James Boswell Course | VWO Physics (English)
Course Content
Is VWO Physics an entry requirement for the degree programme you wish to pursue? Our physics courses support anyone needing physics in order to enroll in a Higher Education Institution in the Netherlands.
Boswell‑Bèta offers:
- Many contact hours
- Inspiring and experienced teachers
- Extra support in Study Lab
- Extra support by teaching assistants from Utrecht University.
- A modern venue at Utrecht Science Park
- More than 50 years of experience
Our course covers the Dutch VWO programme in physics required to enroll in various HE institutes in the Netherlands.
Courses
The physics course will be offered as a summercourse in the months June and July. This course has five classes a week (total: 20 hours / week)
Keep in mind that each contact hour requires one hour of homework (preparation and practice).
Topics:
- Mechanics
- Optics
- Oscillations and waves
- Electricity
- Electric fields
- Magnetic fields
- Induction
- Pressure
- Fluids and gases
- Heat
- Radioactivity
- Nuclear energy
- Light waves
- Model of the atom
- Sensors and automatic systems
- Numerical methods in mechanics
Course Structure
Work method
Explanation of the theory by the teacher after which you work on exercises with the help of the teacher or an assistant.
Study hours
140 contact hours and about 140 hours of self-study.
Student commitment
Active participation during the classes and doing your homework.
Study Lab
Next to the regular class hours, you are welcome to join Study Lab.
Study Lab is the place where you can self-study and/or ask additional questions. At least one teacher will be available during Study Lab.
Course Materials
- Textbook: Advanced Physics for You, ISBN 9781408527375
- BINAS-English, ed. Wolters-Noordhoff, Groningen, 5th print
- Protractor
- Calculator with logarithmic and goniometric functions. A graphic calculator is permitted during the course, but not necessary. At the exam a graphing calculator is NOT permitted.
Prior Knowledge
Sufficient basic knowledge of physics and mathematics is an important ingredient for success.
Basic mathematical skills consist of:
- Use of a (graphic) calculator
- Absolute value
- Calculations with percentage, ratio, power and square root
- Linear and quadratic equations
- Solving two linear equations with two unknown variables
- Circumference of a circle; area of a rectangle, triangle, circle, sphere
- sin-, cos- en tan-functions
- Pythagoras' theorem
- Properties of two similar triangles
- Drawing a diagram with help of a table or function prescription
- Interpolating and extrapolating in tables and diagrams
- Directly and inversely proportional
Eliminate deficiencies before starting a course. If in doubt contact the physics department.
Exam
You complete the course with the James Boswell exam. You can find the exam schedule here. You are automatically registered for the exam which directly follows the course. If you are taking an exam at another time, or if you have to take a resit: register separately for this exam on the exam page.
If you are going to study medicine or dentistry, then in some cases it is necessary the take the entrance exam of the CCVX. You must register separately for this. Our courses also prepare for this exam.
Always ask the study advisor of the institution/university about the validity of the James Boswell certificate.
VWO Physics for IB students
There is a special course IB students who are in their final years of the IB programme. This course runs from September to April. See this page for more information. Because of the time-slots this course is only open for IB students in the European time-zone.
Questions
If you have any questions about contents or admission to the course, please contact us for more information.
Attention: fulfill your registration in due time. Two weeks before the start of a course Boswell‑Bèta will decide upon whether the course will actually take place. A course will only take place with a sufficient number of participants.