Usually oral exams start at 10 AM, in my office. Tentative schedules/calendar of the exams will be communicated orally or by email after the multiple choice test (MCT). If you have special needs concerning the schedule, please send me an email. Please note that, should you decide not to accept the grade or fail the oral exam altogether, you'll have to wait 30 days before being able to take the exam again. You have to wait 30 days also if you do not pass the MCT (grade < 15).
I offer two pass/fail home tests (on orbit determination and attitude control) and a challenge during the course. The solution entails the formulation of a mathematical model and a computer code (in any language - Matlab is ok). You'll have 4-5 days to upload on Google Classroom send by email a short note with the solution and a working computer code. These tests are optional, although you are strongly encouraged to take them! Students who pass both tests are admitted to the exam in "fast mode" and will not be required to take the multiple choice test (MCT).
The "fast mode" is valid for 1 year. For example, if you qualify for the "fast mode" at the end of the 2025 course (31 May 2025), you are exempt from the MCT till 31 May 2026.
The challenge is a more difficult problem which must be solved in a weekend. The winner has a bonus of up to three points at the exam. There are two second prizes, each with up to two bonus points at the exam. Three third prize winners are entitled to one bonus point. If you did not pass the first homework but you successfully complete the challenge (even without winning points), then the challenge is considered as a replacement of the first homework.
For students who successfully passed the home tests, the examination consists in a standard Q&A interview of approximately 30 min.
Students who did not pass (or take) the home tests must take a quick multiple choice test (MCT) prior to the oral exam. The duration is 20 minutes, for 15 questions. See below for details on the MCT. On the basis of the outcome, you will be notified the maximum score attainable in the oral exam (see below for the conditions to get up to +3 pt bonus). You will then decide whether or not to take the oral exam. The examination is a thorough oral test on all course topics.
Students must take a quick multiple choice test (MCT) prior to the oral exam. The duration is 20 minutes, for 15 questions. See below for details on the MCT. On the basis of the outcome, you will be notified the maximum score attainable in the oral exam (see below for the conditions to get up to +3 pt bonus). You will then decide whether or not to take the oral exam. You will then decide whether or not to take the oral exam. The oral examination is a standard Q&A interview of approximately 30 minutes.
The Multiple Choice Test (MCT) consists of 15 questions, each with 4 answers, with only one correct. You have 20 minutes to complete the test. The score of the MCT is computed as follows:
score = 5 + 2 x (n. of correct answers) - (n. of wrong answers) / 2
The maximum score you can get after the oral exam is (MCT score) + 3. That is, the MCT score is a sort of starting point, which may be increased by up to 3 points if your oral exam is really good. Some examples:
- 5 correct answers, no wrong answer >>> max score is (5+5x2+3) = 18
- 7 correct answers, 4 wrong answers >>> max score is (5+7x2-4/2+3) = 20
- 10 correct answers, 2 wrong answers >>> max score is (5+10x2-2/2+3) = 27
- 12 correct answers, 2 wrong answers >>> max score is (5+12x2-2/2+3) = 31 (rounded to 30)
For all students: If you do not get 15 or higher marks at the MCT, you cannot sign up for the next session. You must take the exam at the second next session, or wait 30 days (whichever comes first). The same is true for students who do not accept the mark at the oral exam.
IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION: To avoid misunderstandings, the maximum mark indicated in the published results of the MCT does not include a +3 pt bonus that can be attained only if the oral exam is remarkably good and not in line with the MCT outcome. Statistically, we noticed that the final mark is close to the outcome of the MCT (without the +3 bonus). This shows that the MCT is a good indicator of your overall preparation. The MCT score is in no way taken into account during the oral exam, nor in the final mark, except for setting a hard clipping.