Guide to Courses 2009-10

Undergraduate Courses: Natural Sciences

Natural Sciences Tripos website: http://www.cam.ac.uk/about/natscitripos/

• Natural Sciences Tripos
• Part IA
• Part IB
• Part II
• Part III
• The Preliminary Examination for Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos

In the Natural Sciences there are undergraduate courses of study followed by candidates for:

The Natural Sciences Tripos, which is divided into four Parts.
The Preliminary Examination for Part II.

The Natural Sciences Tripos

The Natural Sciences Tripos comprises Parts IA, IB, II, and III. Successful completion of three parts is a qualification for the B.A. Honours degree but some students spend four years and take four parts of the Tripos. Successful completion of four parts, including Part III in one of the subjects offered, is a qualification for B.A. plus the M.Sci. degree

Part IA is taken in a candidate's first year (except that a candidate transferring from another Tripos may take Part IA in their third year). Part IB is then taken in the second year and Part II is normally taken in the third year. Part III is usually taken in a fourth year, after reading an appropriate Part II. It is possible to transfer, after passing Part IA or Part IB, to another Tripos. The new subjects will depend on the candidate's interests, but common transfers are to Computer Science or Chemical Engineering after either Part IA or Part IB, or to Part II courses in Engineering or Management Studies after Part IB.

Transfers from other Triposes to the Natural Sciences Tripos are also possible. Some intending to read Physics may find it worthwhile to take the Mathematics with Physics option of Part IA of the Mathematical Tripos or Part IA of the Engineering Tripos before transferring to Part IB Natural Sciences. Transfer to Part II in biological subjects is common for students studying medicine and veterinary medicine. Transfer to Part II Psychology is possible in certain circumstances, particularly from the Philosophy Tripos, and various Triposes provide a satisfactory basis for transfer to History and Philosophy of Science in Part II.

Affiliated students may: (a) take Part IB of the Tripos in their first year; or (b) if the Faculty Board or other relevant authority concerned permit, take Part II of the Tripos or, if the History and Philosophy of Science Board permit, take Part II of the Tripos, in their first or second year as if they had obtained honours in Part IB. Affiliated students may, with the permission of the relevant Faculty Board, take Part III of the Tripos. They would however, only be eligible for the award of a BA.

Part IA

Students take three of the following experimental subjects for Part IA:

• Biology of Cells
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Evolution and Behaviour
• Geology
• Materials and Mineral Sciences
• Physics
• Physiology of Organisms

They also take one of:

• Elementary Mathematics for Biologists
• Mathematics
• Mathematical Biology

The structure of Part IA Natural Sciences encourages the study of at least one subject not previously read by a candidate at school. Some subjects require prerequisite knowledge to GCE A level or equivalent; other subjects indicate relevant previous study which may be useful background preparation. A general background in sciences is assumed; potential applicants without a science background at A level should consult their College of first preference before making a formal application.

Biology of Cells

The course aims to provide an introduction to biology at the molecular and cellular level, and considers what cells are, what they look like, and how they work. The Biology of Cells course is complete in its own right, but it also provides a useful introduction to further studies in biology, biochemistry and genetics, for both biologists and non-biologists. The course is organised jointly by the Departments of Biochemistry, Plant Sciences, Genetics, and Zoology. All Lecturers for the course issue printed lecture notes.

In the first term, the lectures deal with the basic structure of cells and macromolecules, with the structure and function of cell membranes, and with the essential biochemistry of cell metabolism. The second term's lectures are concerned with genetics (including the organisation and inheritance of genetic information), genetic engineering, nucleic acid and protein synthesis, and with cell growth and multiplication. Lectures in the Easter Term consider aspects of development, and cell communication.

The practical side of the course is organised so that, so far as possible, the experiments are related to the subject matter of the concurrent lecture course.

Knowledge of GCE A2-level Chemistry is assumed, and students would be unwise to take the course without this qualification. Past experience shows that the course appeals to students who have no AS or A2-level Biology as well as to those who have. Those without GCE A level Biology are often attracted by the increasing ability to understand biological events in molecular terms. At the beginning of the course non-biologists may sometimes find it difficult to keep up with new jargon and concepts, but students can readily overcome this by doing preliminary reading before coming up, using the titles suggested by their College. Generally, before the end of the year, non-biologists have caught up with biologists. Although students who have GCE A2-level Biology will find that some of the material presented is apparently familiar to them, the depth of treatment and the differences in viewpoint distinguish this course significantly from A2-level Biology.

Chemistry

In this course we begin to explore the complex and subtle relationship between the structure of a molecule and its chemical properties; an understanding of this relationship is central to making sense of the physical and biological worlds. The ideas and concepts introduced in the course are relevant to all areas of molecular science, from biochemistry to materials science, and also form a foundation for more advanced study in chemistry in subsequent years. The course emphasises the underlying concepts in chemistry and how these can be used to rationalise and understand the behaviour of chemical systems and molecular interactions.

The course begins by looking at how chemists use spectroscopy to determine the shape and structures of molecules, and then goes on to consider how modern theories of chemical bonding give us an understanding of why molecules adopt the shapes and structures they do. We will also look at how these theories point to the type of chemical reactivity that a particular molecule will have. The consequences of these shapes and electronic structures are then explored in a number of ways. We will consider how the molecules react and how mechanistic ideas can be used to rationalise and predict the outcome of a chemical reaction. The way in which a qualitative study of the rates of chemical reactions sheds light on mechanisms will be discussed, and the way in which chemical equilibrium can be understood in a quantitative way will be introduced and illustrated. The course closes by drawing together all of these concepts and using them to make sense of the widely different chemistry shown by some key non-metallic and metallic elements.

Practical classes, which are synchronised closely with the lectures, form an essential part of the course. In them students will have the opportunity to try out and experience at first hand the consequences of the ideas introduced in the lectures. Some of the practicals involve "wet chemistry", and some involve making and interpreting quantitative measurements. Students are expected to attend one practical session every two weeks.

Knowledge of A2-level Chemistry or an equivalent course is assumed. However, with extra support from their supervisors it is possible for students to follow the course without A2-level Chemistry. A knowledge of elementary calculus is also required; students who have not taken A2-level Mathematics (or equivalent), will attend the Elementary Mathematics for Biologists course in order to acquire the required skills.

Computer Science

Computer science is becoming as essential to science as mathematics. Whole disciplines, ranging from particle physics to genomics, are now dependent on efficient and effective use of computers for the analysis of data. This option gives a foundation in computer science that concentrates on programming practice, algorithm design, and the underlying theory of computation. ML, a modern functional language, is used to survey the whole field. This is followed by practical learning of Java. Both languages have assessed exercises. The course also covers the essential discrete mathematics, software design practice, the use and abuse of digital computers in numerical calculations and simulations, and the design of efficient, effective algorithms. The course is useful for those who will need to apply computational methods in their future scientific career. Students who wish to continue with computer science may switch into the Computer Science Tripos at the end of their first year. Further details of the Computer Science NST option can be found at http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/nst/ and Computer Science more generally at http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/.

Elementary Mathematics for Biologists

This course is designed for students who do not have GCE A level Mathematics. It covers applications of mathematics and statistics in the context of biology and is problem-based. In addition to standard techniques, students will be introduced to the principles of modelling biological systems and experimental design. This course fulfils the requirements for a mathematical qualification in Part IA of the Natural Sciences Tripos, but does not provide a qualification to read Mathematics in Part IB.

Evolution and Behaviour

Evolution and Behaviour aims to introduce students to two main fields of whole organism biology. The course is taught jointly by the Departments of Zoology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Plant Sciences, Experimental Psychology and Biological Anthropology.

The course consists of five half term sections:

• Evolutionary theory
• The origins of cells and the evolution of plants
• The evolution and diversity of animals
• The evolution of behaviour
• Primate and human evolution and behaviour

The aims of the course are to introduce students to the major principles of evolutionary theory and ranges from the origins of life, through the evolution of plants and animals to the evolution of behaviour. Lectures and practicals are designed to show how natural selection ultimately underpins all biological processes and how evolution has generated biological diversity. The major transitions in evolution, from the origin of life and of sex, to hominid evolution are detailed, and the evolutionary basis of behaviour in animals, including primates and humans are considered. The practical side of the course comprises practicals that complement lecture material and aim to develop students' practical skills. Some of the practicals are assessed: there is no practical examination.

Evolution and Behaviour provides a broad base for further studies across the whole spectrum of biology, and should be considered by all biologists. The course is also appropriate for physical scientists with an interest in evolutionary biology or psychology.

Knowledge of A2-level Biology is not an essential requirement for this course, but some sixth-form level experience of Biology (e.g. AS level, IB, Scottish Highers) is definitely useful as a background. Evolution and Behaviour is an excellent precursor for all second-year biological and psychological courses.

Geology

The course is an introduction to the whole field of earth and planetary geology. It covers the nature and properties of the Earth, particularly of the mantle and the crust; observed and deduced processes of change both of the earth's interior and also in its oceans and atmosphere; biological, physical, and chemical methods of dating to establish rates of geological and global environmental change; and major economic considerations. Emphasis is placed on practical and field work including general identifications and interpretation of rocks, interpretation of geological maps of large areas, and the use of fossils, sediments and rocks in determining internal and external changes.

Much of the course is concerned with application of principles of physics, chemistry, and biology to gain an understanding of the behaviour of Earth and the planets, so that a school background in some or all of these subjects is a good preparation. Previous knowledge of geology is not necessary. Fieldwork is carried out in the Easter Vacation, and is an essential part of the course.

Materials and Mineral Sciences

This course covers a modern, fast-growing and interdisciplinary area with very flexible boundaries. Great diversity arises in materials because they comprise atomic and molecular structures organised in complex patterns over many different length scales. The resulting intricate microstructures produce striking physical properties, leading to electrical, optical and mechanical behaviour of both scientific and technological importance.

This course explores the fascinating science of structure-property relationships through an integrated system of lectures and practicals that are supplemented by web-based learning. You will engage in a wide range of hands-on activities, including nanoscale characterisation and fuel-cell construction. In addition, you will learn, for example, how liquid-crystal displays work, how biomaterials inspire materials design, and why aeroplanes do not fall apart. The course forms an important part of physical sciences teaching at Cambridge, and contains invaluable background knowledge to underpin in subsequent years, the study of Materials Science, Mineral Sciences or other physical sciences such as Physics and Chemistry. European vacation-placement schemes are available for those wishing to continue into IB.

The lectures are supplemented by two 2-hour 'practical' sessions each week, some taking the form of practical experiments while others are examples classes. These practicals are closely related to the lectures and are expressly designed to help develop and clarify concepts introduced during the lectures. These form an essential part of the course and are an effective means of consolidating understanding. The practicals are continuously assessed.

The A2-level (or equivalent) background of those taking the course normally includes Mathematics and either Chemistry or Physics. Materials and Mineral Sciences is often combined with both Chemistry and Physics, but significant numbers of students each year take it with only one of these, together with either Geology or Biology of Cells.

Mathematics

The subject matter of this course is drawn from mathematical techniques used in the physical sciences and includes lectures on vector calculus, vector algebra, matrices, complex numbers, ordinary and partial differential equations, elementary probability theory, and computing techniques.

There are two versions of the course, A and B. Course A provides a thorough grounding in methods of mathematical science and contains everything prerequisite for the mathematical content of all physical science courses in Part IB of the Natural Sciences Tripos, including specifically Mathematics, Physics and Advanced Physics.

Course B contains additional material for those students who find mathematics rewarding in its own right, and it proceeds at a significantly faster pace. Students are strongly encouraged to take Course A unless they have a thorough understanding of material in Further Mathematics A level. Both courses lead to the same examination and qualification.

Physics

The first year course (which is also available within the Computer Science Tripos Part IA and the Mathematics Tripos Part IA option (c)) provides a foundation in physics both for those going on to further study of the subject and for those whose main interests lie elsewhere, especially for future chemists, materials scientists, and earth scientists.

