Course summary

Taught jointly with Lancaster’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics, our degree in Theoretical Physics with Mathematics combines core physics and specialised theoretical physics subjects with classes in pure mathematics. This equips you with an understanding of the mathematical foundations of physics, for example, you will learn how quantum mechanics is underpinned by the powerful mathematical concept of a Hilbert space. In your first year you will cover the core of physics in modules such as Quantum Physics and Electromagnetism, and the core of mathematics including geometry and calculus, numbers and relations, and probability. In years two and three, the core physics modules are complemented by courses from the Theoretical Physics scheme and mathematical topics such as group theory and differential equations. In the final year of your course you will take advanced options such as Quantum Information and Advanced Gravity and Relativity, and complete your extended research project on a topic such as Gravitational Waves, Quantum Computation, Physics of Graphene, Photonic Crystals, and Geometry and Electrodynamics. We offer you a range of possible topics for your extended final year project. Recent project topics include adatoms on graphene, silicine, photonic crystals, topological insulators, fundamentals of radiation reaction and gravitational waves.