BSc/MEng Materials Science with an Integrated Foundation Year

The Foundation Year Bursary  is available to UK students who are registered on an undergraduate foundation year here and who has had a full financial assessment carried out by Student Finance.

Details of country-specific funding available to international students can be found within our  International country profiles .

The University of Manchester is committed to attracting and supporting the very best students. We have a focus on nurturing talent and ability, therefore, we want to make sure that you have the opportunity to study here, regardless of your financial circumstances.

For information about scholarships please visit our  undergraduate student finance pages  and the Department funding pages that you intend to progress to after successfully completing the Foundation Year.

A course which will allow students to gain essential knowledge and understanding of physical, electrical and magnetic principles  

The aim is to allow students to gain essential knowledge and understanding of physical, electrical and magnetic principles.

By the end of this course unit a student will be able to:

• Describe the properties and interaction of electrically charged objects and electric fields, with reference to electrostatic forces, potential, potential energy and work.
• Analyse simple DC circuits consisting of capacitors or resistors under steady state conditions.
• Contrast the properties and behaviour of the common classes of magnetic materials (including superconductors).
• Determine the characteristics of magnetic fields resulting from simple configurations of current-carrying conductors.
• Describe the behaviour of moving charges or current-carrying conductors in magnetic fields (and its technological significance).
• Explain, with examples, the consequences and implications of electromagnetic induction.
• With reference to Bohr’s atomic model, account for the emission and absorption spectra of hydrogen.
• Use the band theory of solids to explain the electronic properties of conductors, insulators and semiconductors and the role of doping in simple semiconductor devices (including the p-n junction).

Electrostatics, electric fields, electrical potential, energy and work.

Capacitors, resistors, DC circuits, electrical power.

Magnetic materials, superconductivity, magnetic fields and forces, motors.

Electromagnetic induction, Lenz’s law, generators and transformers.

Bohr’s hydrogen atom, absorption/emission, band theory of solids, semiconductors.

Lectures, tutorials, drop-in sessions, private study.

• Formative feedback will be given during lectures, tutorials and drop-in sessions. Targeted feedback will be given following coursework assessments. Summative and formative feedback will be given following assessments, including the final exam (exam script viewing is encouraged).

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ADAMS, S. & ALLDAY, J. 2000. Advanced Physics. Oxford University Press, Oxford. (ISBN-10: 0199146802)
JOHNSON, K., et al. 2000. Advanced physics for you. Nelson Thornes, Cheltenham. (ISBN-10: 074875296X)
MUNCASTER, R., 1993. A-level physics (4th Edition). Stanley Thornes, Cheltenham. (ISBN:0748715843)
POPLE, S., 1998. Advanced physics through diagrams. Oxford University Press, Oxford. (ISBN: 9780199147212, 9780199147229, 0199147213)
AKRILL, T., BENNETT, G. & MILLAR, C., 2000. Practice in Physics (3rd Edition). Hodder & Stoughton Educational, London. (ISBN: 0340758139)
CUTNELL, J., & JOHNSON, K., 2005. Essentials of physics Hoboken, N.J. (ISBN: 0471713988)