Physics is concerned with the fundamental laws which govern the behaviour of all forms of matter and therefore underlie all science. In exploring these laws, the first year course has several aims. It is designed to bridge the gap between school and university physics. It aims to consolidate school physics by providing a more logical and analytical framework for classical physics. It introduces non-classical topics such as special relativity and quantum physics which foreshadow major themes of the physics course in later years. Finally the course aims to broaden your perspective, so that you can begin to appreciate the flexibility and generality of the laws of physics, which allow us to apply them to topics ranging from the extremely remote and theoretical, such as the behaviour of matter near black holes, to matters of everyday and technical application.

The lectures cover mechanics, relativity, oscillating systems, waves (including quantum waves) and fields. The course assumes that students will be taking Mathematics concurrently - the two physics courses in Part IB assume knowledge only of the material covered in Mathematics A.

Practical work forms an important part of the course, both in its own right and where practicable as an illustration of lecture material. Students attend practical classes once a fortnight, and the practical work is continuously assessed.

Knowledge of both physics and mathematics equivalent to GCE A Level is assumed and students are recommended to have either GCE A levels in Mathematics and Physics or, provided they contain at least three units of mechanics, GCE A levels in Mathematics and Further Mathematics.

Physiology of Organisms

Physiology is the branch of biology relating to how living organisms work. While often concentrating on the organ-level ('how does the heart work?'), it covers life from the whole organism down to the single cell and intracellular organelle. It overlaps with biochemistry and other life sciences, and is usually taken to include membrane biophysics. It can include every aspect of the function of an organism, from molecular mechanisms to the control of behaviour. In its applied aspects, physiology deals with the function and malfunction of parts of the human body with reference to health and disease (areas relating to medicine), how to improve crop yield (areas relating to plant sciences) as well as the practical problems of animal, plant and microbial performance and their responses to challenging conditions (areas relating to ecology).

The first term of the Physiology of Organisms course begins with an overview of physiological ideas and problems, focussing initially on the properties of the cell membrane and the factors that contribute to the stability of the internal environment. We then turn to general topics of animal physiology - how the basic organ systems work, and how they respond to environmental challenges. Although mammalian physiology is taught in most detail, this is a comparative physiology course and so we also consider some of the different strategies found in other animals, such as fish and insects. For example, we discuss different mechanisms of gas exchange for animals living in air and water, how the cardiovascular system works in different organisms, and how osmoregulation in a freshwater fish might differ from that of a desert mammal. The first term will also introduce you to the study of neurobiology, i.e. how nerve cells and sensory systems work: this can be taken as a second year subject in its own right.

Most of the second term is occupied with the study of the physiology of vascular plants, in which we see how plants interact with the environment to obtain raw materials, and how these are processed and distributed within the plant. Control of growth and development is a major contributor to the spread and survival of plants at all stages of the life cycle, and we explore the functional links between changes in the world outside and the physiological responses that enable plants to counter or exploit them. The diversity of plants, adapted to varying environments in different parts of the planet, is underpinned by an extraordinary range of physiological strategies, and we examine the interplay of anatomy, biochemistry and molecular mechanisms at the heart of a selection of representative types.

Next, the physiology of micro-organisms is introduced. After the basic physiological strategies of bacterial and fungal growth are described, the course turns to a consideration of how such microbes might live on and inside plants. The mechanisms used by microbes to attack host plants and the defence responses of the host plant are then analysed. Finally the impact of infection on host plant physiology is assessed, as exemplified by the effects on crop yield and plant water relations.

In the third term you will learn about how animals regulate their body temperature and control their food intake to achieve energy balance. The course is rounded off with a set of lectures from the Zoology Department, looking at how the size of organisms profoundly affects features such as metabolic rate, structure and locomotion. Having previously studied both animals and plants, the third term lectures are more integrative, encouraging students to use what they know to examine similarities and differences between diverse organisms.

Experimental practical classes form an integral part of the Physiology of Organisms course, allowing you to explore for yourself what you hear about in lectures and see how science is actually done. There are either one or two practical classes per week. In the classes run by the Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience you will study the properties of membranes and of isolated nerves and muscles, measure action potentials and investigate how the organ systems are arranged in fish and mammals. In the second term you will examine the activity of your own heart, discover how different inhaled gas mixtures affect your breathing and measure the amount of sweat produced during different intensities of exercise. You will also examine the pharmacological effects of drugs on isolated instestinal muscle. The Plant Science practicals, also in the second term, explore how leaves control water loss and gas exchange, how enzymes are regulated and how plants respond to viral infection. In the third term, the Zoology Department will help you to explore oxygen uptake by aquatic organisms of different size.

Physiology of Organisms is a core biological course, with several University Departments involved in its teaching. The course provides a wider context for the material in the Biology of Cells course, and gives a contemporary and integrated understanding of how organisms function. It also underpins the broader issues covered in the Evolution & Behaviour course. Physiology of Organisms provides a highly recommended introduction to all IB biological courses, as well as being of general interest to anyone curious to know how complex biological machines work.

Knowledge of A2-level Biology (or equivalent) is not assumed in this course but would be helpful. Some previous AS-level knowledge of chemistry and physics would also be very helpful, but these subjects are certainly not necessary: most of our students do not have a physics background.

Mathematical Biology

This course provides an introduction to mathematical biology. It involves mathematical, statistical, and computing methods, and is designed to approach these three elements from an integrated biological point of view. The underlying theme is the modelling and analysis of populations of molecules, cells, and organisms. The principal biological topics are: growth and decline of populations; comparison of populations; biochemical, physiological, and ecological applications of the concepts of interacting populations. A range of mathematical and statistical techniques, including ordinary differential equations, local stability analysis, linear regression, and probability distributions are introduced.

The lectures are supplemented by practical classes using modern computing methods as well as examples classes. The lectures are arranged so that new material is presented on Tuesday and Thursday lectures while Saturday lectures are designed to aid transition from GCE A level and to present worked examples from the syllabus.

The course is intended for students who have studied GCE A level Mathematics, and who therefore have some knowledge of calculus. No previous knowledge of statistics or computing is assumed.

Part IB

The subjects available in Part IB are:

• Animal Biology
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Cell and Developmental Biology
• Chemistry (two courses)
• Ecology
• Experimental Psychology
• Geological Sciences (two courses)
• History and Philosophy of Science
• Materials Science and Metallurgy
• Mathematics
• Mineral Sciences
• Neurobiology
• Pathology
• Pharmacology
• Physics (two courses)
• Physiology
• Plant and Microbial Sciences

In the second year, Part IB, of the Natural Sciences Tripos, students read THREE subjects from those listed below. Students cannot take more than one subject from any one group. Students are advised to consult their advisors in College and refer to the Natural Sciences Tripos website for further details.

The subjects, from 2009-10, are grouped together as follows:

Animal Biology

The overall aim of the course is to demonstrate the extraordinary diversity of ways in which the behaviour, physiology, and development of animals are adjusted by evolutionary processes to result in adaptation to environment.

The first term begins with Behaviour and Ecology, which considers how different behaviour patterns will be favoured by natural selection under different ecological conditions. Life history strategies, foraging behaviour, habitat selection, and mate choice are some of the topics covered. This is followed by Brains and Behaviour, which explores the ways in which brains are organized for the control of behaviour and for learning.

In the second term, lectures on Insect Biology and Vertebrate Evolutionary Biology will focus on adaptation and evolution. Lectures in the first half of term will discuss the success of the most abundant land animals, the insects. Topics covered include flight, water balance, insect-plant relationships, mating strategies, and the evolution of insect societies. Work in the second half of term draws on vertebrate examples to show that integration of developmental and evolutionary studies can enhance the understanding of adaptation.

In the third term, lectures on Evolutionary Principles review the theoretical fundamentals of evolutionary biology, and the methods available to interpret, understand, and predict the pattern and process of evolution.

All parts of the course are accompanied by practical work, which is continuously assessed. There is no practical examination.

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

This course can be read by any Part IB scientist, physical or biological, who wishes to pursue the study of biological processes at the molecular and cellular level. It builds on basic concepts discussed in the Part IA course 'Biology of Cells'. The aims of the course are to describe how information is stored as DNA and expressed as specific proteins, how enzymes and other proteins exert their functions, how cells function as integrated and co-ordinated metabolic systems, and how the growth and differentiation of cells is controlled.

The first term is concerned with Molecular Biochemistry: genes and proteins in action. The three main themes are: firstly, the control of gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes; secondly, gene cloning and manipulation; and finally, the structure of proteins, the molecular mechanisms of enzyme action and the manipulation of protein structure to modify function.

The second term builds on these basic molecular concepts to deal with Cell Biochemistry: properties and functions of membranes and organelles and the integration of metabolism. The first topic is bioenergetics (how cells obtain their energy supply on which all metabolism is based), which is followed by a discussion of the mechanisms by which metabolism is controlled and integrated. The hormonal control of metabolism and mechanisms of signal transduction across the cell membrane lead on naturally at the end of the term to a discussion of the control of eukaryotic cell proliferation and how signalling pathways in mammalian cells are activated by growth factors. This topic is continued with a discussion of 'cancer genes' (oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes) and how the control of the cell cycle may be subverted in the development of tumours.

The third term covers aspects of the biochemistry of microorganisms, including chemotaxis, protein secretion and targeting in prokaryotes.

Practical work is designed to complement the lectures. It involves experiments and integrated discussion sessions, the use of computers in the analysis of DNA and protein sequences and in the simulation of metabolic control, and journal clubs where small groups are guided by a senior scientist in the interpretation of a recent scientific paper.

Cell and Developmental Biology

Cell biology and developmental biology are advancing rapidly. Part IB Cell and Developmental Biology aims to illustrate the excitement of those advances and is designed to build on the foundation provided in the first year by Part IA Biology of Cells and to extend and consolidate coverage of cell biology. The course is taught by members of the Departments of Biochemistry, Plant Sciences, Genetics, and Zoology and it is designed to be taken in conjunction with any other subject in Part IB of the Natural Sciences Tripos except Materials Science and Metallurgy, with which it shares slots in the lecture timetable. Arrangements have been made to minimise overlap between Part IB Cell and Developmental Biology and Part IB Biochemistry and Molecular Biology as it is envisaged that many students will wish to take both courses.

The first term considers how genetic information is organised and expressed, particularly within the nuclei of eukaryotic cells. The second term starts with the biogenesis of chloroplasts and mitochondria and then covers the cytoskeleton and cell motility, membrane vesicle trafficking, and cell signalling. The remainder of the course then focuses on development in animals and plants, addressing questions such as: How do cells which contain similar genetic material diverge to make specialised products and to perform different functions within a multicellular organism; and how do populations of cells become organised into complex body patterns?

Practical work involves experimental techniques which illustrate fundamental concepts and which are in current use in cell biology research.

Chemistry (two courses: Chemistry A and Chemistry B)

Our second-year courses present the fundamental ideas of chemistry both for those who are intending to carry on with chemistry in the third year, and also for those who regard chemistry as a complement to their other Part IB subjects. The course builds on the material covered in the first year and continues to emphasise the interconnections between different areas of chemistry and the way in which fundamental concepts illuminate broad areas of the subject.

Chemistry A focuses mainly on the theories which are used to understand and probe chemical bonding, structures, and reactions. It starts out with a discussion of quantum mechanics which is the fundamental theory used by chemists to understand the microscopic nature of matter and molecules. The course goes on to use these ideas to discuss chemical bonding, the way in which microscopic properties influence those of bulk matter, and how all of these ideas can be used together to understand the chemistry of solid materials and their surfaces. Many of these ideas are also drawn together in the final course which looks at reactions in solution and the way they can be described and understood.

Chemistry B focuses mainly on how chemists find out about and rationalise the enormous range of chemical structures and reactions that are known. Despite the apparently overwhelming number of these, we can make sense of them by using a relatively small number of key concepts in chemical bonding and reactivity. As the discussion develops, the central role taken by electronic structure and the three-dimensional shape of molecules becomes apparent. The course closes with an introduction to Chemical Biology - that is the chemistry of life.

