Physics

Our students often say their enthusiasm to study Physics stems from wanting to learn more about the Higgs particle, dark matter, nanotechnology or just a wide-ranging curiosity about how things really work. Whatever your reasons, our Physics department aims to inform and excite in the study of Physics, the most fundamental of the sciences.

As one of the most respected centres for Physics teaching and research in the UK, we can promise you a vibrant environment, where you can pursue your studies and plan your future career.

On our three-year Physics BSc course, we’ll cover the core material that a graduate physicist would be expected to know, including quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, statistical physics and thermodynamics, Einstein’s relativistic physics and the study of the fundamental structure of matter and the universe. You’ll also develop the mathematical, experimental and conceptual knowledge and skills.

We’re based at the heart of the campus, where you’ll have access to laboratories, technical help, academic staff and, on the roof of the department, our astronomical dome, dedicated to undergraduate study. In Egham Surrey, we’re well away from the light pollution of the big city so our telescopes can give you the best observational astronomy in the University of London. Beyond the specialist equipment, we also have video-conferencing facilities that allow people to take part in seminars and lectures at other institutions.

And though it may seem a long way away, when the time comes to do your final year project, you might find yourself in one of our well-equipped research labs, using the GRID computers to analyse real data from a particle physics experiment, attempting to guide a beam of fundamental particles in a High Energy Particle Physics collider or fabricating a nano-device in our suite of nanofabrication clean rooms.

Modern and exciting physics taught by internationally recognised experts.

Personal tutor to guide you through the development of new concepts and ideas.

Learn a range of experimental and computational skills in the laboratory.

Plan and execute an extended experimental or theoretical investigation in physics, electronics or astrophysics.

Course Modules

Core Modules

Year 1

• Mathematics for Scientists 1

• Mathematics for Scientists 2

• Scientific Skills 1

• Scientific Skills 2

• Classical Mechanics

• Fields and Waves

• Classical Matter

• Physics of the Universe

• Academic Integrity

Year 2

• Mathematical Methods

• Scientific Computing Skills

• Quantum Mechanics

• Scientific Skills 3

• Optics

• Electromagnetism

• Classical and Statistical Thermodynamics

• The Solid State

Year 3

• Advanced Skills in Physics

• Experimental or Theoretical Project

Optional Modules

Below is a taster of some of the exciting optional modules that students on the course could choose from during this academic year. Please be aware these do change over time, and optional modules may be withdrawn or new ones added.

Year 1

• All modules are core

Year 2

• All modules are core

Year 3

• Energy and Climate Science

• Further Mathematical Methods

• Advanced Classical Physics

• Nonlinear Dynamical Systems

• Quantum Theory

• Atomic Physics

• Particle Physics

• Metals and Semiconductors

• Superconductivity and Magnetism

• Frontiers of Metrology

• General Relativity and Cosmology

• Stellar Astrophysics

• Planetary Geology and Geophysics

• Machine Learning

https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studying-here/undergraduate/physics/physics-bsc/

As teachers, we want to introduce, explain, challenge and excite students on the course.

A year’s worth of study is normally broken down into eight modules, each of a nominal 150 hours of study. Physics combines experimental work with conceptual thinking and mathematical analysis, each demanding its own teaching and assessment techniques. So these modules can take a variety of forms, including small group tutorials, problem classes, lectures, laboratory and computing assignments, teamwork, and one-to-one teaching in our laboratories.

For lecture course units, you’ll normally be assessed by a two-hour examination at the end of the year. Coursework and in-class tests also contribute to the assessment of many course units. Experimental work is generally assessed by written reports or oral presentation. You have to pass a minimum of six of the eight course units, with a minimum score of 40 per cent each year.

You’ll be taught the most up-to-date and exciting physics by internationally recognised experts in their fields – all who are still involved in research and bring their working knowledge to the course. Our teaching consistently scores high satisfaction ratings in the annual National Student Survey.

Our close-knit, small-group teaching structure helps create a friendly environment, with an open-door policy, so students feel comfortable coming to us for advice and support.