- An undergraduate course
in
Science.
Electromagnetism
- On this page
This course is concerned with the electromagnetic fields and electromagnetic radiation that pervade the world around you. It shows how the main ideas of electromagnetism can be encapsulated in the famous Maxwell’s equations. These can be used to explain the properties of light and radiowaves; the magnetic fields produced by brain activity; the way a television tube works; the transparency of the cornea in your eye; and many other phenomena. If you're interested in the ways that physics and mathematics are used to understand the world around you, then this would be an appropriate course to study.
Modules at Level 3 assume that you are suitably prepared for study at this level. If you want to take a single module to satisfy your career development needs or pursue particular interests, you don’t need to start at Level 1 but you do need to have adequately prepared yourself for OU study in some other way. Check with our Student Registration & Enquiry Service to make sure that you are sufficiently prepared.
| Course facts | |
|---|---|
| About this course: | |
| Course code | SMT359 |
| Credits | 30 |
| OU Level | 3 |
| SCQF level | 10 |
| FHEQ level | 6 |
| Course work includes: | |
| 4 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| 6 Interactive computer-marked assignments (iCMAs) | |
| Examination | |
| No residential school | |
Register for the course
What you will study
The course will give you a detailed understanding of the theory of electromagnetism, which is one of the cornerstones of classical physics. It shows how the essential parts of this theory can be summarised in Maxwell's four equations and the Lorentz force equation. It uses these to develop an understanding of a wide range of physical phenomena, from the behaviour of light to the electrical and magnetic properties of materials, and of a broad range of applications, ranging from astrophysics, through materials science and technology, to medicine and biology. The course will provide you with many opportunities to develop your ability in using advanced physics concepts and mathematical techniques (such as vector calculus) to describe aspects of the physical world and to find quantitative answers to problems.
The study materials include three books, accompanied by DVD-ROMs containing computer-based activities and video material.
Book 1, An Introduction to Maxwell’s Equations brings together most of the key concepts of electromagnetism that are used in the course. Starting with basic ideas of electric charge and current, it develops an understanding of the important concepts of electric and magnetic fields, and shows how they are related by Maxwell’s four equations. The culmination of the book is the demonstration that Maxwell’s equations lead to the prediction of the existence of electromagnetic waves, and the identification of light as part of a spectrum of electromagnetic waves that stretch from short-wavelength gamma rays and X-rays through to longer-wavelength microwaves and radiowaves. The book builds on the physics in The physical world (S207) and much of the mathematics will be familiar from Mathematical methods and models (MST209). However, one of the major roles of this book is to show how the language of mathematics, and vector calculus in particular, provides a concise and powerful framework for describing electromagnetic concepts and phenomena and the complex spatial arrangements that are implicit in them. You will also see how the physical phenomena can give meaning to mathematical ideas and techniques that you may have previously encountered in more abstract contexts.
Book 2, Electromagnetic Fields shows how electric and magnetic fields are modified in the presence of electrically conducting and insulating materials, or magnetic materials. It equips you with a range of tools and techniques for determining the fields and forces due to various arrangements of charge or current. Other chapters are concerned with practical issues like how currents are generated, and the forces that are experienced by charges and currents in the presence of electric and magnetic fields. The book concludes with a chapter on superconductivity and a discussion of the insights that the theory of special relativity gives to the relationship between electric and magnetic fields.
Book 3, Electromagnetic Waves explores solutions to Maxwell’s equations that correspond to electromagnetic waves, and uses a simple model to demonstrate how such waves can be generated by oscillating currents. By considering the propagation of electromagnetic waves in different materials and what happens to the waves at boundaries between materials, we are able to show that Maxwell’s equations can explain many familiar results of optics, such as the laws of reflection and refraction, and can explain why the sky is blue and why light from the sky is polarised. Other chapters explore electromagnetic waves in plasmas, the ionised gases found in the ionosphere, in stars and in interstellar space, and discuss how the interaction of light with the cornea of the eye accounts for its transparency, in contrast to the opaqueness of other biological tissues.
Entry
This is a Level 3 course that builds on study skills and subject knowledge acquired from previous studies at Levels 1 and 2. It is intended for students who have recent experience of higher education in a related subject at this level.
