Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

Physics with Planetary and Space Physics

Entry requirements


A level

A,B,B-B,B,B

To include B in A-level Physics and B in A-level Mathematics.

The University welcomes undergraduate applications from students studying the Access to Higher Education Diploma, provided that relevant subject content and learning outcomes are met. We are not able to accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas as a general qualification for every undergraduate degree course.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

30-32

To include 6 points in Physics and Mathematics at Higher Level.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM-DMM

With specified subjects. To include B in A-level Physics and B in A-level Mathematics.

UCAS Tariff

120-128

To include B in A-level Physics and B in A-level Mathematics.

Aberystwyth University welcomes the Welsh Baccalaureate as a valuable qualification in its own right and considers completion of the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate to be equivalent to an A level grade.

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subjects

Physics

Space science

Planetary science

The Aberystwyth MPhys Physics with Planetary and Space Physics degree scheme provides you with a fundamental core of physics alongside a detailed exploration of the physics of the solar system and an overview of modern astronomical science. The nucleus of mainstream physics ensures flexibility in further study or employment after graduation and provides the necessary background for the specialist modules.

Physics has been taught at Aberystwyth since its foundation and it continues to be an innovative learning experience for all. In choosing this subject you will be taught by experts in their field and you will also have access to specialist astronomical equipment. Upon completion of your degree, you will have accreditation by the Institute of Physics. Our researchers are involved in the current European Space Agency ExoMars 2020 Project.

This is a fascinating and commercially important field of research. Throughout this degree, you will be introduced to classic and modern physics, the basic principles of gravitational and electrostatic fields, stars, planets, algebra and calculus, quantum mechanics, optics, space plasmas, electromagnetism, ionospheres and magnetospheres. You will continue to study in your fourth year and you will also undertake an extended project as well as a residential course where you will receive advice on project planning, communication and self-management. Students wishing to study through the medium of Welsh may do so with our Welsh-medium modules. Further details regarding Welsh-medium study are available from the department. Our students learn through lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops, practicals, individual and group-based project work. We assess our students through coursework, presentations, lab reports, lab diaries and examinations. You will be assigned a personal tutor, who can help with any difficulties you might have with the degree or with university life.

Employability is embedded across all our teaching and ethics. We instil these skills in our students: research and data analysis, problem-solving, creative thinking, independent working, time management, organisation, self-motivation, communication and teamworking. The ability to discuss concepts with peers, accommodate different viewpoints, meet deadlines and communicate ideas in a clear, concise manner in both written and oral form are highly desirable skills in industry. You are encouraged to contact the University’s Careers Service in relation to work experience opportunities. Year in Employment Scheme (YES) and GO Wales are administered by the Career Service which works with local businesses to create paid work placements for students. This helps you gain valuable work experience and enhance your CV.

This course will allow you to pursue a career in engineering, research or development. The skills you will learn are highly pertinent to employers. Typical careers include medical physicist, radiation protection practitioner, research scientist, systems developer, product development, technical author and meteorologist. In addition, you will acquire transferable skills, such as problem-solving abilities, needed for success in a wider range of careers.

Modules

For up to date information on our current modular structure, please click on "View course details on provider's website" at the top of this page.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,000
per year
England
£9,000
per year
EU
£18,830
per year
International
£18,830
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,000
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,000
per year
Scotland
£9,000
per year
Wales
£9,000
per year

Extra funding

Aberystwyth University offers a valuable package of scholarships and bursaries to support students. Our long-established Entrance Examination competition means you could get up to £2,000 a year towards your living and study costs. You can combine that with any or all of our other awards, to make your financial package more valuable. Our awards include Sport and Music Scholarships, Bursaries for Care Leavers/Young Carers/Estranged Students and a range of department specific awards. Please visit our website for full details.

The Uni


Course location:

Main Site (Aberystwyth)

Department:

Department of Physics

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

86%
Physics
72%
Space science
72%
Planetary science

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Physics

Teaching and learning

87%
Staff make the subject interesting
86%
Staff are good at explaining things
86%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
74%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

96%
Library resources
93%
IT resources
93%
Course specific equipment and facilities
82%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

89%
UK students
11%
International students
72%
Male students
28%
Female students
79%
2:1 or above
11%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
C

Astronomy

Teaching and learning

71%
Staff make the subject interesting
67%
Staff are good at explaining things
72%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
67%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

72%
Library resources
74%
IT resources
79%
Course specific equipment and facilities
72%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

89%
UK students
11%
International students
73%
Male students
27%
Female students
63%
2:1 or above
21%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
D
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Physics

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£23,000
med
Average annual salary
96%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

17%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
15%
Teaching and educational professionals
13%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals

Although the subject has seen a bit of resurgence in recent years, the UK is still felt to be short of physics graduates, and in particular physicists training as teachers. If you want a career in physics research — in all sorts of areas, from atmospheric physics to lasers - you'll probably need to take a doctorate, and so have a think about where you would like to do that and how you might fund it (the government funds many physics doctorates, so you might not find it as hard as you think). With that in mind, it's not surprising that just over a fifth of physics graduates go on to take doctorates when they finish their degree, and well over a third of physicists take some kind of postgraduate study in total. Physics is highly regarded and surprisingly versatile, which is why physics graduates who decide not to stay in education are more likely to go into well-paid jobs in the finance industry than they are to go into science. The demand and versatility of physics degrees goes to explain why they're amongst the best-paid science graduates.

Astronomy

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£23,000
med
Average annual salary
88%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

18%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
17%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals
14%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

Not a lot of people study astronomy as a first degree, and if you want to be one of the small number of people who start work as an astronomer - often overseas - every year, you will need a doctorate — so at least a third of graduates go into further study. Astronomy graduates, however, are versatile, going into all parts of the jobs market - their good technical, data and maths skills taking them into IT and business especially. However, if you want to find out more specifically about the prospects for your chosen subject, it might be a good idea to go on open days and talk to tutors about what previous graduates from your chosen subject went on to do.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Physics

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£19k

£19k

£23k

£23k

£27k

£27k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Astronomy

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£19k

£19k

£23k

£23k

£27k

£27k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Share this page

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here