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Phys 721: Advanced Electromagnetic Theory I


Syllabus



Instructor


Marco Cavaglià
Office: Lewis Hall 203B
Office Hours: By appointment
Phone: (662) 915-7642; Fax: (662) 915-5045
E-mail: cavaglia@olemiss.edu
Website: http://www.phy.olemiss.edu/~cavaglia/


Description

Maxwell equations, Electrostatics, Boundary-value problems in electrostatics, Multipole expansion, Dielectrics, Magnetostatics.

Learning objectives

After completing this course, the successful student will have a good comprehension of the principles and applications of electroststics and magnetostatics at graduate level.

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

Class Schedule: T TH 11:00-12:15, Lewis Room 228

Textbook: J.D. Jackson, Classical Electrodynamics (Third Edition), Wiley (1999).


Course Credit Hours: 3


Evaluation


Grade Type:
Plus/minus letter grade (A+ through F)


Grade Ranges:
A+:96% or above
A: 95% through 91%
A-:90% through 86%
B+:85 through 81%
B:80 through 76%
B-:75 through 71%
C+:70 through 66%
C:65 through 61%
C-:60 through 56%
D+:55 through 51%
D:50 through 46%
D-:45 through 40%
F:less than 40%

These grades will not be "curved."

Grade Percentage:
These grades may be lowered by the instructor in case of in-class improper student behavior, academic misconduct, or egregious violation of University policies.

Homeworks and exams

CHEATING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN THIS CLASS. If a student is caught cheating, an academic discipline case will be initiated according to university policies. Please familiarize yourself with the Academic Integrity Policy of the University of Mississippi listed in the Student Academic Conduct and Discipline, Policy number 10000600, Code ACA.AR.600.001 to review the expected standards for student academic integrity, disciplinary procedures, sanctions, and appeal procedures.

Homework assignments will be assigned almost every week and will be announced in class.

Late homeworks will not be accepted and will count zero towards the final grade. However, if there is a valid reason (e.g., due to documented illness), students may be excused from turning in an assignment on time. If a student has extended unavoidable absences the instructor may make some adjustments to the homework policy.

Homeworks and tests must be easy to read. Use white paper that is 8.5 x 11 inches with no torn or tattered edges. Do not write or print in red. Staple multiple pages together. Student name and problem set number should be clearly written in the top right corner of all pages. Show all your work; the answer alone is not worth anything. Homework solutions must be explained with enough English to be understandable. Homework answers should have units and a reasonable number of significant digits. All returned tests and homeworks should be kept by students until the final grade of the course has been posted by the instructor.
Transgression of the above rules will reduce your grade on the assignment.

In-class tests and final exam will consist of problems to be worked out. Students will be allowed to use a calculator and may be provided with an equation sheet by the instructor. No use of notes or books will be allowed during in-class tests and exams. If you must miss an in-class quiz, a test, or the final exam because of a civil duty (e.g., jury duty or military service), official University competitions, performances, or travel, religious observations, or certain scheduled medical procedures, please inform the instructor ahead of time to arrange an accommodation. Missing a quiz, a test, or the final exam without prior notification of the instructor may lead to receiving a zero on the quiz/test/exam. However, illnesses and other problems, which sometimes occur unexpectedly, may lead to an accommodation in this policy.

The final exam is open-book and will consist of problems to be worked out. Students will be allowed to use a calculator and may be provided with an equation sheet by the instructor. No use of notes will be allowed during the exam.

Class Attendance Policy

Students are required to attend all classes. Please do not arrive late to class or leave early unless you have been previously excused by the instructor. Of course, if you are taken ill during class, or in case of an emergency, feel free to leave. However, as soon as you feel better, or the emergency is over, let the instructor know the reason why you left. The instructor will not solicit details of the occurrence, or any personal or private information. Please do not volunteer such information either.

Students must attend the first meeting of every course for which they are registered, unless they obtain prior departmental approval. Without such approval, a student who is absent from the first class meeting may be dropped from that class by the dean of the school or college with the responsibility for the course.