Taken together, Chemistry A and B provide a good grounding in the chemical principles which are of relevance to many other Part IB subjects. On its own, Chemistry A fits in well with the more Physical Part IB subjects, such as Materials Science and Metallurgy, Mineral Sciences or Physics. Chemistry B is particularly relevant to students with interests in the molecular aspects of biology.

Chemistry is above all an experimentally based science, so practical work is very much an integral part of the course and one of the key aims of the practical course is to develop the skills that an accomplished practical chemist needs. Practical work is continuously assessed; there are no practical examinations.

Students who propose to carry on with Chemistry in the third and possibly fourth years, should certainly consider taking both Chemistry A and B so that they will experience the fullest grounding in chemical principles. However, the Part II Chemistry course will be accessible to students if they have only taken one out of Chemistry A and Chemistry B. By only taking one of Chemistry A and B students will have a more restricted choice, but there are more than sufficient courses on offer for students to be able to put together an interesting and challenging year tailored to their interests.

Ecology

The course, run jointly by the Departments of Genetics, Plant Sciences, and Zoology, introduces a variety of approaches to the study of the relationships between plants, animals, and the environment. It begins with a critical exposition of the characteristics of selected marine, freshwater, and terrestrial systems. The dynamics of these systems on different scales of time and space are emphasised. The impacts of humans are considered particularly in the context of global climate change and aerial pollution. Aspects of evolutionary ecology considered include interactions between predators and prey, and the comparative ecology of mammalian body size, life histories, and mating systems. The lectures on 'ecological genetics' considers arms races from a genetic perspective before discussing the behaviour of genes in populations and considering the evolution and maintenance of genetic variation using examples of conspicuous polymorphisms. 'Ecological dynamics' introduces general features of the dynamics of ecological systems at population and community levels. The third term starts with an overview of the world's biodiversity, its origin, and maintenance. The course ends with an investigation of the importance of humans in ecology, specifically studies of changes caused by humans and the role of conservation.

Students taking the course are expected to attend a twelve day residential field course during the Long Vacation between the first and second years. Projects, normally done during the field course, will be examined. For students unable to attend the field course, alternative project work will be available during the year.

Experimental Psychology

The course provides an introduction to the study of mind, brain, and behaviour, with an emphasis on experimental and observational methods of investigation. Topics covered in the first term include: sensory processes and perception with special emphasis on vision and hearing; attention and the control of action; language and cognitive processes. The remainder of the course covers learning and memory; cognitive and social development; intelligence (and its measurement); reasoning and problem-solving; cognitive neuropsychology; and psychopathology.

The course aims to instil a broad understanding of the various approaches to the study of the mind and behaviour, of the interplay among experimental, behavioural and neurological evidence, and of the different levels of explanation used in modern experimental psychology.

Lectures are supplemented by practical classes whose topics are related as closely as possible to those of the concurrent lectures. Sometimes students will run experiments and sometimes they will witness demonstrations or videos of phenomena. Students are required to write reports on a certain number of these classes. Other practical classes provide an introduction to basic neurobiology and elementary statistics for psychology.

There are no prerequisites for the course, which is equally accessible to those who have specialised in biological or in physical sciences in Part IA.

Students taking Part I in the Social and Political Sciences may take the NST Part IB Experimental Psychology course. It can also be taken by students taking Part I in the Philosophy Tripos and Part II in the Modern and Medieval Language Tripos. Any student (from the Natural Sciences Tripos, Social and Political Science Tripos and Philosophy Tripos) may take the Part II Psychology course.

Geological Sciences (two courses: Geological Sciences A and Geological Sciences B)

The Department of Earth Sciences teaches two complementary courses which lead to Part II Geological Sciences. The courses are, however, independent and self-contained and each may be combined with other appropriate subjects in Part IB, such as Advanced Physics, or biological subjects to lead to Part II Geological Sciences. Part IA Geology is a pre-requisite for either course.

Geological Sciences A concentrates on the surface environments of the Earth - the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere - together with their geological products. It encompasses the fields of sedimentology, palaeontology, and oceanography. This course also covers tectonics and scales from lithospheric plates down to hand specimens, emphasising the processes that form and deform sedimentary basins.

Geological Sciences B deals with the subsurface processes of the lithosphere and asthenosphere. It focuses on igneous and metamorphic processes and products, but includes the study of mineralogy and geochemistry relevant to the deep Earth and solar system. This course also includes the tectonics of mountain belts in relation to their thermal and chemical evolution.

Practical work and map analysis are emphasised in both courses and there is a combined field course in the Easter Vacation, which is an essential part of both courses.

History and Philosophy of Science

This course offers an historical and philosophical perspective on the nature of scientific knowledge and the place of the sciences in society. Examples are drawn from a range of disciplines, over a period extending from classical natural philosophies to the present day. Historical examples discussed include early astronomy, alchemy, medicine, and natural philosophy, as well as more recent physical and life sciences up to the nuclear age and the emergence of molecular medicine. The course also examines how theories are tested and changed; the nature of causation, laws, and explanations; whether science provides an increasingly accurate account of reality, and problems in scientific and biomedical ethics. The examination consists of two papers, one historical in character, and the other on philosophical topics.

Materials Science and Metallurgy

This course applies a broad range of scientific principles in the quest to design new, more advanced materials as well as to understand the functions of materials in modern society. Hence the course is of great benefit to anyone intending to pursue Materials Science, Physics or Chemistry at a higher level. Some ideas introduced in the IA course are studied in much greater depth in order to produce a thorough understanding of how the key scientific aspects of processing, structure and properties interact with factors such as cost, safety and sustainability when considering which materials are suitable for particular applications.

The course looks at advances that continue to be made with metallic materials, where new developments continue to drive forward the improvements in properties of metallic alloys, and also in the area of polymers and other 'soft materials' such as liquid crystals. Alongside this, you will look at how materials function in service, whether a material is likely to degrade through chemical processes and when a structure may be susceptible to failure under the imposed mechanical forces. In addition, you will learn the scientific principles of functional materials, such as semiconductors, that have revolutionized society in the last few decades, allowing us to build smaller and more powerful devices by combining new materials with advanced fabrication processes. In addition to the lecture courses and associated practicals, there are visits to materials-related companies and also a project which involves dismantling and examining a household item.

The course follows on from Materials and Mineral Sciences in Part IA and combines well with other subjects in Part IB such as Physics A and/or B, Chemistry A and/or B, Mineral Sciences, Mathematics and Geological Sciences A and/or B.

Mathematics

This course is especially useful for students intending to study Experimental and Theoretical Physics or Theoretical Chemistry in Part II. It is also occasionally attended by students taking other courses. The following topics are included: introduction to group theory; more advanced matrix theory; Cartesian tensors; more advanced theory of differential equations (including solution in power series and expansions in characteristic functions); Fourier transforms; calculus of variations; functions of a complex variable; calculus of residues. Some continually-assessed practical work is associated with particular topics in the course. This involves the use of computers to illustrate and exploit numerical techniques. No candidate may take Mathematics unless he or she has read Mathematics in Part IA, unless he or she has been placed in a class not lower than the second class in Part IA of the Engineering Tripos, or unless he/she has been classed in Part IA of the Mathematical Tripos, or is an Affiliated Student.

Mineral Sciences

Part IB Mineral Sciences develops from the Part IA Materials and Mineral Sciences course. It covers a number of physical, chemical, and technical properties of inorganic crystals and glasses, with applications ranging from planetary and environmental sciences through to modern materials applications in communications and information technologies. The core science areas covered in Part IB Mineral Sciences include the physics and chemistry of crystals, glasses, magnetic materials, phase transitions, lattice dynamics, and materials properties. The underpinning techniques include diffraction, spectroscopy and computer simulation. Laboratory practicals and paper demonstrations are closely linked to the lectures.

This course, given in the Department of Earth Sciences, is a valuable second subject for both physicists and chemists. It is complementary to Part IB Materials Science and Metallurgy on the one hand, and to Part IB Geological Sciences B on the other, and it is essential for the Mineral Sciences option in Part II Geological Sciences.

Neurobiology

This course is an interdepartmental collaboration between four biological departments (Experimental Psychology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, and Zoology). It aims to provide a unified approach to the teaching of neurobiology at Part IB level.

The lecture course begins with an overview of the brain and of neuroscience, and then covers the electrical and chemical properties of individual neurons. It next examines the mechanisms underlying development of the nervous system, and the origin of neuronal types and neuronal architecture. The major sensory systems are then studied in turn: vision, hearing, olfaction and taste, and somatosensation and pain. The motor system is explored in detail, and then the integration of sensory and motor functions is covered. The course next returns to development, investigating the way that connections between neurons develop and are regulated. It then deals with the modulation of synaptic activity, which leads on to learning and memory. Finally, human cognition is considered, including motivation and emotion, and 'higher' functions of the nervous system, including language.

A wide range of experimental techniques and approaches is explored in the practical classes, including: neural activity in frog nerve and synapse and in cockroach sensory nerves; computer simulation of neural activity; neural development in zebrafish, chick, and frog; human sensory and motor function; brain anatomy and histology; brain imaging; and neuropsychological assessment. One aim of the practical classes is to provide hands-on experience of a variety of the experimental techniques that are used in modern neurobiology: from microscopy, through single-neuron recordings, to stimulation and extracellular recordings from your own nerves and muscles, and finally to psychophysical measurements of human sensory and cognitive performance.

Pathology

Pathology is concerned with the scientific study of disease, and is one of the foundations of medical science and practice. It encompasses all aspects of disease, including knowledge of the causes and effects of disease, and the organism's response to disease. The cause of a disease is often an injurious agent, but defects and deficiencies may also cause disease. Knowledge of how an organism responds to disease is important, as sometimes disease may arise as a result of an innate response of the organism to injury or infection.

The overall aim of the Part IB Pathology course is to explore the underlying general principles of Pathology and illustrate them using specific examples. This endeavour encompasses a broad range of biological disciplines, including cellular and genetic pathology, immunology, microbiology, parasitology, and virology. The lectures in these topics are closely integrated with practical sessions that take place twice each week. The course is equally suitable for all biological, medical, and veterinary students.

Pharmacology

The course deals with the action of chemical substances on biological materials and thus has roots in both the physical and biological sciences. The first part of the course will be concerned with understanding, at the molecular level, how receptors work. These lectures will examine the fundamental processes of molecular recognition and then consider in detail how, having recognised a drug, receptors are able to generate a signal that changes cellular activity. Following a detailed consideration on synaptic pharmacology, lectures will focus on drugs that influence the function of the central nervous system. The second and third terms will emphasize the importance of combining molecular and cellular biology with more traditional pharmacological approaches, drawing on examples from the control of inflammation and immune responses. Lectures will focus on processes that control the distribution and fate of drugs in our body, with a lecture on general anaesthetics as an example. In addition, lectures will introduce the use of drugs to produce selective inhibition of bacteria, protozoa and viruses. This is followed by one lecture on drug discovery, by lectures on cell growth, cancer and anticancer drugs, and by lectures on steroid receptors and reproductive pharmacology. In the third term the molecular characteristics of ion channels will be combined with essential physiology to explain drug actions on the heart. Guidance for revision will be provided for students who have not taken Part IA Physiology of Organisms.

In the first term, a series of eight practicals complement the lectures by providing practical experience of basic techniques and illustrating important points. In the second term, most of the conventional practicals are replaced by mini-projects lasting for several sessions. In these you will have the opportunity to develop sufficient expertise to be able to accumulate useful data.

Physics (two courses: Physics A and Physics B)

The course assumes a knowledge of Part IA Physics. Physical Scientists who will not be specialising in physics in the third year may offer one or other or both of the Physics courses, while those who intend to study either Experimental and Theoretical Physics or Half Physics are expected to offer both the Physics A and the Physics B courses.

