Durham UniversityPost-Application Natural Sciences

Faculty of Sciencewww.dur.ac.uk/natural.sciences/

Dr James Blowey

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Natural Sciences

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Natural Sciences: overview

Talk focuses on the key features of the structure of the Natural Sciences degree programme:

Flexibility; Choice; Depth.

Natural Sciences has been in existence for over 60 years

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Natural Sciences

• 3 year (B.Sc.) or 4 year (M.Sci.) degree• 6 modules a year• Typically each module lasts all year• At least 50% of your modules over the three

or four years must be from the Faculty of Science

Degree Structure for 2013 Entrants

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Natural Sciences: depth

• Study the same key modules as single honours students to give progression in those subjects.Study more than one subject to a high level.For details of content, see other talks today or go to www.dur.ac.uk/natural.sciences/

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Natural Sciences: subjects 1

• Biology• Chemistry• Computer Science• Earth Sciences• Mathematics• Physics• Psychology

Subjects within the Faculty of Science (Group 1):

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Natural Sciences: subjects 2

• Anthropology• Archaeology• Business• Economics• Geography• Philosophy

Subjects which make a Joint-Honours contribution to the programme (Group 2):

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Natural Sciences: subjects 3

• Languages• Theology• Sociology• Classics• English• History• plus more but not Engineering, Politics or

Law.

Selection of other subjects which contribute to the programme (Group 3):

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Natural Sciences: flexibility withinYear of study

Number of subjects studied

Credits studied Maximum number of credit studied in a single subject

4 1 ≤ Year 4 ≤ 3 Level IV = 120 120

3 2 ≤ Year 3 ≤ 3 90 ≤ Level IIILevel II ≤ 30

BSc (100);MSci (80)

2 2 ≤ Year 2 ≤ 3 90 ≤ Level IILevel I ≤ 30

80

1 2 ≤ Year 1 ≤ 4 Level I = 120 80

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Natural Sciences: choiceTypical pathways• Major in one subject in Year 2 (a B.Sc. or M.Sci. in

Natural Sciences) or follow a Joint-Honours path.• take new subjects in your second year or take the

same three subjects in each year• take the same two subjects in each of the years (Joint-

Honours) – almost all Science Joint-Honours degrees operate within Natural Sciences

• possibility of transfer to a single honours degree• possibility of transfer between BSc and MSci up until a

good way through the third-year.

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Natural Sciences Society

• Interval:

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Natural Sciences: degrees

M.Sci. in Natural Sciences

B.Sc. in Natural Sciences

Available only in the following subjects:Earth Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Biology (but only with Chemistry and Physics)

Available in all the contributing subjects, with at least 50% of study from the Faculty of Science

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Natural Sciences: Joint-HonoursThe Joint Honours degrees:

• B.Sc. Honours in A AND B within the Natural Sciences programme

• M.Sci. Honours in A AND B within the Natural Sciences programme

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Natural Sciences: 2013 entry

B.Sc Joint Honours Combinations for 2013 entry

 

An(8)

Ar Bi(87)

Bs Ch(80)

CS(14)

ES (13)

Ec(28)

Gg(21)

Ma(103)

Ph(10)

Py(89)

Ps(26)

An * *

Ar *

Bi * * * * * * *

Bs *

Ch * * * *

CS * * *

ES * * * * *

Ec * *

Gg * * * *

Ma * * * * * * * * *

Ph * *

Py * * * * *

Ps * * * * *

 

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Natural Sciences

M.Sci. in Biology and Chemistry

M.Sci. in Chemistry and Mathematics

M.Sci. in Chemistry and Physics

M.Sci. in Mathematics and Physics

M.Sci. Joint Honours degrees within Natural Sciences:

M.Sci. in Biology and Physics

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MSci/BSc Joint-Honours degrees 2013 entry

16

An- Anthropology Ar - Archaeology Bi - Biology Bs - Business Ch - Chemistry CS - Computer Science ES - Earth Sciences Ec - Economics Gg - Geography Ma – Mathematics Ph - Philosophy Py - Physics Ps- Psychology

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Popular combinations in Year 1• Biology-Chemistry (36)• Chemistry-Physics+Maths (10+15)• Chemistry-Maths+Physics (10+15)• Biology-(Geography/Maths

Physics/Psychology) (10 each)• Maths-Physics+Chemistry (44+15)• Economics and Mathematics (20)

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Natural Sciences

Assessment

• First year is a qualifying year• The second, third and fourth year results

count towards the degree classification• Modules have individual weightings for

continuous assessment and examinations

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Natural Sciences: cautions• Choices of modules are restricted by:

• the University timetable; • sometimes by capacity; • sometimes they are tied to degree programmes.

• Choices need to leave open a programme of study

• Chemistry has a limited number of bench spaces• Mathematics with progression to other Maths

beyond Level 2 need and AS-level in Further Maths.

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Natural Sciences: any questions

www.dur.ac.uk/natural.sciences/