11/05/07Judith McGovern Physics in UK Education1 Physics in UK Education Judith McGovern University...

11/05/07

Judith McGovern Physics in UK Education

1

Physics in UK Education

Judith McGovern

University of Manchester

11/05/07


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2001 census

Population (millions)

18 yr olds (thousands)

England 50.43 606

Scotland 5.09 63

Wales 2.96 37

N.Ireland 1.72 26

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Physics Education 14-18

• The UK consists of 4 countries

• Each has a slightly different education system

• In Scotland University entrance is traditionally at 17

• In Northern Ireland, England and Wales it is at 18, after “A-levels”, the differences in 14-18 education are currently minor in the three countries

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Public Exams (not Scotland)

16: GCSE

17: A/S levels

18: A-levels

University

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National Curriculum (not Scotland)

• Only English, Mathematics and Science are compulsory to age 16 (plus Welsh/Irish as appropriate)

• Most students sit 8-10 GCSE exams at 16, including Double Science (about 20% of teaching time)

• Till this year, content of Double Science was quite constrained and so most students studied Physics to 16

• New curriculum allows more flexibility: consequences for Physics not yet clear, but may lead to more students dropping it

• 5 separate exam boards (inefficient for follow-up)

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A-levels (not Scotland)

• Students typically sit 4 A/S levels one year after GCSE, and 3 A-levels one year later

• About 40% of 18-year-olds obtain at least one A-level, and nearly 30% obtain three (up from 30% and 20% a decade ago)

• English (33%) is the most popular subject, then Biology, Mathematics (20%), and Psychology

• Physics (10%) is not in the top 10• Physics and Maths have declined over the last 15 years,

while 18 year old population and post-16 participation rates have increased

Judith McGovern

Source: DfES SFR 02/2007 National statistics first release 10/01/07 p3

Judith McGovern

England only. Source: Popularity list from JCQ News release 18/08/05; percentages based on 258,300 candidates (Source DfES Trends" section 5.6 chart A)

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A-level entries 1985-2006

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Year

Nu

mb

er o

f en

trie

s

Physics Mathematics Chemistry Biology

Judith McGovern

Source IoP (from AQA) Covers Wales and NI as well as England, unlike DfES first release.

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Public Exams - Scotland

16: Standard Grade

17: Highers

18: Advanced Highers

University

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14-18 Scotland

• Scottish framework less prescriptive• 14-16 (Standard grade): Individual Sciences still the

norm, most students don’t do Physics• 77% stay at school to age 17• 17 (Highers): Physics (20%) is in 5th place, after English

(60%), Mathematics (40%), Chemistry and Biology • Over last 6 year decline in Physics is similar to that in

England.• Scottish Universities take students after Highers, but

about 15% of students who take Higher Physics stay for one more year and take the Advanced Higher which allows them access to all English universities.

Judith McGovern

based on student numbers in S4&S5 (Scottish Executive publications, "Pupils in Scotland 2006", Feb 207)

Judith McGovern

based on Highers numbers as fraction of S5 population (source SQA pre-appeals results 2006)

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Reasons for decline in Physics

• As post-16 participation rates have risen, schools have offered many more non-traditional subjects at A-level– BUT biology hasn’t suffered same decline

• Physics is perceived as (IS?) difficult, so only students likely to do well still take it; grades are then high– BUT mathematics is not declining as fast (currently

rising)• In England, most teachers have to teach all sciences. Far

fewer Physics graduates enter teaching than other sciences or maths. Up to GCSE, many students will be taught Physics by a biologist– In Scotland plenty of specialist Physics teachers

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PGCE Applicants 1993-2004

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005Year

Nu

mb

er o

f ap

plic

ants

Physics Mathematics Chemistry Biology Combined/General Science

Judith McGovern

Source IoP (from GTTR)

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Degrees in the UK

BSc – 3yrs

MSc – 1yr

PhD – 3-4 Yrs

MPhys/MSci – 4yrs

In Scotland the BSc and MPhys usually take 1yr longer. In England some courses have foundation years.