The Physics A course provides a rigorous grounding in the principal themes of modern physics. There will be an emphasis on applications and the mathematical requirements are less demanding than those of the Physics B course. The course deals with waves and optical systems; it provides a substantial course in quantum physics; and it provides an introduction to the wave theory of quantum condensed matter. In addition there is a course on experimental methods, which gives the necessary formal background to support work in the practical class. Practical experiments are more advanced and longer than those encountered in Part IA.

The Physics B course lays the foundation for a professional understanding of physics and is built on three key courses in Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetism, and Thermodynamics & Statistical Physics. Those students not taking Part IB Mathematics as a separate subject take an additional course in Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, intended to cover the mathematics required for the Part II core courses; the course is supervised. (Extra preparation would be required if students then wished to take the Theoretical Physics options in Part II.)

Students - especially those who are taking Part IB Mathematics as a separate subject - also take a course on the experimental foundations of physics. The two courses are examined separately. In addition to the lecture courses, there is a practical class run in the same style as that for the Physics A course, and a number of practical sessions for the computing course.

Physiology

This course allows students to study systems physiology in detail and concentrates on mammals, in particular man. The course builds from knowledge of function at the cellular level to the complex operation of major body systems at the level of the whole organism. About 60% of the course is devoted to the study of all the major body systems. The remaining 40% takes an integrated approach to examine how these systems respond to various challenges from the everyday to the extreme.

The course begins with a summary of the autonomic nervous system, and then continues in the first term to explore the cardiovascular system, breathing, the endocrine system, the kidney and body fluid homeostasis, and digestion absorption, nutrition, and body weight regulation. The first part of the second term involves the study of reproductive physiology, starting with the male and female reproductive systems and following events from conception through implantation and embryonic development to parturition, and examining fetal, maternal, and neonatal physiology on the way. The second half of the second term looks at the response of the body to exercise, and examines the effects of training and the limitations on performance. The third term looks at the responses of the body to extreme conditions presented by life in the arctic and in the desert, during space flight, when diving, when dieting, and during starvation.

Practical work is largely designed to allow students to study their own physiology. Examples include examining the effects of exercise on cardiac output and oxygen consumption, the effects of eating chocolate on blood glucose and respiratory quotient, and the effects of eating curry on sweating. Where appropriate, some histology using modern computer-based packages is included, and there is also computer-based work to assist with data-handling, statistics, and web page design. Half of the second term is given over to the assessment of fitness and the effects of training in selected individuals.

Part IB Physiology builds on topics introduced in Part IA Physiology of Organisms, but it is not essential to have taken this course to read Part IB Physiology. As well as being interesting in its own right (even to predominantly physical scientists), Physiology is well suited to accompany many other Part IB courses in the life sciences, including Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cell and Developmental Biology, Experimental Psychology, Neurobiology, Pathology, and Pharmacology.

Plant and Microbial Sciences

The study of plants is essential if we are to address constructively issues related to the conservation and sustainable exploitation of the biosphere, such as renewable energy sources, nutrition, pollution, and biotechnology. The Part IB Plant and Microbial Sciences course develops a number of aspects introduced in the first year (Part IA) Biology of Cells, Physiology of Organisms, and Evolution and Behaviour courses. The aim of the course is to provide a treatment of plant and microbial sciences which truly integrates the molecular, cellular, and ecological approaches to the subject. Under each topic the lectures deal with the major issues and ideas to arise from studying plants in the field, and describe our current understanding of the relevant processes at the cellular, and molecular levels. The course offers students the opportunity to consider all aspects of modern plant biology, including fundamental physiological processes such as photosynthesis, water relations and nutrient uptake, the interaction of plants with microorganisms and animals, plant development, and conservation, along with the exploitation of plants and plant products.

Accompanying the lecture course is a set of integrated practical sessions, which comprises both lab-based experiments and field work which provide a fundamental training in good laboratory practice through the maintenance of laboratory notebooks. Students work collaboratively on a joint, themed research project in which they contribute to the design and development of the research strategies. A field course to Portugal is also offered to all students during the Easter Vacation.

The Part IB Plant and Microbial Sciences course is an ideal complement to several other Part IB subjects including Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cell and Developmental Biology, Animal Biology and Ecology. It provides important background to the more specialised subjects covered in Part II Plant Sciences, and also provides an excellent basis for Part II in Biochemistry, Genetics, Zoology, or Ecology.

It would be difficult to take Part IB Plant Sciences without some previous training in Biology, as provided for example by Part IA Biology of Cells. However, mathematicians, physicists, and chemists may wish to take the course to maintain an interest in Biology, and are in an excellent position to learn from and make a valuable contribution to a number of aspects of the subject.

Part II

Candidates take one of the following subjects:

• Astrophysics (two courses)
• Biochemistry
• Chemistry (two courses)
• Experimental and Theoretical Physics (two courses)
• Genetics
• Geological Sciences (two courses)
• History and Philosophy of Science
• Materials Science and Metallurgy (two courses)
• Neuroscience
• Pathology
• Pharmacology
• Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience
• Physiology and Psychology
• Plant Sciences
• Psychology
• Zoology

More general courses, where students follow two or more sciences are also available:

• Biological and Biomedical Sciences
• Physical Sciences

Entry into Part II Biological Sciences is limited because of the laboratory space available, and in most cases depends on taking certain courses in Part IB. It cannot be guaranteed on entry to Cambridge that a student will always be accepted for the Part II subject chosen.

Astrophysics (two courses: Option A and Option B)

Students usually enter Part II Astrophysics on completion of Part IB in either Mathematics or Physics. Those going on to Part III Astrophysics have normally taken Part II Astrophysics. There is no restriction on entry for Part II Astrophysics, but the number of Part III places is limited to about 15 by the number of potential projects (and project supervisors) available. Preference is given to students who have taken Part II Astrophysics. It is not necessary for students to decide on whether to apply to go on to take Part III Astrophysics at the time they begin the Part II course.

Students who have obtained an appropriate level in Part IB (at the discretion of the Institute of Astronomy, but typically a good 2.1 or above in either Mathematics or the Mathematics component of Part IB Natural Sciences) may, if they wish, reserve a place on the Part III Astrophysics course for the following year (they may of course change their minds during the year and instead graduate after Part II.)

The remaining students would graduate after Part II by default. However, students who perform well in Part II may now, with the agreement of their director of studies and the Institute of Astronomy, proceed to Part III Astrophysics.All students who proceed to Part III Astrophysics are generally required to complete at least one of the CATAM computer projects organized by the Mathematics Faculty. The computer project work may either be taken for examination credit during the year (in lieu of the extended essay) or, alternatively, completed during the long vacation following completion of Part II.

The course aims to provide theoretical understanding of the scientific reasoning that underlies modern astronomy and astrophysics. It will thereby provide an exciting application for physics, obtaining results from basic scientific principles. Therefore, not only will the course expose students to a variety of interesting physical phenomena in a fascinating modern context, but it will also provide training in physical inference that the students might subsequently apply to other disciplines after graduating.

The first term consists of four 24 lecture courses which teach the fundamental physics underlying the rest of the course - viz General Relativity, Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics, Advanced Quantum Physics and Topics in Astrophysics.

Three of the courses in the Lent Term cover, in descending size scale, the main areas of contemporary astronomy (i.e. cosmology, galaxies and stars), the fourth course being Statistical Physics.

Three of the courses in the Lent Term cover, in descending size scale, the main areas of contemporary astronomy (i.e. cosmology, galaxies and stars) the fourth course being Statistical Physics.

The style throughout will require minimal memorizing of descriptive terminology, and will avoid the simple quoting and application of complicated formulae. Rather, lecturers will concentrate on the derivations of fundamentals from first principles, and the teaching of basic understanding.

There is also an examinable coursework component (comprising 1/7 of the marks) for which students have two options: an extended essay (selected from a list of titles on contemporary research issues, produced in the Michaelmas Term) or else the completion of two or more of the CATAM computer projects organized by the Mathematics Faculty, and which include astrophysical options. The projects are aimed at enabling students with a research career in mind to develop the necessary ability to solve various problems by numerical means. Note that although students may freely choose which option to take, any students proceeding to Part III Astrophysics will be required to demonstrate the necessary computing skills, normally by completing at least one CATAM computing project, before commencing Part III; thus any such students who chose the essay as examinable work will need to complete a CATAM project over the summer.

Further details are available at http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/teaching/undergrad/.

Biochemistry

Biochemistry is the study of living organisms at the molecular and cellular level. Its concepts, experimental approaches and general outlook are absolutely central to the whole range of present-day biological sciences. With a sound background in biochemistry, many avenues for a future science-based career are open, not just in biochemistry itself, but in the broad area of molecular and medical biosciences, founded on Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Over the last few years, industrial companies have led a dramatic increase in demand for applicants with a good qualification in Biochemistry. The majority of board members in many of these companies now come from a scientific, as opposed to a purely business, background. Similarly there is an increasing demand in government, investment management, regulatory authorities, and industrial law for the breadth and diversity of biological knowledge that Biochemistry provides. As the core course for the whole of biological sciences, a training in Biochemistry also leaves you with the widest choice when you come to select an area of cell/molecular biology in any subsequent research programme or career.

The Department of Biochemistry offers a Part II and a Part III course in the Natural Sciences Tripos. Students currently in their second year who want to specialise in Biochemistry have a choice between a one year Part II, leading to a B.A. and two year's further study in which Part II is followed by Part III and leads to both B.A. and M.Sci. degrees. Part II Biochemistry also provides an appropriate training for Part III Systems Biology. The subject Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Part IB of the Natural Sciences Tripos is the normal - but not compulsory - precursor to the Part II course for NST students. Part IA Chemistry is an adequate background to Part II Biochemistry and we offer 'refresher' sessions on organic mechanisms and basic thermodynamics to underpin the five core lectures on enzyme structure and function and a short course on basic statistics to assist in writing the report on the research project. Medical and veterinary students may transfer to the course in their third year. MVST students who are considering a career in medical research after qualifying will find the Part II course an excellent foundation. There are special arrangements to enable MVST students to begin Part II Biochemistry on an equal footing with NST students.

The Part II course is common to both 3-year and 4-year students. The objective of the Part II course is to provide an advanced Biochemistry education comprising a set of core lectures (60-70 lectures) in the first term providing the important knowledge required by modern biochemists, molecular biologists and managerial scientists. This core is supplemented in the second term by a series of 15-lecture 'options', from which students are expected to attend three. These draw on themes in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Structural Biology, Biomedical Science, and Biotechnology. Teaching of transferable laboratory and communication skills (such as graphic illustration, record keeping, data analysis, database searching, seminar presentation, and report writing) is embedded in the course. Notice also that we place an emphasis through our extended critical essay (3,000 words), on communication between scientists and society.

The Part II course offers real research experience through an eight-week research project in the second term. Students choose from a list of possible research projects ranging from literature based projects to bioinformatics or bench work and write a report (5,000 words) describing their investigations. In the research project each Part II student will work closely with one of the research teams in the Department, usually under the supervision of a member of staff and a senior graduate student or postdoctoral worker.

As well as lectures, there are structured departmental-based group supervisions involving students and staff weekly throughout the year. The third term is devoted to examination preparation through the departmental-based group supervisions, specialist supervisions with individual lecturers, and self-guided supervision. At this stage, 3-year students graduate with the B.A. Degree.

Students should consider carefully whether the three- or four-year course is right for them. The choice is made in the third term of the second year at Cambridge. Acceptance for Part III is conditional upon performance at a II.2 standard or better in Part IB and Part II. The three-year course is likely to be appropriate for students who find intellectual stimulation in the molecular approach to the study of life, but who see their degree as education for a science-based or more general career rather than as a preparation for a life in scientific research. However, note that you are not bound to remain for the fourth year even if you choose the four-year course. The four-year course is for committed enthusiasts preparing in breadth and depth for a career in research in Biochemistry or a related area.

(Please note that changes are planned to this course from autumn 2010.)

