Physics with Astronomy

Why choose this course
We’re home to fantastic astronomy facilities. These include our teaching and outreach telescopes that you’ll use to get hands-on observation experience, as well as high-performance computing and GPU clusters.

There are two unique aspects to both our physics and astronomy courses:

1. Take the opportunity to get industry-ready with our award-winning Professional Training placements:

-Within the BSc physics and astronomy course, the option to take a paid Professional Training placement in industry gives you invaluable hands-on experience to enhance your employability.

• On our MPhys, you’ll take a year-long, masters-level integrated research placement. This can be in one of our world-leading research groups or at one of our international partner institutions.

2. Our focus on undergraduate research and innovation:

-All undergraduates have the opportunity to apply for paid 8-10 week summer research placements in our research groups and those of our South East Physics Network partners.

-We offer in-house ‘research and innovation’ and ‘enterprise’ grants that students can apply for to fund a research placement, attend a conference or develop a new business idea.

What you will study
Our Physics with Astronomy courses teach you the core elements of traditional physics – from classical mechanics and electromagnetism to quantum mechanics.

You’ll then specialise in astronomy, studying the formation and evolution of stars, planets, galaxies and the Universe as a whole. You’ll learn about the search for life beyond Earth, gravitational waves, and the nature of dark matter and dark energy.

You’ll also be able to carry out a research project in one of our world-leading research groups.

Formal lectures are complemented with work in our specialist radiation laboratories, which have recently been refurbished and enlarged at a cost of £2.7m. As an undergraduate student you’ll use these labs to undertake experiments related to the Nuclear and Particle Physics module.

You can apply to study for either a BSc or an MPhys. The latter is a direct route to a masters qualification, known as an integrated masters. If you study for an MPhys, you’ll spend a year doing integrated research before returning for your final masters-level modules.