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Royal Holloway, University of London

UCAS Code: GFC3 | Master of Science (with Honours) - Msci (Hon)

Entry requirements

A level

A,A,A-A,A,B

Where an applicant is taking the EPQ alongside A-levels, the EPQ will be taken into consideration and result in lower A-level grades being required. Socio-economics factors which may have impacted an applicant's education will be taken into consideration and alternative offers may be made to these applicants. Required subjects: Grade A in Physics and Mathematics. A pass in the practical element of all Science A-levels taken.

Access to HE Diploma

D:33,M:12

Pass in a relevant subject with at lest 30 level 3 credits at Distinction, including Distinctions in all Maths and Physics units. Plus A-level Maths grade A. Please note that the Access to Higher Education Diploma will only be acceptable if the applicant has had a considerable break from education

Applicants with the Cambridge Pre-U are strongly encouraged to apply to Royal Holloway. Offers will be made on the basis of equivalent A-Level grades as can be found on the Royal Holloway website.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

We require at least five GCSEs at grade A*-C or 9 - 4 including English and Mathematics.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

34

6,6,6 at Higher Level, including Physics and 6 in Maths at Higher Level, with a minimum of 34 points overall

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H2,H2,H2,H2,H2

At Higher Level including Maths and Physics.

Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF)

D*D

Plus A-level Maths grade A and A-level Physics grade A.

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

DD

Plus A-level Maths grade A and A-level Physics grade A.

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

D

Plus A-level Maths grade A and A-level Physics grade A.

Scottish Advanced Higher

A,A,A-A,A,B

Including A in Physics and Maths

Scottish Higher

A,A,A,A,A

AAAAA including A in Physics and Maths.

Requirements are as for A-levels where one non-subject-specified A-level can be replaced by the same grade in the Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate.

UCAS Tariff

136-168

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course

Course option

4years

Full-time | 2025

Subjects

Physics

Mathematics

This intensive four-year programme allows you to explore the logical interplay between mathematics and physics and split your time equally between the two. It is accredited by the Institute of Physics. Mathematics has gone hand-in-glove with physics since the time of Newton. Physics is widely conceived as the most fundamental of sciences in that all other branches can be said to derive from its theories and principles, but it couldn’t be studied without a strong working knowledge and appreciation of mathematics. As well as covering all the core theories and principles of physics, you will delve deep into the world of abstract mathematical ideas and explore their wide range of applications in the world around us.

You will be welcomed into a vibrant, friendly learning environment and guided by world-class researchers and teachers who offer generous office hours. While the joint degree is arguably more challenging than a single honours degree, it will equip you with an enviable set of skills to set you apart in the world of work. By combining physics and mathematics you will have the opportunity to approach mathematics from a more rigorous point of view, giving you a deeper understanding of the theoretical aspects of core physics topics such as quantum theory and general relativity. Because the first year of our BSc and MSci programmes is the same, you will have the option of transferring onto the second year of the three-year BSc programme if you prefer.

Our MSci course covers all of the core topics of a physics degree, although some of the laboratory components from the physics degree will be reduced to make way for the mathematics teaching. In years 3 and 4, you will have the flexibility to specialise more in physics or mathematics based study and research, according to your own interests. In your final year you will also have the opportunity to take your chosen area to a higher level through a major project and research review.

Our Department of Mathematics is internationally renowned for its work in pure mathematics, information security, statistics and theoretical physics, while our Department of Physics is one of the most respected centres for physics teaching and research in the UK, boasting cutting-edge laboratories and research facilities and dedicated technical support. There is an astronomical dome on the roof of the department and thanks to our parkland location, away from the big city, our telescopes enjoy the best observational capacities of the University of London campuses.

Take your mathematics and physics to the highest levels and undertake a major project and research review.

Learn from inspirational mathematicians.

Our physics research is expanding in new and exciting directions, including strategic partnerships with CERN, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), SNOLAB and industry at large.

Both departments put a real emphasis on small group teaching. You will be studying in a close-knit, friendly and supportive environment with a high staff to student ratio.

Our Department of Physics has been awarded IOP Juno Champion and Athena SWAN silver awards for best practice in promoting women in science and welcoming large cohorts of female students.

Modules

Please refer to our website for information https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/courses/home.aspx

Assessment methods

Your course will be assessed by a combination of examinations and in-course assignments in the form of essays or presentations.

Tuition fees

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

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£27,500
per year
International
£27,500
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni

Course location:

Royal Holloway, University of London

Department:

Mathematics

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.

79%
Physics
80%
Mathematics

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

80%
Staff make the subject interesting
79%
Staff are good at explaining things
86%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
80%
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

77%
Library resources
75%
IT resources
79%
Course specific equipment and facilities
59%
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?

91%
UK students
9%
International students
68%
Male students
32%
Female students
79%
2:1 or above
20%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
B
B

Mathematics

Teaching and learning

73%
Staff make the subject interesting
80%
Staff are good at explaining things
74%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
69%
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

82%
Library resources
73%
IT resources
84%
Course specific equipment and facilities
66%
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?

92%
UK students
8%
International students
61%
Male students
39%
Female students
78%
2:1 or above
19%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
B
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.

£25,000
med
Average annual salary
100%
high
Employed or in further education
50%
low
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

24%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals
9%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
7%
Business, research and administrative 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.

Mathematics

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.

£24,000
med
Average annual salary
96%
med
Employed or in further education
73%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

35%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
13%
Business, research and administrative professionals
12%
Teaching and educational professionals

Want to feel needed? This is one of the most flexible degrees of all and with so much of modern work being based on data, there are options everywhere for maths graduates. With all that training in handling figures, it's hardly surprising that a lot of maths graduates go into well-paid jobs in the IT or finance industries, and last year, a maths graduate in London could expect a very respectable average starting salary of £27k. And we're always short of teachers in maths, so that is an excellent option for anyone wanting to help the next generation. And if you want a research job, you'll want a doctorate — and a really good maths doctorate will get you all sorts of interest from academia and finance — and might secure some of the highest salaries going for new leavers from university.

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.

£32k

£32k

£28k

£28k

£41k

£41k

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.

Mathematics

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

£22k

£22k

£32k

£32k

£38k

£38k

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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