Chemistry (two courses: Option A and Option B)

The Part II course builds on the ideas which were presented in the first and second year, and offers students the opportunity to both broaden and deepen their knowledge of chemistry. As the year progresses there is the opportunity for students to narrow their focus somewhat, for example towards chemical biology or chemical physics; however, they can equally well choose to pursue a broad range of topics across all areas of chemistry.

Practical work is given a prominent place, and the programme of work is designed to continue to develop skills in this area by tackling more sophisticated and open-ended experiments. In addition to conventional practical, there will be the opportunity to do other kinds of continuously assessed work, such as learning a language and computing.

Two alternative Part II courses are offered:

Option A:

This is the third and final year of your course and leads to graduation at the end of the year with the usual B.A. Degree.

Option B:

This is the third year of a four-year course, leading on in the following year to Part III and graduation with an MSci.

Both courses consist of a package of lectures and continuously assessed work; both have end of year examinations. All of the continuously assessed work and the lectures are common to the two Options.

For convenience the lectures are organised into three 'Levels'. To complete the course students will need to obtain four credits at Level 1, three at Level 2, and three at Level 3. One credit is equivalent to a course of 12 lectures.

The courses offered in Level 1 can be considered as laying the foundations for the whole year. Students who have taken both Chemistry A and Chemistry B in the second year will take four lecture courses (transition metal chemistry, organic synthesis, spectroscopy, and theoretical techniques). Students who have only taken Chemistry B in the second year will take transition metal chemistry, organic synthesis, and 'Concepts in Physical Chemistry'. This course (worth 2 credits) will introduce topics from physical chemistry that will be relevant to further study in inorganic, organic, and biological chemistry.

At Levels 2 and 3 a wide range of lecture courses are offered (from chemical physics through to chemical biology). Students may take any courses that they feel prepared for. The emphasis in the final part of the course is the development of specialised knowledge in particular areas of chemistry, very much with a view to the kind of advanced research-based topics that will be studied in the fourth year (Part III).

The practical course continues throughout the first and second terms. Various options are on offer, including advanced experiments in all areas of chemistry, study of a foreign language, and computer programming.

It is very important that students consider carefully whether the three- or four-year course is the right one for them. The four-year course is the one to follow if intending to undertake research in Chemistry (or a related area) either in academia or in industry. Broadly speaking, it is only by completing the four-year course that students will have the breadth and depth of experience that will be expected of someone heading for research. The three-year course is the one to follow if the degree is seen as a general qualification which will lead to a career in, for example, accountancy, the law, the city, management, or marketing. For students intending to enter teaching by taking a post graduate certificate of education (PGCE), the three-year course is appropriate.

Students can enter Part II Option B if they have obtained at least a II.2 in NST Part IB by doing both Part IB Chemistry A and Part IB Chemistry B. Students who have done only one of IB Chemistry A and IB Chemistry B can still enter Part II Option B provided that they have obtained a II.1 in their Part IB Chemistry subject. Students can only enter the fourth year of the course, Part III, by obtaining honours in Part II Chemistry Option B.

Experimental and Theoretical Physics (two courses: Option A and Option B)

There are two options for students taking Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics. Option A is intended for students graduating after three years, Option B as a preparation for Part III Experimental and Theoretical Physics and for a subsequent career in professional physics. Both options will assume knowledge of Part IB Physics A and B. Entry to Option B will be restricted; students will need to have obtained specified standards (currently both 2.2) in Part IB overall. Option A will contain a greater weight of less specialised material and 'transferable skills'.

The course contains work of three types: 'Core Lectures Courses' and 'Optional Lecture Courses', which are examined at the end of the year in the usual manner, and units of 'Further Work', which are assessed during the year. Core Lecture Courses are compulsory for all students. Option A students choose two Optional Lecture Courses and take five units of Further Work. Option B students may either choose three Optional Lecture Courses and take four units of Further Work or four Optional Lecture Courses and three units of Further Work.

The aim of the Core Lecture Courses is to complete basic instruction in physics. In the first term there are four Core Lecture Courses in Advanced Quantum Physics, Thermal and Statistical Physics, Relativity, and Electrodynamics and Optics. In the second term there are four Optional Lecture Courses in Particle and Nuclear Physics, Soft Condensed Matter Physics, Quantum Condensed Matter Physics, and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics.

Some of the coursework is compulsory. All students take the Computational Physics course, which is assessed by performance on the class exercises. Option A students are required to take either the Physics Education course (see below), or the Physics in Action course, which is aimed at developing communication skills and gaining experience of how physics is carried out in a wide range of contexts. This course takes place in small-group seminars with the active participation of the students and is continuously assessed.

The remainder of the Further Work involves choices. Students choose three options from several on offer. They may select a more experimental course by carrying out up to two experimental investigations, each lasting two weeks. Alternatively they may choose up to two theoretical courses. Students may also take one experimental and one theoretical option. Students may also choose to carry out a Computational Physics project, write a Research Review or take a course in Physics Education. The Physics Education course offers experience of developing and presenting teaching material at the secondary-school level. Students may also choose to perform supervised Long Vacation Work, for instance in industry or a Government Laboratory.

There are also unexamined courses on Concepts in Physics and all students have an opportunity to explore Current Research Work in the Cavendish Laboratory.

Genetics

Genetics has become a high profile subject in the last few years as a result of the increasing knowledge of how human and animal genes work, and the application of this knowledge to areas like the problems of disease, genetic manipulation of plants and animals and so on. Whatever your opinion of these applications, genetics offers a viewpoint and a range of experimental approaches that finds application in many areas of biological enquiry.

The subject has always been concerned with the problem of how the hereditary information in DNA specifies the form and function of the organism. Classically this involved the use of genetic variants (mutants) to upset the biological function of the cell and, from the effect of these mutations, to make deductions about the way cells and organisms worked. The availability of sequence information and sophisticated techniques for gene replacement and analysis of gene expression patterns (microarray technology), give us much more powerful tools for looking at the way genes work to make us what we are. At the other end of the spectrum, a knowledge of genetics is fundamental to an understanding of the evolution of populations and species. One of the most exciting developments in the subject in the last few years is the application of genetics and molecular biology to the problems of development, evolution, and speciation.

The aim of the Part II Genetics course is to produce biologists with a wide knowledge of the principles of genetics and an understanding of how they can be applied to a range of organisms. As a result the course is broad in scope, ranging from molecular genetics of bacteria to the genetics of evolution and populations. The first term course covers (i) plant and microbial genetics; (ii) chromosomes, the cell cycle, and cancer; (iii) cell biology and developmental genetics (part 1); and (iv) human genetics, genomics, and systems biology (part 1). In the second term the course covers (i) cell biology and developmental genetics (part 2); (ii) human genetics, genomics, and systems biology (part 2); and (iii) evolutionary genetics. The course includes training in evaluation of scientific papers and features discussion sessions on the social and ethical aspects of genetics.

As a result of a training with this breadth of approach, genetics graduates remain in demand and find it easy to move between scientific disciplines. Prospects can only improve as a result of genome projects, programmes in agricultural and medical genetics, the application of genetics to environmental problems and molecular genetic approaches to brain structure and function.

Geological Sciences (two courses: Option A and Option B)

For students taking Part II Geological Sciences there are two options.

Option A will provide a rounded geological education for students intending to complete their undergraduate training in three years. It leads to the B.A. Degree. Option A is most suited to students wanting to pursue a career or further training outside geology. Nevertheless, Option A will qualify as a full honours geology degree for entry to professional careers or further training.

Option B (third year) followed by Part III (fourth year) will offer a full geological education up to the active research level. The B.A. Degree is earned after passing Part IIB, and the M.Sci. (Master of Natural Sciences) degree after Part III. The four year route is intended for students planning a career, further training or research within geology or mineral sciences, or for students wanting the intellectual challenge of an advanced course in the Earth Sciences.

Options A and B will have taught cores on the scientific and technical fundamentals of Geological Sciences in the first term, followed by a choice of options in the second and third terms covering a wide spectrum of the subject. Fieldwork is an essential part of the course.

Project work (usually a field mapping project) is carried out in the Long Vacation preceding the Part II year and during the first term.

Entry to Option B will depend on getting at least a 2.2 in Part IB NST, including in Geological Sciences A, Geological Science B, or Mineral Sciences. More details of our courses can be found at www.esc.cam.ac.uk.

History and Philosophy of Science

This course aims to give insight into the development of science and medicine within Western society, and into their philosophical structure and presuppositions. Students from a variety of backgrounds are encouraged to consider the course; those from the humanities and social sciences find that the insights they bring from their previous training compensate for any lack of knowledge of science. Students who have not read the subject in Part IB are welcome to attend the Part IB lectures in addition to those given specifically for Part II.

The Part II course is arranged in three sections as follows:

1. Papers: There are ten groups of courses corresponding to ten unseen examination papers from which students choose any three from the following list
   • Paper 1 Classical traditions in the sciences
   • Paper 2 Natural philosophies: Renaissance to Enlightenment
   • Paper 3 Science, industry, and empire
   • Paper 4 Metaphysics, epistemology, and the sciences
   • Paper 5 Science in society
   • Paper 6 History and philosophy of mind
   • Paper 7 Medicine from antiquity to the Enlightenment
   • Paper 8 Modern medicine and biomedical Sciences
   • Paper 9 Images of the sciences
   • Paper 10 Science and technology since the first world war
2. Primary sources: students are required to submit two essays, of not more than 3,000 words in length, prepared on the basis of attending the compulsory HPS Primary Sources Seminars. Each Primary Source corresponds to one of the ten papers. A list of texts to be covered in the seminars will be published in the academical year preceding that of the course and the examination. The essays are to be submitted at the end of the second term.
3. Dissertation: students are required to submit a dissertation of up to 12,000 words. This is expected to embody a substantial piece of study on a topic of the student's own choosing, subject to approval by the HPS Board, that falls anywhere within the History and Philosophy of Science; it must be submitted early in the third term. Potential topics should be discussed with any of the teaching officers, preferably before the preceding Long Vacation but otherwise as early as possible in the academical year.

Materials Science and Metallurgy (two courses: Option A and Option B)

Materials Science is increasingly recognised as a key discipline in the modern world, spanning both physical and biological sciences and also involving various branches of engineering. Recent technological developments in areas as diverse as medicine, sports goods, forensics, energy generation, electronics, communications and transport have all been largely dependent on improvements in the performance limits of constituent materials, rather than on advances related to physical principles or engineering design. People with an understanding of how the properties and performance of a material are determined, and might be improved, are therefore in great demand throughout the world, across a wide range of organisations. This understanding cannot be obtained solely by studying courses such as Physics, Chemistry or Engineering, since it relies on familiarity with various subtleties and interplays in the processing-microstructure-property relationships. The Materials Science course covers these relationships for all of the main types of material. It builds on the basics provided in the IA and IB Materials courses, although students who have missed one or both of them might nevertheless be able to take it.

Students specialising in Materials Science and Metallurgy have the choice of two options. Option A, leading to the B.A. degree, is intended for students who will graduate after three years and will provide a rounded education in materials science and metallurgy for those students not intending to seek any further qualification in the subject. Option B is the preparation for Part III Materials Science and Metallurgy, leading to the B.A. and M.Sci. degrees. Option B and Part III is aimed at those who wish to pursue Materials Science and Metallurgy as a career and is an accredited qualification leading to Chartered Engineering (C.Eng.) status. Entry to Option B is restricted: students have to obtain a specified standard (II.2) in Part IB in Materials Science and Metallurgy and in Part IB overall.

In both options in Part II, the aim of the course is to complete basic instruction in Materials Science and Metallurgy by providing a core set of lectures supplemented by examples classes and practical work. Students choose either a management course or language classes in addition to the central curriculum in Materials Science and Metallurgy. The Part II course also involves project work and a literature review. The projects provide an introduction to sophisticated analytical tools (transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis) and computational techniques (finite element analysis and molecular simulation). Invited lectures from industrialists trained originally in materials science and metallurgy will also enable students to set the subject in a wider context. Students taking the three-year option must either work in industry during the summer before Part II or carry out a short project in the Department. Four-year option students are strongly encouraged to gain industrial experience in materials science and technology before Part II. Help in finding jobs during the summer before Part II is available through the Department for all students.

