Cambridge University Reporter


Natural Sciences Tripos

(Statutes and Ordinances, p. 374)

With effect from 1 October 2009

Regulation 9.

Part IA: The title of the subject 'Quantitative Biology' for the examination in Part IA of the Natural Sciences Tripos has been amended to 'Mathematical Biology.' References to this subject in Regulations 15 and 17 have been amended accordingly.

Part III: The subject 'History and Philosophy of Science' has been introduced as a subject for examination in Part III. A new entry for this subject has been inserted under Part III as follows:
Board of History and Philosophy of Science History and Philosophy of Science

Part II

With effect from 1 October 2008

Regulation 30.

The examination requirements for certain subjects have been amended as follows:

Astrophysics

Five papers rather than four are required. Sub-paragraph (a) has been amended so as to read:
(a) five written papers. Paper 1 is of two hours and the remaining papers of three hours each;

Experimental and Theoretical Physics

The first three paragraphs have been amended so as to read:

Experimental and Theoretical Physics. The examination shall comprise two alternative options, (A) and (B), as specified below.

A candidate who chooses option (A) shall offer

(a) Papers 1 and 2;
(b) either Paper 3 or Paper 4 or two half-papers drawn from Papers 3 and 4;
(c) a computing exercise and four units of further work.

A candidate who chooses option (B) shall offer

(a) Papers 1 and 2;
(b) either Paper 3 and one half-paper drawn from Paper 4 or Paper 4 and one half-paper drawn from Paper 3;
(c) a computing exercise and three units of further work.

Each paper shall be of three hours' duration. Candidates shall be allowed one and a half hours for each half-paper.

Physical Sciences (Half Subject Experimental and Theoretical Physics)

The examination requirements for the Half Subject Experimental and Theoretical Physics have been amended so as to read as follows:

(ii) The examination requirements for the Half Subject Experimental and Theoretical Physics shall consist of  
  (1) either Paper 1 or Paper 2 of the papers in Experimental and Theoretical Physics for Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos or two half-papers drawn from Papers 1 and 2;
  (2) one half-paper drawn from either Paper 3 or Paper 4 in Experimental and Theoretical Physics in Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos;
  (3) a computing exercise and two units of further work.

Each paper shall be of three hours' duration. Candidates shall be allowed one and a half hours for each half-paper.

The types of further work and their examination requirements shall be announced by the Head of the Department of Physics not later than the beginning of the Michaelmas Term. Records of further work shall be submitted to the Head of the Department not later than the fourth Monday of Full Easter Term and shall bear the signatures of the teachers under whose direction the work was performed. The Examiners shall be provided by the Head of the Department with assessments of the work submitted by candidates, and shall take these assessments into account in assigning marks for the examination.

Half Subject Experimental and Theoretical Physics may not be offered unless the candidate has previously offered Physics A or Physics B in Part IB of the Tripos.

Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience

Alternative options will no longer be available for this subject. The examination requirements for the subject have been amended so as to read as follows:

Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience. Each candidate shall offer

(a) four written papers of three hours each;

(b) a report of a research project.

The report of a research project shall be on a subject which may be either proposed by the candidate and approved by the Head of the Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience or chosen by the candidate from a list of approved subjects announced by the Head of the Department not later than the end of the Easter Term in the year preceding the examination. Each candidate shall either obtain the approval of the Head of Department for the subject proposed, or notify the Head of the Department of the subject chosen from the list, not later than the beginning of the Michaelmas Term. The report shall be submitted to the Examiners not later than the third day of the Full Easter Term in which the examination is to be held.

Physiology and Psychology

In line 4 of paragraph 3, the date of the announcement of the list of approved subjects by the Head of the Department has been changed from the division to the beginning of the Michaelmas Term.

Part III

With effect from 1 October 2008

Regulation 36.

Experimental and Theoretical Physics

Sub-paragraph (b) has been amended by replacing in line 1 the words 'in place of one or two of the minor topics' by the words 'in place of one, two or three of the minor topics'.

With effect from 1 October 2009

Regulation 32.

The subject 'History and Philosophy of Science' has been inserted in the list of subjects for examination in Part III.

Regulation 36.

Examination requirements for this new subject are set out below.

History and Philosophy of Science. Each candidate shall offer

(a) a literature review of between 3,000 and 5,000 words;
(b) two short essays, each of not more than 2,500 words, excluding bibliography, each from a list of topics drawn from those covered by the Advanced Seminar;
(c) a research paper of not more than 5,000 words including footnotes but excluding bibliography;
(d) a dissertation, of not more than 15,000 words including footnotes but excluding appendices and bibliography.

All pieces of work must be approved by the Board of History and Philosophy of Science.

The literature review shall be submitted on the last day of Michaelmas Full Term. The list of short essay titles, from which candidates will choose two titles from four, shall be issued by the Head of the Department of History and Philosophy of Science shortly after the division of Lent Term and students will have one week in which to prepare the two essays for submission to the examiners. The title of each candidate's research paper, which must be on a different topic from all other pieces of work, shall be approved by the Board of History and Philosophy of Science at its meeting in the second half of Lent Term. The research paper shall be submitted on the last day of Lent Full Term. The title of the dissertation and supervisor shall be approved by the Board of History and Philosophy of Science at its meeting in the second half of Lent Term. The dissertation shall be submitted at the beginning of the final week of Easter Full Term.