R&D Project for MPhys Industrial Placement

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Understand the main objectives of the work being undertaken and its commercial motivation
• Use mathematical techniques from the areas such as algebra, vectors, calculus and differential equations to the solution of physical problems
• Understand the relevant theoretical background and literature related to your project topic
• Apply knowledge of physics to the solution of theoretical and practical physical problems

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Understand the importance of intellectual property rights and confidentiality issues related to industrial project work
• Undertake complex experimental, computational or theoretical tasks to support any given R&D problem
• Providing valuable contribution with ideas towards further work, based and justified by the results obtained
• Experience an independent way of working with frequent self-evaluation of progress and performance to achieve the desired personal and project objectives
• Prepare and deliver seminars on specific subjects
• Develop ways to communicate effectively your scientific knowledge using appropriate terminology to other professionals with related expertise, both from academia and from industry
• Apply requirements for writing a high quality scientific report, demonstrating the ability to analyse and evaluate the results obtained and putting them in the context of the current state of art in a given field
• Carry out discussions and determine the best routes, verbal and in writing, to propose solutions and strategies to problems and challenges encountered in a project
• Use computers and relevant software to assist in the solution of physical problems
• Evaluate health and safety risks associated with practical, laboratory work and identify procedures to keep them to an acceptable minimum
• Apply skills and experience in the use of literature databases and electronic resources to identify the relevant material and assimilate new material independently

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Discover how previous laboratory experience and practical work can be applied in new practical scenarios, evaluating their potential to help to achieve the project goals
• Develop correct research methodology involving acquisition, organisation and analysis of the data, including their interpretation taking into account their reliability and experimental errors

Introductory meeting/lecture providing the details and the requirements of this module

Projects are intended to cover a broad area, for example, from practical work in the photonics or materials area to computational and theoretical work underpinning industrial problems related to physics and/or astronomy

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.