PGCE – 1yr

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UK Physics Degrees

• 46 of 116 UK Universities offer first degrees in Physics; 8 are in Scotland, 3 in Wales and 1 in N. Ireland

• 28 closures or mergers of Physics departments since 1995; Chemistry also affected

• However student numbers on Physics courses have been roughly constant over last two decades

• Scottish students are around 10% of total and so are not over-represented

• 3035 (1%) students enrolled on Physics and Astronomy degrees in 2006; roughly 80% will graduate. 13% from overseas.

• Female fraction (24%) roughly constant over last decade.

Judith McGovern

IoP table 2.10 has 1733 ex 17000 home students entering with highers over period 1996-2001

Judith McGovern

IoP accredits programmes in 46 department.Iincludes Nat Sci at Cambridge (but not UEA) as well as the "with astronomy" course at John Moores and "with minor" at Keele

Judith McGovern

Source UCAS /IoP

Judith McGovern

Source: IoP

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Trends in Enrolment 1996-2006 (1)

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

50000

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

Judith McGovern

Source: UCAS

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Enrolment Trends 1996-2006 (2)

0 5000 10000 15000 20000

Sports Science

Psychology

Computer Science

Engineering

Earth Science

Mathematics

Chemistry

Physics andAstronomy 2006 2004 2002 2000 1998 1996

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Degree destinations for students with Physics and Maths A-level 1996-2004

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Physics Mathematics Mechanical engineeringComputer science Electronic engineering Civil engineeringPre-clinical medicine Aeronautical engineering ChemistryTotal/10

Judith McGovern

Source: IoP (from UCAS)

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Integrated Masters

• Most departments offer both BSc and an “Integrated Masters” (MPhys/MSci) Physics degrees

• MPhys/MSci introduced 15 years ago in response to perceived decline in A-level standards, esp in Maths

• About 35% do MPhys/MSci, but varies widely across departments; fewer in Scotland and in small departments

• Most departments have a higher progression threshold for Masters

• Supposed to be the degree for “professional physicists”• Final year usually involves research project, but not as

long as an MSc (or Diplom).

Judith McGovern

Source UCAS

Judith McGovern

35% is a guestimate of mine. Figures based on degrees awarded, not admissions. Manchester is about 55%, but unofficial estimates for a number of medium-sized departments range from 30-40%, and two for which I had figures in Scotland were 25%.

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PhD studies

• Around 650 PhDs in Physics are awarded in the UK each year – 4.4% of total

• About 10% of these are in Particle Physics• MPhys is the preferred qualification for entry to PhD, but

not required. At Manchester 8% of BSc students and 37% of MPhys students continue straight to PhDs

• STFC now awards 4-year studentships. Pre-2006, they were 3-year, but students typically took nearly 4 years to complete

• Most PhD programmes involve little taught course work• Experimental PP students usually spend at least one year

at CERN/SLAC/Fermilab

Judith McGovern

Source http://www.grad.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Resources/What_Do_PhDs_Do_/UK_PhD_degrees_in_context/p!ecdXXji

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Expt Particle Physics PhD students and PDRAS

Judith McGovern

Source: 2005 ECFA report

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Government Initiatives

• The UK government is aware of the problems facing Physics and Chemistry

• Golden Hellos for new science teachers (since 1998) and enhanced bursaries for PGCE students (2006)

• Further schemes to help science teachers and trainees specialise in Physics and Chemistry (2007)

• Grant to IoP for “Stimulating Demand in Physics” (2006)

• New extra payment of £1000 per student to departments of Physics, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Material Science to combat department closures (2007-2010)

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Issues for Physics Degrees

• The English degree scheme is not obviously Bologna-compliant according to current rules.– Masters qualification not needed to start PhD– MSc (1 year) or 4th yr of MPhys (9 months) not long

enough to accumulate 90 ECTS credits – max 75/yr– Separate BSc not usually awarded to MPhys students – No “Diploma Supplement” (transcript) at present

• UK favours “outcome-based” rather than “time-served” approach; credit counting takes no account of starting level or intensity of study

• Next meeting of ministers in London next week….

11/05/07Judith McGovern Physics in UK Education1 Physics in UK Education Judith McGovern University...

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