Notices by Faculty Boards, or other bodies concerned, of changes to the form and conduct of certain examinations to be held in 2006-07, by comparison with those examinations in 2006, are published below. Complete details of the form and conduct of all examinations are available from the Faculties or Departments concerned.
The Committee of Management for the Natural Sciences Tripos give notice that, with effect from the examinations to be held in 2007, the form and conduct of certain of the examinations for the Natural Sciences Tripos will be changed as follows:
The Examination will consist of two three-hour written papers plus an assessed computer exercise.
Each of the written papers will consist of two sections, A and B, with the rubric:
Candidates may attempt all questions from Section A and at most five questions from Section B.
Section A on both papers will consist of up to 20 short answer questions.
Section B on both papers will consist of 10 questions.
Section A of each paper will carry a total of 20 marks. Each question in Section B will carry 20 marks.
In addition to the write-ups, candidates are required to submit a poster (two copies) describing project work conducted during the Lent Term. Write-ups and projects must be submitted by the last Monday of Full Lent Term. The poster submission and write-up will be assessed by the Examiners as part of the Practical Examination, and will count for 5% of the total mark for Natural Sciences Tripos, Part IB, Pharmacology.
The examinations are based on a number of papers from other provision in the University, or are the same as papers previously offered in Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos (Biological and Biomedical Sciences), with the exception of the papers offered by the Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, and the single paper, History and ethics of medicine, which replaces the former paper, Medicine, ethics, and law.
The examinations will take account of performance in: four single subject (major) papers, given a weighting of 65%; one minor subject paper, given a weighting of 15%; and a written dissertation, given a weighting of 20%. The following table identifies the papers used for each Major and Minor Subject: candidates are advised to review the examination requirements for those papers and any notified changes to the form and conduct of them.
| Major Subjects | Examination requirements |
| Mechanisms of disease | The papers offered as the four-paper subject Mechanisms of disease from Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos (Biological and Biomedical Sciences) |
| Pathology | The four written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Pathology |
| Pharmacology | The four written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Pharmacology |
| Psychology | The four written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Psychology |
| Biochemistry | The four written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Biochemistry |
| Plant Sciences | The four written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Plant Sciences |
| Genetics | Four of the six written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Genetics |
| Physiology, development, and neuroscience | The four written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience |
| Zoology | The four written papers of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Zoology |
| Minor Subjects | Examination requirements |
| Biology of parasitism | The one-paper subject Biology of parasitism from Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos (Biological and Biomedical Sciences) |
| Genetics and behaviour | Paper B3 of the Archaeological and Anthropological Tripos |
| Evolution and diversity | Paper B4 of the Archaeological and Anthropological Tripos |
| Ecology and adaptation | Paper B5 of the Archaeological and Anthropological Tripos |
| History and ethics of medicine | The paper will consist of a single three-hour written examination |
| Motor systems | Paper 1 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience (Neuroscience) |
| Central mechanisms of sensation | Paper 4 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience (Neuroscience) |
| Medicine from antiquity to the enlightenment | Paper 7 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II History and Philosophy of Science |
| Modern medicine and biomedical sciences | Paper 8 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II History and Philosophy of Science |
| Psychology of education | Paper 1 of the Education Studies Tripos |
| Sociology of education | Paper 3 of the Education Studies Tripos |
| Philosophy of education | Paper 2 of the Education Studies Tripos |
| History of education | Paper 4 of the Education Studies Tripos |
| Plant and microbial genetics | Paper 2 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Genetics |
| Human genetics | Paper 4 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Genetics |
| Evolutionary genetics | Paper 5 of Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II Genetics |
All students are also required to submit a dissertation, which shall be an extended account of a topic or question that lies broadly within the field of either the Major or Minor Subject offered. Students must, by notifying the Course Organizer for the appropriate course, obtain approval of the proposed title and subject of their dissertation, not later than division of the Michaelmas Term. The dissertation shall not exceed 6,000 words, excluding appendices, tables, figures, footnotes, and bibliography, and shall be typewritten or word-processed, double-spaced, on one side of A4 paper with 2.5 cm margins, a font size no larger than 12pt and no smaller than 10pt, and permanently bound.
Two copies of the dissertation shall be submitted to the Part II BBS Course Organizer, in its complete form, by Friday, 27 April 2007. The dissertation shall be accompanied by an A4 cover page, which shall include:
1. The full title (as approved);
2. Full name;
3. College;
4. Word count;
5. A signed declaration that it is the student's own original work, and that it does not contain material that has already been used to any substantial extent for a comparable purpose;
6. A statement that this is a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the regulations for NST Part II Biological and Biomedical Sciences;
7. The date.
The dissertation shall include a summary of not more than 500 words. In addition to two typewritten or word-processed hard copies, the dissertation shall be submitted in electronic form, via CamTools.
BBS Part II Minor Subject: History and ethics of medicine
The paper will be divided into two sections, Section A (History of medicine) and Section B (Medical ethics). Candidates will be required to answer four questions in all, including two from each section. Each question will carry the same weight. Note that the examination syllabus and format differ significantly from those used in previous years, when this course was known as 'Medicine, ethics, and law'. Candidates will now be required to answer questions on the history of medicine, in addition to questions on medical ethics. There will no longer be a third section of short-answer questions, and there will be no section focusing on medical law.
The examination will consist of the submission of further work, as outlined in the Physics Course Handbook, and four written papers, one of two hours' duration and three of three hours' duration.
