Course summary

Develop the skills for a career in research, whether you want to help answer complex questions raised by relativity and quantum mechanics, or help solve problems in industry. You’ll run your own research project and be trained by a member of staff who is an expert in the area you want to explore. Whether you want to help answer complex questions in relativity and quantum mechanics, or apply your knowledge to solve problems in industry, this is where your research career begins. Taught across two departments, the Theoretical Physics MPhys from Sheffield puts an emphasis on the fundamental mathematics that has brought physicists ever closer to a ‘theory of everything’. As well as the foundation of essential physics given to all physics students, you’ll build a much more detailed understanding of mathematical concepts, thanks to lectures delivered by our colleagues in the School of Mathematics and Statistics. They’ll introduce you to calculus, geometry, differential equations, linear algebra, and mechanics and fluids, too. In practical classes, you’ll run experiments using the equipment in our modern laboratories to help you understand how important theories apply to the real world. In programming classes you can learn skills that are key to many graduate careers, from data science to computer game design. And because curiosity is what powers discovery, we’ll encourage you to dive into optional modules during your third year – exploring topics like dark matter and mathematical biology, alongside core modules in quantum mechanics and statistical physics. Finally, in your fourth year, you’ll mix optional modules with work on a major research project. You’ll choose a research topic in theoretical physics and work closely with a member of academic staff who is an expert in the area you want to explore. The project takes up around half of your final year and can lead to a publication in a scientific journal. Why study this course?

• No. 1 physics department in the UK - 100% of our research and impact was rated world-leading or internationally excellent by REF 2021.

• More astro content than most degrees - you can study 50% astrophysics content throughout your degree, more than most universities offer.

• Student life - because you’ll be taught across two departments, you’ll have double the social life. In maths you’ll be able to join pizza socials, the SUMS society ball or football club, or attend film screenings. In physics you might choose to join the Sheffield Space Initiative, and design a Mars rover or launch a rocket.

• Incredible research opportunities - you can access incredible research opportunities, including a summer research placement, work placements and field trips thanks to our links with organisations like CERN and the observatories on La Palma in the Canary Islands.

• Follow your ambition - you have the options to complete a research project, industrial group project, Quantum Information Lab, or Physics Education and Outreach project – giving you hands-on experience wherever your career aspirations lie.