Neuroscience

The neurosciences are one of the most exciting and fast moving areas in biology and these features are well represented in this interdepartmental course. Neurosciences are noted for the breadth of their theoretical base in diverse areas of modern biology and in the range of their medical and social applications. In particular, neuroscience draws its creativity from the integration of different levels of analysis that transcend the boundaries of traditional disciplines and individual departments: from the molecular events taking place within cells, through the electrical and chemical interactions between cells in the nervous system, to the integrated behaviour of the whole organism. This course provides an integrated treatment of the neurosciences, and is built around lectures, workshops and a research project.

The lectures are organised in eight modules of 24 lectures. Four modules - Developmental Neurobiology, Cellular Neuroscience, Control of Action, and Sensory Transduction - are given in the first term. The remaining four - Neural Degeneration and Regeneration, Central Mechanisms of Sensation and Behaviour, Local Circuits and Neural Networks, Memory and Higher Functions - are delivered in the second term. These modules are also taken by students taking Part II Physiology Development and Neuroscience. The technical workshops in the first term will provide practical experience of a wide choice of techniques used in modern neuroscience. In the second term each student will do an experimental project in the laboratory of an individual supervisor. To achieve its inter-disciplinary aim the course is interdepartmental, being organised jointly by the Departments of Physiology Development and Neuroscience, Experimental Psychology, Pharmacology and Zoology, with each contributing equally to the integrated lecture modules, workshops and projects. Additional input from other Departments is included as appropriate. The examination will be based on four written papers, requiring answers from at least two first term lecture modules and two second term modules, a written analysis of a research paper, the research project report and a viva at the discretion of the examiners.

The course is designed to be suitable for both Natural Sciences and Medical and Veterinary students and will provide a basis for future careers in research, and neuroscience-based disciplines such as the pharmaceutical industry and the emerging biotechnologies.

Pathology

This course offers study in the main constituent disciplines of Pathology. In order to facilitate study in depth each discipline is presented as an optional subject. Students take any two options (except the combination of options 1 and 5, which is precluded).

1. Cellular and Genetic Pathology: This option deals with the cellular and genetic basis of disease using a number of different examples. Topics include cancer biology, reproductive immunology, and identification of genes encoding inherited disorders.
2. Immunology: This aims to give a comprehensive course in Immunology, dealing with such topics as the molecular biology of antibodies, the cellular basis of the immune response and its genetic control, effector mechanisms, immunity and hypersensitivity, and immunopathology.
3. Microbial and Parasitic Disease: This option is concerned with the fundamental processes involved in bacterial and parasitic disease. The course includes molecular details of bacterial pathogenicity and explores host-parasite interactions for a range of parasite protozoa and helminths.
4. Virology: This deals with molecular and general virology including structure and function of the virion, the processes of replication and its control, virus genetics, pathogenesis, epidemiology, and oncogenesis.
5. Dynamics of Infectious Diseases: This option covers infectious disease of animal pathogens as it applies to acute and chronic infectious disease across a range of scales, from individual molecular interactions to the dynamics of global epidemic transmission.

In addition to lectures, students attend discussion classes in each of their chosen options and undertake a research project in one of these. The course is a suitable prelude for those wishing to make research careers in the biological sciences as well as for those going on to do clinical and veterinary medicine. There are no particular requirements for entry though Part I courses in one or more biological disciplines are essential. Similar experience is required for entry by Affiliated Students.

Pharmacology

The course emphasises the mechanisms of drug action at the molecular and cellular level and the consequent effects on organ systems and the whole animal including man. A recurrent theme is the recognition of chemical substances by biological structures and how this recognition produces a biological response. Topics considered in relation to this general theme are drug design, membrane ion channels, intracellular messengers, neurobiology, cancer chemotherapy, and the pharmacology of epithelial and endothelial systems. Some aspects of current and future clinical applications of drugs are discussed. There is no formal system of options and the current timetable has been devised so that it is possible to attend every lecture. This structure provides for a wide diversity of interest and allows considerable personal choice in the selection of topics for more intensive study. The examinations are structured to take this provision for choice into account.

The course work consists of lectures, discussion groups and a research project. The discussion groups consist of 10 students and two members of academic staff and meet four times a term during both Michaelmas and Lent Terms. During these informal meetings students present literature-based seminars and project-based seminars and practice presenting facts and arguments. In the second term the student will work on a research project. The results of the project are presented by the student at a seminar in the third term, and the work is written up as a short dissertation.

Most students entering this course have taken either Part IB of the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos or Part IB Pharmacology in the Natural Sciences Tripos. However, Natural Scientists who have taken any biological subject or Chemistry are encouraged to enquire.

The final examination consists of four written papers and a viva voce examination together with the submission of the project report. There are substantial vocational opportunities for natural scientists reading pharmacology as well as for medical students who do so before proceeding to clinical studies.

Physics - see Experimental and Theoretical Physics

Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience

The Part II Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience course offers a choice of seventeen modules which fall into three main areas: (i) Development and Reproductive Biology, (ii) Integrative Physiology, and (iii) Neuroscience. Most students will want to study one theme but it is also possible to follow a more general course, combining modules across themes. Those teaching in the course include most members of staff of the Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience as well as invited specialists from the across the University, and from the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, University College London, the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases in London, and Addenbrooke's and Papworth Hospitals.

The Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience is concerned with material central to the life sciences. It asks and answers questions about the way that cells, tissues, and organs develop and function in people and animals. Many parts of the course concentrate particularly on the important areas where recent discoveries have changed our perception of disease and have posed new questions to be answered.

The course has been designed to be suitable for both natural scientists and medical or veterinary students.

Physiology and Psychology

The course is given in part in the Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience and in part in the Department of Experimental Psychology, and leads to an examination which includes two papers from the Part II Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience examination and two papers from the Part II Psychology examination. Students also conduct a project in either Department. It is a combination suitable for those who wish to study sensory, neural, and functional processes on the general border between Physiology and Psychology. Part IB Physiology and Experimental Psychology or Parts IA and IB of the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos are an essential preparation.

Plant Sciences

For 2009-1010 only, there will be seven (rather than eight) modules (each comprising a total of 24 hours of teaching, mostly in one-hour slots) which together cover cellular and ecological options. Within a given module there are (in addition to the traditional one-hour lecture slots) workshops, seminars, and discussion groups. It is expected that each student will attend two modules in each term. An additional optional module is being piloted in collaboration with Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. This is a new module on Synthetic Biology, which will consist of 22 lectures, 1 tutorial and 10 workshops, delivered intensively across a 2-week period in early July 2009.

First term modules.

M1: Plant Signalling Networks;

M2: Frontiers Plant Metabolism;

M3: Dynamics, History and Future of Vegetation;

Second term modules.

L1: Development of Plants;

L2: Plant Responses to the Environment;

L3: Evolution of photosynthetic eukaryotes;

L4: The genetics and epigenetic aspects of the plant nuclear genome.

Inter-departmental courses in Population Biology and Conservation Biology are also available, and students wishing to follow a more ecological route may take modules in Zoology or Genetics, as long as they take at least one of the seven Plant Sciences modules listed above.

A course in elementary statistical methods for Part II biologists will start on the Monday before the beginning of term. Although not assessed, this is a course requirement, and students should make arrangements to come up before term.

In addition to lectures, students are required to undertake a practical-based research project amounting to about 120 hours of practical work and analysis (the equivalent of two days per week for one term). Opportunities exist for students to design their own projects, and projects that combine different disciplines within the Plant Sciences are encouraged. The project should be completed in either the first or the second term, and the project report submitted at the start of the following term. Students prepare a short oral presentation on their project material at the start of the third term. Tuition in communication skills and effective speaking, with video-tutoring, is offered and the final presentation is assessed. In addition, students are required to complete a Trends-style essay of 2,500 words in the term in which they are not doing their research project.

The Plant Sciences Part II course reflects the growing need to understand more fully how plants work from the cellular to population and community levels. This scope enables you to experience experimental approaches ranging from molecular biology to ecology modelling. The modular nature of the course means that students can study for an entirely molecular Plant Sciences degree, a Plant Sciences degree with almost any combination of physiological, ecological, or molecular components.

There is a resurgence of interest in plants, whether in terms of their role in carbon sequestration, food production, or bio energy sources. Almost half of our Part II students trained in Plant Sciences over the last few years went on to do postgraduate research at Cambridge or elsewhere. The fact that a significant proportion of those went on to departments specializing in biochemistry or environmental sciences, as well as Research Institutes, emphasizes the breadth and depth of the training we give. The remainder took a variety of posts in, for example, agriculture, school teaching, environmental assessment, management, publishing, law, and industry.

Psychology

Teaching is provided in three broad areas:

A. Perception and cognition, including learning;

B. Neuroscience and Neuropsychology;

C. Social psychology, developmental psychology, and individual differences.

The lecture courses on offer in each area may vary slightly from year to year. Students will have been introduced to some of these topics in the Natural Sciences Tripos courses: Part IA Evolution and Behaviour, Part IB Experimental Psychology or Part IB Neurobiology, or in the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos courses: Part IB Neurobiology and Human Behaviour, and Part IB Special Option: Experimental Psychology.

Teaching is also provided on statistics and experimental design; these skills are examined by compulsory questions in Paper 1. Paper 1 also tests the candidate's ability to relate and integrate information from different branches of the subject, and includes questions on the history and philosophy of psychology. Papers 2-4 are each divided into three sections corresponding to the three areas (A-C); candidates taking the Psychology option must answer a question from each section. Candidates taking the Cognitive Neuroscience option must answer three questions in total from sections A and B only (with no more than two questions from either). Within these constraints, there is ample scope for students to pick courses that match their interests. Students typically study about half the range of subjects on offer. Paper 4 is also organized into three sections, but has no restrictions for answering questions from these sections. Thus, candidates taking either option could specialize by offering three questions, from one section.

There are no practical classes. Instead, each student conducts an experimental research project, under supervision, over two terms, and submits an independent written report. A dissertation - an extended critical review of an area of the psychological or cognitive neuroscience literature other than that of the project - may also be submitted. The Tripos mark is based on the project report (20%), Papers 1 to 3 (20% each) and the highest marks from Paper 4 and (if submitted) the dissertation (20%).

Almost all those admitted to the course will have taken Part IB Experimental Psychology in the Natural Sciences Tripos, or Part IB of the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos. Students may transfer from either the Philosophy Tripos or Social and Political Sciences Tripos as long as those students have taken the NST Part IB Experimental Psychology course as one of their papers for Part I. Any other student may transfer, but would normally be required to devote two years to the Part II course. For those who have met these requirements, the degree received is recognized by the British Psychological Society as conferring 'graduate basis for registration', an essential prerequisite for postgraduate training and practice in certain professional branches of psychology. (It should however be noted that, in comparison to the Psychology courses at most universities, our Part II course is strongly slanted towards the experimental and biological parts of the discipline. Those more interested in social psychology or personality may wish to consider the Politics, Psychology and Sociology Tripos.) For students who do well in the Part II course, there are good opportunities to take up pure or applied research.

N.B. It is also possible to read Part II Physiology and Psychology, a joint course combining aspects of the individual Part II subjects.

Zoology

The courses are arranged in modules from which students select two (or more if they wish) in each of the first and second terms. The first term modules are: Topics in Vertebrate Evolution; Aquatic Ecology; Population Biology; Neural Mechanisms of Behaviour; Behaviour; Cell Dynamics and Communication; Control of Cell Growth and Genome Stability and Development: Patterning an embryo. The second term modules are: Mammalian Evolution and Faunal History; Conservation Biology; Behavioural Ecology; Genes, Genomes, and Animal Evolution; Development: Cell differentiation and organogesis and Control of Gene Expression. Students who wish to may take one of the following courses offered by the Departments of Plant Sciences and Genetics: Dynamics, History, and Future of Vegetation; Plant Responses to Environment; and Evolutionary Genetics, instead of one of the modules listed above. The third term is kept free for reading and seminars, though there are a few non-examinable lectures on aspects of Human Biology.

