All units have a short “unit code” that uniquely identifies the unit, followed by a short, descriptive title, for example:
- PHS1011 - Classical physics and relativity
The unit code starts with several letters (usually three) indicating the area of study (or School, or Department) which the unit relates to, followed by a set of numbers (usually four).
For studies in the areas of Physics and Astrophysics unit codes start with the letters: PHS (Physics), ASP (Astrophysics) - these units, particularly at higher levels, often have maths prerequisites (unit codes starting with the letters MTH).
The first number in the code relates to the unit’s “level” (difficulty / sophistication / amount of prior study required). So PHS1011 is a level-1 unit and PHS2061 is a level-2 unit. Usually you will select level-1 units in first year, level 2 units in second year and level 3 units in third year. However, you may take higher level units in earlier years if you are ahead in your studies. There are also reasons you may take lower level units in later years e.g. to fulfill course requirements.
The last digit of a unit code often indicates the semester in which the unit is offered, for example, PHS1011 is only offered in semester 1. If the last digit is a “2” this indicates “semester 2”, and a “0” indicates both semesters. However, this is not always the case and you should check the unit page in the Handbook to confirm the semesters in which a unit is offered.