The course is designed to follow Mathematical methods and models (MST209) and The physical world (S207). You would find it very difficult to study SMT359 without the necessary mathematical background. The parts of MST209 relating to partial differentiation, multiple integrals, vector calculus and complex numbers are especially important. S207 is the ideal physics course to prepare you for studying SMT359, especially the books Static fields and potentials and Dynamic fields and waves.
It is essential that you establish whether or not your background and experience give you a sound basis on which to tackle the course, since students who are appropriately prepared have the best chance of completing their studies successfully. The Science Faculty has produced a booklet Are You Ready For SMT359? to help you to decide whether you already have the recommended background knowledge or experience to start the course or whether you need a little extra preparation. This can be viewed or printed as a PDF from the Science Faculty website.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please seek advice from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Preparatory work
Since the course builds on the physics in The physical world (S207) in Mathematical methods and models (MST209), we recommend that you revise the relevant parts of these courses in the months before you start to study SMT359. This is particularly important if it is some time since you studied these courses, or if the Are You Ready For SMT359? booklet indicates that there are gaps in your knowledge or mathematical skills. The Are You Ready For SMT359? booklet gives advice on the relevant topics to revise.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the Module Regulations and the Student Regulations which are available on our Essential documents website.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
The course contains a large number of diagrams, many quite complex and in colour, and many are essential to understanding the spatial relationships between electromagnetic quantities. There are also a large number of complex equations. If you have severely impaired sight, you might find these aspects of the course challenging. The study materials are available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). Components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. The books are available in a comb-bound format.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our publication Meeting your needs.
You can also find information about accessible study materials, the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Study materials
What's included
Course books, other printed materials, DVDs, website.
You will need
Basic scientific calculator.
Computing requirements
You will need a computer with internet access to study this course. It includes online activities – you can only access using a web browser with Flash and Java – and some course software provided on disk.
- If you have purchased a new desktop or laptop computer running Windows since 2006 you should have no problems completing the computer-based activities.
- If you’ve got a netbook, tablet or other mobile computing device check our Technical requirements section.
- If you have an Apple Mac or Linux computer – please note that you can only use it for this course by running Windows on it using Boot Camp or a similar dual-boot system.
You can also visit the Technical requirements section for further computing information including the details of the support we provide.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will help you with the study material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. There will be a number of etutorials that you can join and access via your computer. You will also be able to participate in tutorial discussions through online forums. Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with the OU before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties which prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.
You will, however, be granted the option of submitting on paper if typesetting electronically or merging scanned images of your answers to produce an electronic TMA would take you an unacceptably long time.
There will be a mixture of online interactive computer-marked assignments (iCMAs) and short tutor-marked assignments (TMAs), with a total workload equivalent of three full TMAs.
Both the iCMAs and TMAs will focus strongly on learning through practice rather than on assessment. The feedback you receive on your answers will help you to improve your knowledge and understanding of the study material and to develop important skills associated with the course. The feedback on the iCMAs will be instantaneous and hints will be given so that you can refine any incorrect answers. Although your scores on all these assignments will not contribute directly to your course grade, they form an essential part of the learning process and you will be required to submit a proportion of them to complete the course. You will be given detailed information when you start the course.
Professional recognition
This course may help you to gain recognition from a professional body. You can view or download our Recognition leaflets 3.3 Professional Engineering Institutions, 3.4 Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, 3.6 Institute of Mathematics and its Applications and 3.8 Scientific Institutions for further information.
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in February 2013. We expect it to be available once a year.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
Student Reviews
“Good course. Difficult though. Watch out for vector calculus and make sure you have done MST209 before hand. Brush up ...”
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“A good course - my favorite level 3 physics course. The course builds the concepts of electromagnetism from the ground ...”
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Distance learning
The Open University is the world’s leading provider of flexible, high quality distance learning. Unlike other universities we are not campus based. You will study in a flexible way that works for you whether you’re at home, at work or on the move. As an OU student you’ll be supported throughout your studies – your tutor will guide and advise you, offer detailed feedback on your assignments, and help with any study issues. Tuition might be in face-to-face groups, via online tutorials, or by phone.
For more information about distance learning at the OU read Study explained.
| Course facts | |
|---|---|
| About this course: | |
| Course code | SMT359 |
| Credits | 30 |
| OU Level | 3 |
| SCQF level | 10 |
| FHEQ level | 6 |
| Course work includes: | |
| 4 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| 6 Interactive computer-marked assignments (iCMAs) | |
| Examination | |
| No residential school | |
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