Candidates offering Option A shall offer Papers 1 and 2 and any two sections from Papers 3 and/or 4. Candidates offering Option B shall offer Papers 1 and 2 and any three or four sections from Papers 3 and 4. The number of sections offered in Papers 3 and/or 4 will depend on the amount of further work submitted.
Paper 1 shall be of three hours' duration and consist of four sections. Section A shall contain three short questions on Thermal and Statistical Physics and three short questions on Relativity, Electrodynamics, and Light: candidates must attempt all questions. Section B shall contain one essay or brief notes question on Thermal and Statistical Physics and one essay or brief notes question on Relativity, Electrodynamics, and Light: candidates must attempt both questions. Section C shall contain two questions on Thermal and Statistical Physics of which candidates must attempt one. Section D shall contain two questions on Relativity, Electrodynamics, and Light of which candidates must attempt one. All sections have approximately the same weight.
Paper 2 shall be of two hours' duration and shall consist of two sections. Section A shall contain four short questions on Advanced Quantum Physics: candidates must attempt all questions. Section B shall contain three questions on Advanced Quantum Physics of which one will be essay or brief notes style: candidates must attempt two questions. Section A has approximately one quarter of the total weight.
Paper 3 shall be of three hours' duration and shall consist of two sections. Section A shall contain four questions on Particle and Nuclear Physics. Question A1 shall consist of three short parts. Question A2 shall be of the brief notes style. Candidates must attempt question A1, question A2, and one other question. Each of questions A1 and A2 has approximately one quarter of the total weight of the section. Section B shall contain four questions on Astrophysics. Question B1 shall consist of three short parts. Question B2 shall be of the brief notes style. Candidates must attempt question B1, question B2, and one other question. Each of questions B1 and B2 has approximately one quarter of the total weight of the section.
Paper 4 shall be of three hours' duration and shall consist of two sections. Section A shall contain four questions on Soft Condensed Matter and Biophysics. Question A1 shall consist of three short parts. Question A2 shall be of the brief notes style. Candidates must attempt question A1, question A2, and one other question. Each of questions A1 and A2 has approximately one quarter of the total weight of the section. Section B shall contain four questions on Quantum Condensed Matter Physics. Question B1 shall consist of three short parts. Question B2 shall be of the brief notes style. Candidates must attempt question B1, question B2, and one other question. Each of questions B1 and B2 has approximately one quarter of the total weight of the section.
The examination will consist of the submission of further work, as outlined in the Physics Course Handbook, and written papers taken from the Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics course. Candidates will be required to take Paper 2 and one section from either Paper 3 or Paper 4.
Option A
Each candidate will be required to undertake, and prepare a report on, a research project which may be either experimental or theory based. The report will consist of not more than 8,000 words excluding tables, figure legends, and bibliography and including a summary of not more than 500 words. It is to be submitted to the Examiners for assessment not later than the third day of the Full Easter Term. During the Easter Term candidates will be examined viva voce on their project. The report and viva voce examination will together carry 30% of the total marks for the examination.
Each candidate will take four compulsory papers, each lasting three hours and carrying 17.5% of the total marks for the examination. Two papers will cover Michaelmas Term modules and two will cover Lent Term modules. Candidates will be required to attempt three questions in each paper.
Option B
In the Michaelmas Term each candidate will be required to undertake a specified number of experimental laboratory classes and to keep a record of the work done in these classes. These records will be submitted to the Examiners for assessment.
Each candidate will be required to undertake, and prepare a report on, a research project which may be either experimental or theory based. The report will consist of not more than 6,000 words excluding tables, figure legends, and bibliography and including a summary of not more than 500 words. It is to be submitted to the Examiners for assessment not later than the third day of the Full Easter Term. During the Easter Term candidates will be examined viva voce on their project. The report and viva voce examination will together carry 22.5% of the total marks for the examination.
Each candidate will be required to complete an essay of not more than 2,000 words on a biological question addressed by one of the experimental laboratory classes. The essay shall be chosen by the candidate from a list of approved subjects announced by the Head of Department by the beginning of the Michaelmas Term. Candidates will notify the Head of Department of their chosen subjects not later than the division of the Michaelmas Term. The essay shall be submitted to the Examiners not later than the third day of the Full Lent Term. The essay will carry 7.5% of the total marks for the examination.
Each candidate will take four compulsory written papers, each lasting three hours and carrying 17.5% of the total marks for the examination. Two papers will cover Michaelmas Term modules and two will cover Lent Term modules. Candidates will be required to attempt three questions in each paper.
In the Michaelmas Term each candidate will be required to undertake a specified number of experimental laboratory classes in Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience and keep a record of work done in these classes. These records will be submitted to the Examiners for assessment.
Each candidate will be required to undertake, and prepare a report on, a research project which may be either experimental or theory based either in Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, or in Psychology. The report will consist of not more than 5,000 words excluding tables, figure legends, and bibliography and including a summary of not more than 500 words. It is to be submitted to the Examiners for assessment not later than the third day of the Full Easter Term if the project is in Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, or the tenth day of the Full Easter Term if the project is in Psychology. During the Easter Term candidates whose research project is in Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience will be examined viva voce on their project. The report and viva voce examination will together carry 20% of the total marks for the examination.
Each candidate will take four compulsory written papers, two set by Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, and two by Experimental Psychology. Each of these will carry 20% of the total marks for the examination.