Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Physics and Statistics and Operations Research

Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Physics and Statistics and Operations Research

Course Title

Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Physics and Statistics and Operations Research

MQF Level

6

Duration and Credits

4 Years

240 ECTS

Mode of Study

Full-time

Information for International applicants

Physics

Either

A pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Physics together with a pass at Intermediate Level at Grade C or better in Pure Mathematics

or

A pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Pure Mathematics together with a pass at Intermediate Level at Grade C or better in Physics.


Statistics and Operations Research

Either

A pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Pure Mathematics

or

A pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Computing or Information Technology together with a pass at Advanced Level at Grade D or better in Pure Mathematics.


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Physics

The course design reflects the need to provide as wide a base as the human resources of the department permit. It provides a sound basis in the subject during the first three years, with some specialisation in chosen areas offered during the final year. You will be equipped with the necessary knowledge, experience and skills to pursue careers as scientists within the industry, administration, education and, of course, research.


Statistics and Operations Research

The four-year programme of studies for Statistics and Operations Research as part of the B.Sc. (Hons) degree has been designed for you to embark on a four-year plan which will help you to learn a number of topics considered to be fundamental in the academic disciplines of Statistics and Operations Research, and to follow fruitfully a set of accompanying study units which are oriented towards specialized areas.


Physics

The Course shall consist of two parts, namely, Part One comprising the first three years and Part Two comprising the fourth year.

  1. Part One shall consist of study-units to which 180 credits are assigned and indicated in the programme of study and divided as follows:
  2. First Year: in addition to the compulsory and elective study-units outlined in the programme of studies of the chosen areas (not less than 26 credits in each of the two areas), students are required to register for optional study-units to bring their total for the year to 60 credits,

    Second Year: 30 credits in each of the two areas of study,

    Third Year: 30 credits in each of the two areas of study.

    At the end of Part One, students who obtain 180 credits as specified in paragraph (1) but who either opt not to proceed with the Course leading to the Honours Degree, or having proceeded, do not successfully complete the Course, shall be eligible for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.).

  3. Part Two shall consist of study-units to which 60 credits are assigned divided as follows:
    1. 40 credits in one area of study, of which 18 credits are assigned to a dissertation, and
    2. 20 credits in the other area of study,

provided that in the case of Mathematics, the dissertation may be substituted by one or more additional taught study-units.


Statistics and Operations Research

The Course shall consist of two parts, namely, Part One comprising the first three years and Part Two comprising the fourth year.

  1. Part One shall consist of study-units to which 180 credits are assigned and indicated in the programme of study and divided as follows:
  2. First Year: in addition to the compulsory and elective study-units outlined in the programme of studies of the chosen areas (not less than 26 credits in each of the two areas), students are required to register for optional study-units to bring their total for the year to 60 credits,

    Second Year: 30 credits in each of the two areas of study,

    Third Year: 30 credits in each of the two areas of study.

    At the end of Part One, students who obtain 180 credits as specified in paragraph (1) but who either opt not to proceed with the Course leading to the Honours Degree, or having proceeded, do not successfully complete the Course, shall be eligible for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.).

  3. Part Two shall consist of study-units to which 60 credits are assigned divided as follows:
    1. 40 credits in one area of study, of which 18 credits are assigned to a dissertation, and
    2. 20 credits in the other area of study,

provided that in the case of Mathematics, the dissertation may be substituted by one or more additional taught study-units.


Communication and Academic Skills Programme

The communication and academic skills programme complements students’ main course of study. It introduces them to writing and presenting as situated within academic contexts sensitive to specific disciplines and develops their competences for future careers.

Physics

 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY1105 Fundamentals of Experimental Physics 4 ECTS   (NC)  
PHY1197 Introduction to Classical Mechanics and Waves 6 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 1
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY1125 Mathematics for Physicists 1 4 ECTS    
PHY1135 Introduction to Computational Physics 6 ECTS    
PHY1193 Thermodynamics and Kinetic Theory 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY1145 Electricity and Magnetism and Optics 6 ECTS    

 

 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY2145 Electromagnetism 4 ECTS    
PHY2230 Experimental Physics 4 ECTS   (NC)  

 
 
Semester 1
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
CHE1750* Health and Safety in the Chemistry Laboratory 2 ECTS    
PHY2195 Classical and Relativistic Mechanics 6 ECTS    
PHY2210 Mathematics for Physicists 2 4 ECTS    

* Study-unit CHE1750 is only available for students following Chemistry and Physics.
 
