There are five major subject groupings, or streams, that are taught by the Department of Physics in the BSc at second-year level. They are PHS2011 and PHS2022 (Physics), PHS2311 and PHS2322 (Applied physics), PHS2431 and PHS2442 (Image processing), PHS2232 (Astronomy) and MSC2011 and MSC2022 (Materials science). These streams are designed to provide a good grounding in the various aspects of physics for students wishing to major in other disciplines as well as those intending to continue to third-year physics and beyond. The eight-point second-year physics subjects comprise four hours of lectures/problem classes/tutorials per week and five hours of laboratory work per week. Students intending to proceed to third year physics and/or theoretical physics must pass PHS2011 and PHS2022. Students intending to study third-year applied physics must pass PHS2311 and PHS2322. Students wishing to study the third-year image processing subject PHS3450 must pass PHS2431 or CSC3140. To continue to PHS3431 and/or PHS3442 students must pass PHS2442.
Students who wish to study both physics and applied physics subjects in any one semester at second-year level may gain only twelve credit points as there are some common units in PHS2011 and PHS2311, and in PHS2022 and PHS2322. To accomodate this, two four-point subjects PHS2031 and PHS2042 have been introduced. To gain the twelve points in first semester, a student would enrol in PHS2011 and PHS2031, or PHS2311 and PHS2031. In second semester the twelve points consist of PHS2022 and PHS2042, or PHS2322 and PHS2042.