

If you have made an official exam entry for a course via student self-service (see page 14) and decide that you no longer wish to take that course, please note that in addition to withdrawing from the classes that accompany the lecture course and assessment, you must also withdraw from the assessment itself. Please contact your college office to officially withdraw from any exams, formal assessments or homework options for which you have made an official exam entry.

3.4 Dissertations

TBC

3.5 Advice on Teaching and Learning Matters