EDUCATION DIRECTORY
PÅ SVENSKA
Malmö University

Course syllabus

Autumn 2028

Course syllabus, Autumn 2028

Ladok version 1

Title

Classical atomistic modelling

Swedish title

Klassisk atommodellering

Course code

MT654E

Credits

7.5 credits

Grading scale

UA Excellent (A), Very Good (B), Good (C), Satisfactory (D), Pass (E) or Fail (U)

Language of instruction

The course is provided in English

Decision-making body

Faculty of Technology and Society

Syllabus valid from

2028-08-28

Establishment date

2026-04-07

Syllabus approval date

2026-04-14

Level

Master's level

Entry requirements

MT650E: Materials Physics and Engineering, 15 credits

Main field

CTMAV Materials Science

Progression level

A1F Second cycle, has second-cycle course/s as entry requirements

Progression level in relation to degree requirements

The course is part of the main field of Materials Science and may be included in a Master of Science degree in Materials Science (120 credits).

Course contents

  • Classical potentials
  • Statistical ensembles
  • Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics
  • Barostats and thermostats
  • Optimisation algorithms for atomistic simulations
  • Defect modelling

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:

1. Explain and account for the strengths and weaknesses of classical atomistic modelling

2. Describe how thermostats and barostats are used in atomistic simulations

Skills and abilities

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:

3. Describe and identify suitable interatomic potentials for different types of materials

4. Formulate and solve simple classical particle problems

Judgement and approach

5. Critically assess existing atomistic models and evaluate their reliability and relevance

6. Evaluate advantages, disadvantages, limitations and suitability of different classical models for various application areas

7. Assess obtained results with regard to both the problem formulation and physical limitations

Learning activities

Lectures, computer-based laboratory work, project work and independent study.

Assessment

Requirements for a Pass (A-E)

  • Written examination (Learning outcomes 1–2 and 5–6; 2.5 credits; UA
  • Project presentation and project report (Learning outcomes 3–4 and 7; 5 credits; Pass/Fail)

The final grade is based on the grade from the written examination.

Course literature and other study materials

Course literature and other teaching materials

  • Brazdova, Veronika & Bowler, David R (2013). Atomistic Computer Simulations - A Practical Guide. Wiley.
  • Ytterligare material som tillhandahålls av kursansvarig lärare.

Course evaluation

Malmö University provides students who participate in, or who have completed a course, with the opportunity to express their opinions and describe their experiences of the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarise the results of course evaluations. The University will also inform participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures taken in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).

Interim rules

If a course is no longer offered, or has undergone significant changes, the students must be offered two opportunities for re-examination based on the syllabus that applied at the time of registration, for a period of one year after the changes have been implemented. The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.

Additional information

If a student has a Learning support decision, the examiner has the right to provide the student with an adapted test, or to allow the student to take the exam in a different format. The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.

Ladok version 1