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
LIN1063** Academic Reading and Writing in English 2 ECTS    
PHY2140 Quantum Mechanics 6 ECTS    
PHY3110 Physical Optics 4 ECTS    

** Study-unit LIN1063 is not available for students following Chemistry and Physics.
 

 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY3111 Advanced Experimental Physics 6 ECTS   (NC)  
PHY3145 Statistical Mechanics 5 ECTS    
PHY3515 Gravitation and Cosmology 6 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 1
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY3130 Atomic Physics 4 ECTS    
PHY3225 Fluid Mechanics 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY3155 Solid State Physics 5 ECTS    

 

If Physics is chosen as the main area of study:
Students are required to register for 32 ECTS credits from the list of compulsory study-units, and 8 ECTS credits from the list of Elective Stream linked to their project area to a total of 40 ECTS credits.

If Physics is chosen as the other area of study:
Students are required to register for 12 ECTS credits from the list of compulsory study-units and 8 ECTS credits from the list of Elective Stream of their choice to a total of 20 ECTS credits.
 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY3200* Physics Project 18 ECTS   (NC)  
PHY3208 Short Review Paper and Philosophy of Science 6 ECTS    
PHY3209* Seminar 2 ECTS    
PHY3232 Nuclear and Particle Physics 6 ECTS    
 
Elective Stream A: Space Sciences.
 
PHY3289 Advanced Astrophysics and Cosmology 4 ECTS    
 
Elective Stream B: Electromagnetics.
 
PHY3277 Bioelectromagnetism 4 ECTS    
PHY3279 Applied Electromagnetism 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 1
 
Elective Stream A: Space Sciences.
 
PHY3287 Computational Astronomy 4 ECTS    
 
Elective Stream C: Quantum Physics.
 
PHY3227 Quantum Optics 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 2
 
Elective Stream C: Quantum Physics.
 
PHY3229 Modern Quantum Theory 4 ECTS    

 
*Study-units PHY3200 and PHY3209 are only for students taking Physics as their main area.

Statistics and Operations Research

In addition to the compulsory study-units, students who have Mathematics as their other area of study are required to choose study-units to the value of 10 ECTS credits from the elective study-units on offer during the year.

In addition to the compulsory study-units, students who have Computing Science, Biology, Chemistry, Geosciences, or Physics as their other area of study are required to choose study-units to the value of 2 ECTS credits from the elective study-units on offer during the year.

No elective study-units in the Statistics and Operations Research area are to be taken by students choosing Banking and Finance as their other area of study.
 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
MAT1212* Introductory Analysis 6 ECTS    
SOR1110 Probability 4 ECTS   (NC)  
SOR1222 Statistical Computing 8 ECTS   (NC)  
SOR1310 Optimization 4 ECTS   (NC)  
SOR1320 Linear Programming 4 ECTS   (NC)  
SOR1450** Principles of Financial Mathematics and Life Policies 4 ECTS    
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)
 
SOR1450*** Principles of Financial Mathematics and Life Policies 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 1
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)
 
CIS1044 SQL for Statisticians 2 ECTS    
ELP1062 English Proficiency 2 ECTS    
SOR1250 Official Statistics and Demography 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
MAT1116**** Introduction to Vector Spaces 2 ECTS    

 
* MAT1212 is for students not taking Mathematics as the other area.
** SOR1450 as a compulsory study-unit is for students taking Banking and Finance as another area.
*** SOR1450 as an elective study-unit cannot be taken by students taking Banking and Finance as the other area.
**** MAT1116 is for students not taking Mathematics or Banking and Finance as the other area.

 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
SOR2120 Convergence and Limits in Probability 4 ECTS   (NC)  
SOR2211 Families of Random Variables and Random Vectors 6 ECTS   (NC)  
SOR2221 Statistical Inference 1 6 ECTS   (NC)  
SOR2230 Time Series 1 4 ECTS    
SOR2250 Sampling 1 4 ECTS    
SOR2330 Nonlinear Programming 4 ECTS   (NC)  

 
 
Semester 1
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
SOR2110 History and Philosophy of Probability and Statistics 2 ECTS    

 

