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Theoretical Physics at Swansea University - UCAS

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Course summary

Physics is an exciting subject which seeks answers to the biggest questions, covering everything in our universe, from the building blocks of matter to the vastness of the cosmos, and the MPhys degree is ideal if you are aiming for a career as a physicist. Employers seeking physics graduates include academic institutions, government research organisations and industry, including aerospace and defence, education, energy, engineering, instrumentation, manufacturing, oil and gas, science, communication, space exploration and telecommunications. Many physics graduates pursue a career outside physics, for instance in consultancy, IT, the environmental industry, financial services, the legal sector, transport and utilities. Our degrees reflect our cutting-edge research and the Swansea Physics group achieved the trapping of anti-matter. Studying in this dynamic research-led environment will help you learn how fundamental physics is applied across disciplines and is contributing to advances in fields such as engineering, medicine and mathematics. Based at our superb seafront campus close to the magnificent Gower Peninsula, you will have the opportunity to study an exciting and flexible range of modules which could include astronomy and cosmology, electromagnetism, atomic physics, the frontiers of nuclear physics, the quantum world and climate physics. Your final year will include a full semester working on a research project in areas such as quantum chronodynamics, stochastic dynamics, string theory, and lattice field theory, all with expert supervision. This degree is also offered as a five-year course, with a year in industry (F857). All of our Physics degrees are accredited by the Institute of Physics. As a Theoretical Physics student, you will also benefit from exceptional project supervision, small group teaching, and opportunities to visit the CERN Particle Physics Laboratory. Our notable Physics alumni include Professor Lyn Evans, leader of the Large Hadron Collider project at CERN, while Professor Peter Higgs, Swansea University Honorary Fellow and Physics Nobel Prize winner, proposed the Boson particle, and has strong links with the department. “The Physics staff were always very supportive; the lecturers enthusiastic and are good at explaining difficult concepts eloquently. There was a real sense that they thoroughly enjoyed teaching us. Through my degree, I was able to successfully apply to the NHS Scientist Training Programme, a highly competitive graduate scheme through which I will eventually become a fully qualified Medical Physicist.” - Guy Drabble, Physics graduate We guarantee that you will be made a conditional offer for a course at Swansea University. Subject requirements will apply. Please come along to our next Open Day or get in touch for further information.

Modules

In Year 1 your modules may include Dynamics, Oscillations and Waves; Astronomy and Cosmology; Physics of Fields and Matter; Essential Skills for Physicists; the Quantum World; Mathematics for Physicists; and Laboratory Physics, which can be studied in English or Welsh. In Year 2, modules may include Statistical Physics; Physics Simulation; Quantum Mechanics; Mathematical Methods in Physics; Condensed Matter Physics; Electromagneticism and Special Relativity; Particle Physics; Foundations of Astrophysics; Probing the Nano-scale; and Laboratory Group Projects, which can be undertaken in English or Welsh. In Year 3, you will study modules covering Quantum Mechanics; Atomic Physics; Condensed Matter Physics; General Relativity; Atomic Physics and Quantum Optics; Particle Physics; Frontiers of Nuclear Physics; Climate Physics; Computational Physics; and mathematical Models in Physics. You will also have options to study Cosmology; Foundations of Astrophysics; Nanothechnology; and Teaching Physics via a School Placement, which can be undertaken in English or Welsh. In Year 4, you will choose from modules such as Quantum Field Theory; Advanced Particle Physics; Modern Laser Systems; Atomic and Quantum Optics; Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena; Quantum Information Processing; Nano Bio-photonics; and Magnetic Resonance Physics, NMR Spectroscopy and MRI. You will also conduct a cutting-edge research project, with the opportunity to do this with the Swansea Antihydrogen group in CERN.

Assessment method

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, laboratory work, examples classes and weekly small group classes. You will be assessed through regular problem solving in small groups and individual study, online assessment custom designed for each lecture module, keeping a laboratory diary and preparing scientific reports in practical modules. Final year projects are assessed through the preparation of a dissertation and presentation of your research, either as a poster in a conference-like forum or an oral presentation.


How to apply

Application codes

Course code:
F340
Institution code:
S93
Campus name:
Singleton Park Campus
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

https://www.swansea.ac.uk/international-students/international-student-courses/how-to-apply/

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements


English language requirements

For applicants whose first language is not English we require a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.0 (or equivalent) and no less than 5.5 in each component.

English Language Requirements at Swansea University

https://www.swansea.ac.uk/admissions/english-language-requirements/


Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
40%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
85%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

For the latest fee information, please check the individual course page on our website. Our full range of programmes are listed here: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/ Further information on tuition fees can be found here: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees-and-funding/tuition-fees/
Theoretical Physics at Swansea University - UCAS