In order to pass the unit, you need to obtain a total mark of at least 50%. 

Late Assessment Submission Penalty: Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark of the task) will be applied for each day a written report or presentation assessment is not submitted, up until the 7^th day (including weekends). After the 7^th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. The submission time for all uploaded assessments is 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period will be provided to students who experience a technical concern.

For any late submission of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, please apply for Special Consideration.

Assessments where Late Submissions will be accepted 

Project based assignment – YES, Standard Late Penalty applies 

Special Consideration

The Special Consideration Policy aims to support students who have been impacted by short-term circumstances or events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, and which may affect their performance in assessment. If you experience circumstances or events that affect your ability to complete the assessments in this unit on time, please inform the convenor and submit a Special Consideration request through https://connect.mq.edu.au/

A SUMMARY ON THE INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENTS FOR THIS UNIT:

Project-based Assignment 1 (30%): An assignment focusing on the first half of the unit. It is a project-based assignment involving problem-solving, real-time data analysis, and coding. It assesses the application of numerical methods, interpretation of data, and understanding of astrophysical concepts through practical questions and coding tasks. This project focuses on essential skills not just in astrophysics but in virtually any profession that requires a science degree as a platform.

Project-based Assignment 2 (30%): An assignment focusing on the second half of the unit. It is a project based assignment designed to assess the understanding of astrophysical concepts through practical and conceptual questions. Some of the material will be new to the students, and some will be from content already presented. While students are not expected to grasp every detail immediately, the assignment is structured to challenge their critical thinking and deepen their conceptual understanding of the underlying physics. 

Final Examination (40%): The final examination questions will be in style of short and lengthy quizzes, but answered under controlled conditions and without the help of books. Battery or solar-powered calculators which do not have a full alphabet on the keyboard will be allowed into the examination. Calculators with text retrieval are not permitted for the final examination. 

You are expected to present yourself for the final examination at the time and place designated in the University examination timetable. The timetable will generally be available in draft form approximately eight weeks before the commencement of examinations, and in final form approximately four weeks before the commencement of examinations.

The only exception to not sitting the examination at the designated time is because of documented illness or unavoidable disruption. In these circumstances, you may wish to apply for Special Consideration (see ‘Special Consideration’ in this Guide).  You are advised that it is the policy of the University not to set early examinations for individuals or groups of students. All students are expected to ensure that they are available until the end of the teaching semester, i.e. the final day of the examination period.

If you receive special consideration for the final exam, a supplementary exam will be scheduled after results are released. By making a special consideration application for the final exam you are declaring yourself available for a resit during the supplementary examination period and will not be eligible for a second special consideration approval based on pre-existing commitments. Please ensure you are familiar with the policy prior to submitting an application. Approved applicants will receive an individual notification one week prior to the exam with the exact date and time of their supplementary examination.

¹ If you need help with your projects, please contact:

• the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
• the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

² Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Hurdle	Due
Final examination	40%	No	University Examination Period
Project-based Assignment 1	30%	No	Week 7 (12/09/2025)
Project-based Assignment 2	30%	No	Week 12 (31/10/2025)

Final examination

Assessment Type ¹: Examination Indicative Time on Task ²: 25 hours Due: University Examination Period Weighting: 40%

Exam in the University Exam period covering the content from the whole unit.

On successful completion you will be able to:

• discuss stellar pulsations and role this plays in stellar evolution and mass loss.
• explain the synthesis of elements in stars and their observed chemical abundances.
• demonstrate an understanding of the dynamics of gas flows in Astrophysical environments, including magnetic fields, shocks and viscosity.
• communicate complex physical concepts in writing and orally.
• solve problems in real-time during class tutorials, and demonstrate solutions to peers

Project-based Assignment 1

Assessment Type ¹: Project Indicative Time on Task ²: 24 hours Due: Week 7 Weighting: 30%

On successful completion you will be able to:

• discuss stellar pulsations and role this plays in stellar evolution and mass loss.
• explain the synthesis of elements in stars and their observed chemical abundances.
• communicate complex physical concepts in writing and orally.
• solve problems in real-time during class tutorials, and demonstrate solutions to peers
• use numerical codes to solve astrophysical problems.

Project-based Assignment 2

Assessment Type ¹: Project Indicative Time on Task ²: 24 hours Due: Week 12 Weighting: 30%

On successful completion you will be able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of the dynamics of gas flows in Astrophysical environments, including magnetic fields, shocks and viscosity.
• apply mathematical techniques to solve problems involving fluid forces, pressure gradients, viscosity, density, and momentum conservation in astrophysical contexts.
• communicate complex physical concepts in writing and orally.
• solve problems in real-time during class tutorials, and demonstrate solutions to peers

¹ If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

• the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
• the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

² Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

The course will be delivered through weekly lectures and tutorial sessions. The unit will be in two parts:

1) Stellar Evolution, Pulsations, and Nucleosynthesis (6 weeks, lecturer Devika Kamath)

2) The physical interpretation of astronomical observations, the physics of the interstellar medium, and the astrophysics of accreting gas in star formation (7 weeks, lecturer Tayyaba Zafar)

Each part will be assessed via a project-based assignment during the term, and will be approximately evenly represented in the final exam.  

Methods of Communication

Communication will be via your university email or through announcements on iLearn. Queries to the convenor can either be placed on the iLearn discussion board or sent to devika.kamath@mq.edu.au or tayyaba.zafar@mq.edu.au from your university email address.

COVID Information

For the latest information on the University’s response to COVID-19, please refer to the Coronavirus infection page on the Macquarie website: https://www.mq.edu.au/about/coronavirus-faqs. Remember to check this page regularly in case the information and requirements change during semester. If there are any changes to this unit in relation to COVID, these will be communicated via iLearn.

Weeks 1-6: Stellar Evolution, Pulsations, and Nucleosynthesis

Weeks 7-13: The physical interpretation of astronomical observations, the physics of the interstellar medium, and the astrophysics of accreting gas in star formation

The assessment structure of this unit has been updated to streamline tasks and better reflect student engagement with practical problem-solving and conceptual understanding. The previous four assessment components have been consolidated into three: two major project-based assignments and a final examination. This change ensures a more integrated and applied approach to learning while maintaining alignment with the unit’s learning outcomes.

We value student feedback as a means to continuously enhance our unit offerings. Students are encouraged to provide constructive feedback through surveys, direct communication with teaching staff, or via the FSE Student Experience & Feedback link on the iLearn page. Previous student feedback for this unit was positive, with students expressing satisfaction regarding assessment clarity and the support provided by teaching staff.