In the Long Vacation between Part IB and Part II, students are encouraged either to attend a ten day field course or to engage in some other approved biological work or to carry out a laboratory project. During the field course students carry out individual projects on the ecology and behaviour of animals living in a coastal habitat; instruction is given in statistics and experimental design, using microcomputers to deal with the data collected during the projects.

Topics in Vertebrate Evolution: The major features of evolution from fishes to birds are reviewed, using the evidence of both fossil and living forms. The functional significance of structural changes is explored, giving emphasis to controversial issues and problematical forms. Alternative approaches to classification and phylogeny are compared and practical work is based on exquisite material from the Museum research collections.

Aquatic Ecology: This module investigates current issues in the ecology of fresh, brackish, and marine ecosystems from the level of the behavioural ecology of individual species up to macroecological patterns in the ocean and the hydrological cycle. The course includes contributions from staff of the British Antarctic Survey.

Population Biology: This is an interdepartmental course, run jointly by Plant Sciences and Zoology. The course aims to provide an integrated understanding of key issues in population biology, spanning population dynamics, population genetics, and evolutionary dynamics. The first half of the course considers the ecological dynamics of populations. We begin by reviewing basic population processes and the dynamics of population interactions, notably predation, competition and parasitism. We then describe the application of population dynamics to real world problems, in particular the control of infectious diseases and the management of renewable resources. The second half of the module considers the relationship between ecological dynamics, population genetics, and the evolutionary dynamics of populations. First, we introduce basic ideas in molecular ecology and show how this new field can clarify the interaction between population dynamics and selection. The final parts of the course address the evolutionary dynamics of populations, focusing on the dynamics of evolutionary games at the population level. The course aims to introduce analytical thinking in population biology and this involves applications of theory; however, we focus on real-world case studies and not mathematical details. The major case studies are introduced by class seminars as well as lectures.

Neural Mechanisms of Behaviour: The aim of the course is to examine a central problem in animal biology, namely how does the nervous system process information about the environment, integrate the information with past experience, and then generate an appropriate behavioural response. The lectures place a strong emphasis on understanding neural mechanisms within a behavioural context and cover a very wide range of animals and many patterns of behaviour. Different levels of analysis are integrated from molecular and cellular mechanisms to behavioural studies of the animal's ecology and lifestyle. A particular emphasis will be given to vision, hearing, olfaction, and motor pattern generation.

Behaviour: The course aims to give a broad view of the major ideas in the biological study of behaviour, and the neurobiological and hormonal analysis of the mechanisms underlying behaviour of whole organisms. A recurrent theme throughout the module is the functional approach to studying behaviour in terms of its design properties. The course covers four major issues raised by the study of behaviour - proximate causation (or control), function, evolution, and development - and then deals with topics relating to the evolution of behaviour and the comparative approach. Behavioural development and how inherited and environmental factors interact during the assembly of the adult behaviour systems is considered, particularly in the context of imprinting. The course also deals with motivation as part of proximate mechanisms in the control of behaviour, especially in the context of reproductive and parental behaviour. The final lectures focus on animal cognition, with consideration given to the psychological and social processes underlying social learning, self-awareness, and mental-state attribution.

Cell Dynamics and Communication: The module examines the mechanisms that co-ordinate cellular functions and concentrates on three main areas. The first part of the course examines how compartmentalization is achieved through the trafficking of components around the cell. The second part concentrates on cell-signalling, the mechanisms used by multicellular organisms to co-ordinate their activities. We focus on the secretion and transport of ligands, the activation of signal tranduction, and the consequences in terms of changes in gene expression and cell activity. In the final part of the course we discuss the ways in which these processes combine in the establishment of cell polarity and consider the functional importance of asymmetry in cells.

Control of Cell Growth and Genome Stability: The precise control of cell proliferation and cell death is crucial to the development and homeostasis of multicellular organisms, and to the prevention of cancer. This general theme, which is the subject of intensive current research, forms the backdrop to this course. In the first half, we concentrate on the molecular mechanisms that control progress through the mitotic cell division cycle, together with a detailed consideration of the roles of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in regulating cell proliferation and cell death by apoptosis. In the second half, we consider how the genome is transmitted intact from one cell to its progeny, including the molecular controls that restrict DNA replication to once per cell cycle, the mechanisms that repair various forms of DNA damage, and the signalling pathways that prevent cell division in the presence of DNA damage.

Development: Patterning the Embryo: This course is the first of two complementary modules (with Development: Cell differentiation and organogenesis) which can also be taken on their own. Our aim is to explore a fascinating biological question: how does a single cell, the fertilized egg, have all the information to make an animal? In this first module we will address key aspects of early development, including how development is regulated, how the patterning of spatial information is established and how morphogenetic mechanisms shape the embryo. These themes will be covered from the establishment of polarity in the egg, and its elaboration after fertilisation, to a consideration of how these events set the body axes. We will then see how axial patterning direct the morphogenetic movements of gastrulation and the grouping of cells into segments with differing identities. By comparing the development of different animals we aim to come to an understanding of conserved strategies of animal development.

Mammalian Evolution and Faunal History: Mammalian Evolution and Faunal History starts with a consideration of structure, function, mode of life, relationships, and basic systematics of mammals (and mammal-like reptiles). Further lectures deal with the faunal history of Tertiary and Pleistocene mammals, and the nature of microevolutionary change.

Conservation Biology: The course analyses and explains key aspects of environmental change (such as habitat loss, fragmentation, and over-exploitation) and describes different approaches to the conservation of endangered species and threatened environments, drawing together insights from policy and economics as well as biology.

Behavioural Ecology: The aims of this course are to show how evolutionary theory can explain how life history patterns and behaviour vary, both between species and within a species, in relation to ecological conditions and social competition. There are four blocks of lectures: Life histories (trade-offs, parental investment, sex allocation, coercion, and punishment); Breeding systems and social evolution (sexual selection, sperm competition, and mate choice; co-operative breeding in birds, mammals, and insects; caste and conflict); Communication (sensory systems, honest signalling); and major transitions in behavioural evolution (cells to organism to society). Some lecture slots are devoted to class discussion of controversial issues such as human sociobiology, parent-offspring conflict, and insect societies as superorganisms.

Genes, Genomes, and Animal Evolution: Genomes contain a rich record of the history of life on earth. This module aims to show how information contained in genome structure and gene sequences can be used to understand the processes of evolution, and to infer phylogenetic relationships. The module also explores how a basically conserved 'tool kit' of molecules and developmental mechanisms has been exploited by evolution to generate the diversity of form that we see in the animal kingdom.

Development: Cell differentiation and organogenesis: This course is the second of two complementary modules (with Development: Patterning the Embryo), which can also be taken on their own. This module will examine a second phase of development, which follows the first steps of defining the axes and broadly defining pattern and different cell types, which are covered in Patterning the Embryo. We have two main aims in this module: i) to explore the mechanisms that are used to construct groups of specialized, differentiated cells and the co-ordination of their shape and arrangement into organs, and ii) to examine how the basic developmental mechanisms found in simpler invertebrates have been elaborated in vertebrates to generate more complex structures. Throughout we will consider how the disruption of these mechanisms leads to congenital malformations and disease, including cancer. We will take a critical look at how our current ideas have become established and the current limitations in our knowledge.

Control of Gene Expression: The first nine lectures consider approaches used to study control of gene expression in eukaryotes and are for students reading Part II Zoology. The following fifteen lectures are shared with students reading Part II Biochemistry. They are taught by members of both Departments, with additional lectures from members of other Departments. The course examines various ways in which gene expression is regulated in eukaryotic cells. The power of recombinant DNA techniques (gene cloning and mutagenesis in vitro) for analysis of gene regulation is emphasised.

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

The aim of NST Part II (Biological and Biomedical Sciences) is to provide a rigorous and intellectually challenging alternative to a single subject biological Part II subject for both third year Natural Scientists and Medical and Veterinary Science students. NST Part II BBS allows students to maintain some breadth in their study at Part II, rather than specialising in a single subject, and requires the submission of a dissertation rather than a practical laboratory-based research project.

Each candidate must take a Major and a Minor subject and a dissertation. The dissertation topic may be proposed by the candidate or chosen from one offered by the relevant Department and should be not more than 6,000 words, on a subject associated with either the Major or Minor subject. The dissertation must be prepared in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Faculty Board.

Not all combinations of Major and Minor subjects are possible and some may not be available in a particular year.

In 2009-10 the Major subjects are:

1. Biochemistry
2. Genetics
3. Mechanisms of disease
4. Pathology
5. Pharmacology
6. Plant Sciences
7. Psychology
8. Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience
9. Zoology

The papers offered will normally correspond to those offered in the corresponding single subject at Part II.

The Minor subjects in 2009-10 (some of which are borrowed from another Tripos) are:

1. Biology of Parasitism
2. Biological Anthropology (various options)
3. Education (various options)
4. Genetics (three options)
5. Medicine from antiquity to the Enlightenment (HPS Pt II Paper 7)
6. Modern medicine and biomedical sciences (HPS Pt II Paper 8)
7. History and ethics of Medicine (HPS)
8. Social and Political Sciences (two options)
9. Neural degeneration and regeneration (Neuroscience)
10. Physiology, Development and Neuroscience (various options)

Physical Sciences

The aim of Part II Physical Sciences is to allow students to continue to develop a broader knowledge of the sciences than a Part II single subject may provide. The NST Part II Physical Sciences course is also designed for students who have decided on a career more suited to a broad scientific background and have concluded that a more research-oriented single subject Part II would not meet their needs.

Each candidate takes one or two Half Subjects chosen from the following:

• Chemistry
• Experimental and Theoretical Physics
• Geological Sciences
• Materials Science and Metallurgy

The material in the Half Subjects is taken from the corresponding Part II subjects. Candidates who take only one Half Subject will be required in addition to offer a Part IB subject from the Tripos that they have not previously studied.

Part III

Part III courses are for students who wish to pursue their final speciality as a career, and become professional scientists. The courses follow on from their Part II equivalents, and lead to the award of B.A. and M.Sci. at the end of the fourth year. Acceptance for Part III courses is conditional upon performance at a II.2 standard or better in Part IB and Part II of the Tripos. Each Part III course has academic hurdles for entry set by the relevant Faculty Board.

Candidates take one of the following subjects:

• Astrophysics
• Biochemistry
• Chemistry
• Experimental and Theoretical Physics
• Geological Sciences
• History and Philosophy of Science
• Materials Science and Metallurgy
• Systems Biology (from 2010)

Astrophysics

This course leads to a MSci. degree and is mainly intended as preparation for graduate studies in astrophysics, although the high level of mathematical rigour means that graduates are also highly attractive to employers in other sectors. Lecture courses are taken mainly from the wide selection of astrophysics courses taught, often by Institute of Astronomy (IoA) staff, as part of the Part III Mathematics course and from two courses offered in Part III Physics. Students normally take four lecture courses for examination although they often attend a wider range of lectures for interest.

Although most of those taking Part III Astrophysics will have taken Part II Astrophysics, the fact that most Part III Astrophysics and Part III Mathematics lectures (and examinations) are the same, means that for interested Part II Mathematics students of sufficient standard, Part III Astrophysics is an alternative to Part III Mathematics. The main difference is that Part III Astrophysics students take one less lecture course (and examination), but undertake a more substantial project, instead of the essay. It will also be possible in principle, from 2009, for mathematically able students who have taken Part II Physics to take Part III Astrophysics (at the discretion of their Director of Studies and of the IoA), provided they have taken the Lent Term option in Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics. Students contemplating the route from either Part II Maths or Part II Physics into Part III Astrophysics should be aware that, in the case of over-subscription, priority will be given to suitably qualified students who have done part II Astrophysics.

