APPLIED PHYSICS MAJOR
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Major Aims & Careers
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The Applied Physics Major aims to prepare students for careers in 
physics in Hong Kong or for careers in which the systematic 
quantitative approach embodied in the education of a physicist is 
appropriate.  In the local industrial environment, this requires that 
electronics, computing, instrumentation, experimental skills, and 
applied problem solving must be stressed.  It is the aim of this 
major that these practical elements be present whilst at the same 
time preserving the necessary foundations in physics.


Major Objectives
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With these aims in mind, the objectives of the Applied Physics 
curriculum are:

1)    To enable students to build a firm foundation in physics through 
      studies of its basic concepts, laws and principles and through 
      its application to the solution of various problems.

2)    To train students in experimental skills and instrumentation.  
      This includes instruction in the methods of logical experimental 
      design, measurement, microcomputer based data acquisition and 
      analysis, and control principles appropriate for local 
      industrial/environmental applications.

3)    To guide students to an understanding of the value of multi-
      disciplinary approaches to problem solving.  Students study 
      physics in the context of electronics, mathematics, computing, 
      and chemistry subjects in which inter-relationships and 
      applications are stressed.

4)    To ensure that students learn the use of microcomputers for real-
      time data acquisition, analysis, and control as an integral part 
      of their Applied Physics Major.  In particular, they are 
      introduced to a variety of software packages (some commercial, 
      some developed) for the solution of numerical problems, for mass 
      data storage/retrieval/management, and for scientific 
      wordprocessing.

With an emphasis on Industrial Studies, students completing this 
major are able to enter areas of industry, teaching, or further study 
which are related to physics.


Major Curriculum
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The subjects offered in this major carry an interdisciplinary 
emphasis in Industrial Studies and can be summarized as follows:

Year 1  Modern Physics, Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, 
	Electronics, Experimental Physics, Mathematical Methods for 
	Physics, Computer Literacy, Numerical & Statistical Methods, 
	English Language.

Year 2  Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics, Electromagnetic 
	Waves, Optics, Quantum Mechanics, Microcomputer Interfacing, 
	Experimental Physics, Industrial Chemistry, Religion & 
	Philosophy, Elective subjects.

Year 3  Solid State Physics, Optoelectronics, Computational Physics, 
	Materials Science, Instrumentation, Experimental Physics, 
	Applied Electro and Surface Chemistry, Independent Research 
	Project, Philosophy, Elective subjects.

Lectures will be supplemented with audio-visual facilities and 
computer-aided-instruction while small group tutorials are regularly 
scheduled for interactive learning and problem solving.  
Laboratory/practical training is emphasized throughout the three 
years.

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