In addition to the compulsory study-units, students are required to choose study-units to the value of 4 ECTS credits from the elective study-units on offer during the year.
 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
SOR3110 Stochastic Processes 1 5 ECTS   (NC)  
SOR3210 Multivariate Analysis 1 5 ECTS   (NC)  
SOR3221 Regression Models 4 ECTS   (NC)  
SOR3243 Bayesian Statistics 4 ECTS    
SOR3350 Combinatorial Optimization 4 ECTS    
SOR3500 Computational Methods in Statistics and Operations Research 4 ECTS    
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)
 
SOR3411 Risk Modelling in Insurance and Finance 4 ECTS    
SOR3430 The Mathematics of Financial Markets: Discrete Models 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 1
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)
 
CIS1044 SQL for Statisticians 2 ECTS    
SOR3242 Robust Statistics 2 ECTS    
SOR3250* Design of Experiments 2 ECTS    

* Study-unit SOR3250 cannot be taken by Biology and Statistics and Operations Research students.
 

If Statistics and Operations Research is chosen as the main area of study:
Students are required to register for 22 ECTS credits from the list of Electives and 18 ECTS credits assigned to a project study-unit to a total of 40 ECTS credits.

If Statistics and Operations Research is chosen as the other area of study:
Students are required to register for 20 ECTS credits from the list of Electives.
 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Unit

Either
 
SOR3101 Project in Statistics and Operations Research: Probability 18 ECTS   (NC)  
 
Or
 
SOR3201 Project in Statistics and Operations Research: Statistics 18 ECTS   (NC)  
 
Or
 
SOR3301 Project in Statistics and Operations Research: Operations Research 18 ECTS   (NC)  
 
Or
 
SOR3401 Project in Statistics and Operations Research: Financial and Actuarial Mathematics 18 ECTS   (NC)  
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)
 
SOR3121 Stochastic Processes 2 6 ECTS    
SOR3211 Generalized Linear Models 4 ECTS    
SOR3222 Nonlinear and Nonparametric Regression Analysis 4 ECTS    
SOR3231 Time Series 2 4 ECTS    
SOR3311 Stochastic Programming 6 ECTS    
SOR3351 Dynamic Programming and Optimal Control 4 ECTS    
SOR3411 Risk Modelling in Insurance and Finance 4 ECTS    
SOR3430 The Mathematics of Financial Markets: Discrete Models 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 1
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)
 
SOR3241 Survival Analysis 4 ECTS    
SOR3242 Robust Statistics 2 ECTS    
SOR3250* Design of Experiments 2 ECTS    

* Study-unit SOR3250 cannot be taken by students taking Biology and Statistics and Operations Research.
 

This programme of study is governed by the General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2019 and by the Bye-Laws for the award of Bachelor of Science - B.Sc. and Bachelor of Science (Honours) - B.Sc.(Hons.) under the auspices of the Faculty of Science.

Physics

By the end of the course, you will:

  • Demonstrate a refined and intricate understanding of the concepts and fundamentals of physics principles.
  • Communicate physics reasoning effectively in the oral and written form.
  • Solve complex physics problems through the use of sophisticated mathematical techniques.

  • Statistics and Operations Research

    At the end of the course you will be able to:

    • deal competently with the notions of uncertainty and randomness in a logically valid and mathematically sophisticated way
    • know which branch of relevant theory should help in understanding practical problems involving probabilistic, statistical and operations research contexts
    • be confident in the use of software commonly used in the numerical solution to problems in the relevant areas.

    Non EU Applicants:

    Fee per academic year: Eur 10,800

    You are viewing the fees for non EU nationals. Switch to EU nationals if you are a national of any country from within the EU/EEA.

    Physics

    As a physicist, you will be the most versatile of scientists, capable of tackling a variety of both every-day and specialist problems. You may find employment in government departments, with private industry, with public authorities, as teachers in state and private or church schools and research laboratories, both locally and abroad.

    The physics programme equips you to join postgraduate courses (both locally and abroad). Such courses may range from taught and/or research Masters to M.Phil. and Ph.D.


    Statistics and Operations Research

    Career opportunities in this area have so far included:

    • National Statistics Office
    • Other government departments and authorities (e.g. NAO, MFSA, Central Bank, MFSS, Communications Authority)
    • Finance (e.g. banks, insurance, investment)
    • Manufacturing companies
    • Airline industry
    • Communications industry
    • Lottery and Betting companies
    • Education

    The course also gives access to further postgraduate studies and research positions, both at the University of Malta and overseas, and a number of our former students have pursued Masters, Doctorate and Post-doctorate positions, both locally and abroad. The course has also served as a good background for other specialized courses required by specific areas in the job market.


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