Astrophysics courses currently offered in Part III Mathematics (these change from year to year) include Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics, Structure and Evolution of Stars, Stellar and Planetary Magnetic Fields, Galaxies, Physical Cosmology, General Relativity, Black Holes, and Accretion Discs. Further details of the courses may be found at the Faculty of Mathematics. Examinations are the same as those taken by students taking Part III Mathematics. Part III Astrophysics students may also offer the Part III Physics courses "The Physics of the Earth as a Planet" and "Particle Physics". Further details of the courses may be found at the Department of Physics. Examinations are the same as those taken by students taking Part III Physics.

A major component of the Part III Astrophysics course is the research project (accounting for one third of the marks) which is supervised by staff at the IoA over the Michaelmas and Lent Terms. This provides undergraduates with a unique opportunity to get to the cutting edge of astronomical research and the resulting dissertation often contains work of publishable quality. Projects often either involve the analysis of astronomical data or the running of computer simulations. In addition, students develop their communications skills through giving an oral presentation on their project.

Further details are available at http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/teaching/undergrad/.

Biochemistry

The Part III Biochemistry course is followed by undergraduates who have successfully completed the Part II Biochemistry course having met the criterion of performance at class II.2 standard or better in Part IB and Part II in order to be accepted for the four-year course. The course allows students who wish to become professionals in the molecular biosciences to pursue a two-term research project during their fourth year, together with continuing advanced teaching in lectures and discussion groups. Success in the course leads to the award of the M.Sci. degree.

The individual research project is conducted in the laboratory of the supervising member of staff and chosen from an extensive list. With prior approval by the Course and Projects Organisers, projects may be undertaken in other parts of the University, such as the Gurdon Research Institute, the Systems Biology Centre, the Babraham Institute, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Department of Clinical Biochemistry (Institute of Metabolic Science), Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, MRC Dunn Human Nutrition Unit, MRC Molecular Biology Laboratories, Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, Unilever Cambridge Centre for Molecular Informatics or the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. The experimental work will start at the beginning of the first term and be written up as a dissertation (8,000 word limit, excluding footnotes and bibliography) by early in the third term. For many of the Part III class, the project is the highlight of their degree as well as providing a real insight into the world of research.

In two Part III research symposia, students present 20 minute reports and answer questions on their project at the end of the first term and the beginning of the third term. Production of these presentations is an excellent training for postgraduate and business careers. The research environment is reinforced by a lecture course on Applications of Biochemical Techniques (around 35 lectures in total, given in the first and second terms). These lectures on advanced experimental techniques are designed to underpin the strong research focus of Part III.

The training also includes Journal Clubs and lectures from one of the second term options not followed during the Part II year. Weekly biochemical discussion sessions amongst Part II plus Part III students and members of staff continue through the year. The third term is, as for Part II, otherwise free to devote to examination preparation through the departmental-based group supervisions, specialist supervisions with individual lecturers, and self-guided supervision. At this stage, four-year students graduate with the B.A. and M.Sci. degrees.

There are opportunities for students who satisfactorily complete the Part III course in Biochemistry to proceed to doctoral degrees by research, in Cambridge or elsewhere; the Department is well equipped for research on a wide range of biochemical topics.

(Please note that changes are planned to this course from autumn 2010, although the research project will continue to be the major element of the course.)

Chemistry

Part III (the fourth year) is intended for those who wish to pursue a career in research; it leads to graduation with an M.Sci. degree. The fourth year will be quite different from the previous three years, which have in a sense been a preparation for this final year. There are just two components to the fourth year: a major research project, occupying most of the first and second terms, and a wide selection of research-oriented lecture courses from which a free choice can be made. Students will write up an account of their research project (about 5,000 words) and in addition there will be end-of-year exams. Those wishing to enter Part III must have taken Part II Chemistry Option B and must have achieved at least a II.2 in that examination.

Experimental and Theoretical Physics

This course is intended as preparation for professional work as a physicist in industry or academic research. Entry is restricted to candidates who have attained a specified standard (currently Class 2.ii) in Option B of Part II Experimental and Theoretical Physics, or who have attained a specified standard (currently equivalent to Class I) in Half Subject Physics of Part II Physical Sciences, and students with a 2.ii in Option B of the Part II Astrophysics course or in Part II Mathematics. The fourth year course presents physics as a connected subject of considerable flexibility and applicability. All students undertake a substantial project, the equivalent of about six weeks of full-time work. The possibility exists of undertaking industrial work during the previous Long Vacation for credit in the Tripos. Lecture courses in the first two terms provide more advanced treatments of major areas of physics and are selected to reflect broad areas of current interest. It is also possible to take one course in each of the first and second terms from a selection of those offered in Part III Mathematics.

In the first term students read three courses selected from eight options, one of which is from Part III Mathematics. These cover major areas, and in each of them physics is presented as a connected discipline drawing upon the material of the first three years to take the topic to the frontiers of current research. Examples of course titles are Particle Physics, Relativistic Astrophysics & Cosmology, Advanced Quantum Condensed Matter Physics, Quantum Condensed Matter Field Theory, Soft Matter, and Physics of the Earth as a Planet.

In the second term students chose three or more courses from a menu of about fifteen. Sample subject areas are Astrophysics, Field Theory, Information Theory, Particle Physics, Semiconductor Physics, Soft Condensed Matter, Medical Physics and Biological Physics. Students may also choose the Entrepreneurship course, which can be substituted for one Minor Option: it is taught by the Judge Business School and assessed through coursework. Additionally students may choose 'Interdisciplinary Topics' from amongst those offered across Part III of the NST. Each Interdisciplinary Topic replaces one Minor Option. Students are also able to choose the subject Nuclear Power Engineering taught in Part IIB of the Engineering Tripos, again in place of one Minor Option.

Most courses are examined at the start of the term following that in which they are given, but there is a final examination in General Physics for all Part III students, held shortly before those graduating proceed to their B.A. and M.Sci. degrees. The examinations for the Interdisciplinary Topics and Part III Maths courses are also held in the main Easter Term examination period.

Geological Sciences

This course offers a full geological education up to the active research level. It is intended for students planning a career, further training or research within Geological or Mineral Sciences, or for other students wanting the intellectual challenge of an advanced course in the Earth Sciences.

Part III will have a core in the form of a seminar series on topical research areas in the subject in the first term. In the second term there will be a choice of options across a wide spectrum of the subject.

There will be project work in the first term in the form of a field project (which would involve time in the preceding Long Vacation), or a laboratory project or a data analysis project, or a library project or a project carried out in Industry.

Entry to Part III will depend on getting at least a class II.2 in Part IB of the Natural Sciences Tripos, and in Part II Geological Sciences. More details of courses can be found at www.esc.cam.ac.uk/teaching.

History and Philosophy of Science

This course gives students with relevant experience at Part II the opportunity to carry out focussed research in History and Philosophy of Science. It provides students with the opportunity to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests, and enables them to develop a critical and well informed understanding of the roles of the sciences in society. The course is intended for students planning a career in the subject and will provide the requisite research skills to enable them to prepare a well planned and focussed PhD proposal.

HPS Part III will have a core in the form of an Advanced Seminar which will be examinable by means of 2 essays set in the first two weeks of Lent Term. In the second part of Lent term students will be contributing to the weekly seminar by presenting their own work and discussing the issues that arise from it and at the end of Lent they will submit a research paper. In Michaelmas term students will work on a critical literature review, which may form the basis of the dissertation which they will submit at the end of the Easter term.

Entry to Part III will depend on a class II.2 standard in NST Part II History and Philosophy of Science. Students who have not taken NST Part II HPS will be treated on a case-by-case basis and should contact the Department for further information.

Materials Science and Metallurgy

This course is intended for students who wish to follow careers as professional scientists in industry or academic research. Entry is primarily for those who have taken Option B in Part II Materials Science and Metallurgy.

The aims and objectives of the course differ from Part II, since it is largely focussed on highlighting the latest developments in the subject. Many of the lecture courses concern cutting-edge topics and provide a natural springboard for future research, which could be undertaken in industry, research institutes or academia. While the course is certainly not exclusively for those planning a research career, it provides a valuable insight into advanced study of the subject. There are 3 compulsory lecture courses, concerned with experimental techniques, and there is then a choice of module courses, covering a wide range of advanced topics. Further choice between foreign language, management and computing options is available. A major component of the course is the individual research project, undertaken within one of the research groups in the Department in the Lent term. Among extra-curricular activities organised by the Department are programmes of industrial visits, visiting speakers and an opportunity to spend the summer after the course pursuing a research project in a university or research institute in continental Europe. (Some of these are also available in earlier years of the Tripos.) The course leads to the M.Sci. degree. Being awarded this degree counts (uniquely within the Natural Sciences Tripos) as an accredited qualification towards Chartered Engineer (C.Eng.) status.

Physics - see Experimental and Theoretical Physics

Systems Biology (from October 2010)

Systems Biology is an integrated approach to the study of living systems. It is quintessentially interdisciplinary with participation of biological, physical, mathematical, engineering and computational sciences. The emerging discipline is concerned as much with the links that connect components of a network as with the components themselves. A major focus is the determination of how the properties of networks arise from all their constituent links. A second strand focuses on the collection of detailed highly quantitative data from smaller systems with the goal of developing predictive mathematical descriptions of systems behaviour. Ultimately these strands will converge to provide accurate mathematical models of biological processes.

Students will take the following modules as part of this course:

1. Induction Course: This aims to introduce a group of students from a range of backgrounds in the biological and physical sciences, mathematics, computer science, and engineering to the basic concepts, theories, and modelling and experimental techniques of Systems Biology.
2. Data Acquisition and Handling: This module will present the techniques used to acquire data in the various 'omics' approaches (transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics), as well as in high-throughput genetics. The module will emphasise the practical aspects of the challenges in dealing with large amounts of data and their experimental limitations.
3. Mathematical Modelling and Analysis of Networks: This module will look at computer-based network modelling and analysis, embodying tools of mathematics, informatics and statistics.
4. Synthetic and Executable Biology: The synthetic biology approach will be introduced, as will the practice of modelling by simulation using computational techniques. This module will include a focused design project in which the design is evaluated by in silico simulation.

In addition to the above courses, which will incorporate lectures and practical classes, students will be required to attend two seminars per week during term, and carry out a research project in Michaelmas and Lent.

The Preliminary Examination for Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos

The examination is intended for the very few candidates spending two years preparing for Part II examinations of the Natural Sciences Tripos. It is available only in the following subjects:

• Chemistry
• Experimental and Theoretical Physics
• Geological Sciences
• History and Philosophy of Science
• Materials Science and Metallurgy
• Psychology

Students take one subject and cannot take a paper they have previously read at Part IB of the Tripos. Students must complete the examination requirements as specified below and therefore follow the corresponding courses.

The examination in Chemistry consists of the examination requirements for the subjects Chemistry A and Chemistry B in Part IB of the Tripos. The examination in Experimental and Theoretical Physics consists of either the examination requirements for the subjects Physics A and B in Part IB of the Tripos or the examination requirements for the subjects Physics A and B and Mathematics in Part IB of the Tripos. The examination in Geological Sciences consists of the examination requirements for two subjects selected from Geological Sciences A, Geological Sciences B, and Mineral Sciences in Part IB of the Tripos. The examination in History and Philosophy of Science consists of the papers in History and Philosophy of Science set for Part IB of the Tripos and three essays on topics approved by the Board of History and Philosophy of Science. The examination in Materials Science and Metallurgy consists of the examination requirements for Materials Science and Metallurgy in Part IB of the Tripos and two subjects selected from Chemistry A, Mathematics, Mineral Sciences, and Physics in Part IB of the Tripos. The examination in Psychology consists of the examination requirements for Experimental Psychology in Part IB of the Tripos.

The title of this document is: Courses available 2009-10: Undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences
URL: http://www.cam.ac.uk/guide/ugcourses/natsci.html

Last updated: 13/08/2009