A student who incurs excessive absences in a given course may receive a grade of F for the course, and, in addition, may be dismissed from the class upon recommendation of the instructor and approval by the student's academic dean. When it appears to the instructor that a student has discontinued a class without officially dropping the course, the instructor will report this fact to the student's academic dean. The university reserves the right to dismiss from the university any student who has been excessively absent from multiple courses.

The University requires that all students have their course attendance verified at least once during the first two weeks of the semester. If your attendance is not verified, then you will be dropped from the course and any financial aid will be adjusted accordingly. Please be sure to sign the attendance sheets that will be passed around during the first two weeks of the semester.

Non-Discrimination policy

It is the policy of the University of Mississippi not to discriminate against anyone on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, age, sexual orientation or being a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era. Students are encouraged to freely examine and exchange diverse ideas both inside and outside the classroom.

Disability policy

It is University policy to provide, on a flexible and individual basis, reasonable accommodations to students who have disabilities that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or meet course requirements. Students with disabilities, which have been verified through the Office of Student Disability Services, need to contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester to discuss their individual needs for accommodations.

Other course-specific policies

Audio and/or video recording of class lectures is not allowed unless explicit permission is given by the instructor. Permission will only be given if the student has a Student Disability Services request. In such cases, recordings may only be used by the student to whom permission is given and all recordings must be deleted at the end of the semester. Recordings may not be distributed online or elsewhere.

THE USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES SUCH AS LAPTOPS, SMARTPHONES, TABLET, ETC.\ IS FORBIDDEN WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE INSTRUCTOR UNLESS IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. EVEN WITH PRIOR CONSENT OF THE INSTRUCTOR, THE USE OF SUCH DEVICES IS ALLOWED ONLY IF IT SERVES THE PURPOSE OF HELPING THE STUDENT LEARN WHAT IS BEING DISCUSSED IN CLASS. THE INSTRUCTOR CONSIDERS UNACCEPTABLE THE USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES DURING CLASS FOR ANY OTHER REASONS THAN THOSE STATED ABOVE. THE INSTRUCTOR WILL TAKE NOTICE OF THE IMPROPER USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND WILL FACTOR IT IN THE COMPUTATION OF THE FINAL STUDENT'S GRADE.

A word of advise from your instructor

In order to do well in the course, you should expect to spend at least three hours preparing for each class, including time for studying and reviewing the material and time to work on the assigned homework. Study the textbook regularly. Do not wait until just before the homework is due or a test is imminent. Class discussion will not cover all of the assigned material, but you will have the opportunity to ask questions about any of the assigned material.

Homework is one way of practicing and applying your knowledge to physics problems. You will not learn much physics if you do not practice using it. Please remember that you are doing homework to help yourself. Keep in mind that homeworks count, at best, 10% of your grade. It is much better not to cheat on homeworks (maybe losing a few points) than cheating at home and then fail in-class tests and/or final exams and ultimately the class. The instructor has a 20-year experience in teaching at college level. He has never seen any student getting a good final grade unless he/she practices with homeworks. So, your choice. (And, by the way, it is very easy to catch students cheating...)

Academic integrity

Students are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of the University of Mississippi listed in the Student Academic Conduct and Discipline Policy number 10000600, Code ACA.AR.600.001. Examples of academic misconduct include, but are not limited to cheating and plagiarism. If the instructor believes that a student has committed an act of academic dishonesty, the instructor will seek to discuss the alleged violation with the student as soon as possible and give the student an opportunity to explain. If the instructor still believes the student committed an act of academic dishonesty after discussing the matter with the student, he will initiate a case according to the procedures described in the policy listed above.

Changes to syllabus

The instructor reserves the right to revise this syllabus. If a revision of the syllabus becomes necessary during the semester, the instructor will discuss the changes in class. Any changes to the syllabus will be posted on the course website.