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University of Aberdeen

UCAS Code: F3F5 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

Entry requirements

A level

B,B,C

A minimum of 3 A Levels at BBC - to include Mathematics and Physics. To be considered for entry into Second Year, a minimum of 3 A Levels at ABB, with AB from 2 science or maths subjects (including the subject(s) nominated for Honours - an A in the subject for Single Honours or AB in the subjects for Joint Honours). Also required: GCSE at C or above in English or English Language, Mathematics and in either Chemistry, or Physics or Dual Award Science.

Foundation Apprenticeship (SCQF Level 6)

Pass

Foundation Apprenticeship: One FA is equivalent to a Higher at A. It cannot replace any required subjects.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32

A minimum of 32 points, with a minimum of 5 points at HL required from 2 Science or Maths subjects. For Second Year entry: a minimum of 34 points with a minimum of 6 at HL in the subject(s) nominated for Honours. A minimum of Standard Level English and Maths also required.

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

H2,H2,H2,H3,H3

5 subjects at Higher, with 3 at H2 and 2 at H3. 2 Science or Mathematics subjects required at minimum H3.

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

DDM

A minimum of DDM with the main subjects being Science or Maths. Also required: GCSE at C or above in English or English Language, Mathematics and in either Chemistry, or Physics or Dual Award Science.

Scottish Advanced Higher

A,B,B

For Second Year entry a minimum of 3 AH at ABB, a minimum of two must be Science or Maths subjects (including the subject(s) nominated for Honours). Standard Grades 1, 2 or 3 or Int 2, or National 5 at grades A, B or C in English, Mathematics and in either Chemistry or Physics.

Scottish HNC

Pass

For entry into Year 2: Satisfactory completion of HNC Applied Sciences (120 SCQF credit points). B in Graded Unit. Curriculum to include: Mathematics for Science (H8XP), Inorganic Chemistry (B) (H92Y), and Physical Chemistry (B) (H936).

Scottish Higher

B,B,B,B

Applicants who have achieved BBBB or better (to include Mathematics and Physics), are encouraged to apply and will be considered. Good performance in additional Highers/ Advanced Highers may be required. Must achieve at least BB from two science or mathematics subjects. C at Advanced Higher may substitute for B at Higher. Standard Grades 1, 2 or 3 or Int 2, or National 5 at grades A, B or C in English, Mathematics and in either Chemistry or Physics.

UCAS Tariff

108-152

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

About this course

Course option

4years

Full-time | 2025

Subjects

Physics

Astrophysics

Physics with Astrophysics explores the structure of the universe to uncover the fundamental question: how did everything come to be?

You will study the origins of the universe, the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets, and learn how to combine a knowledge of physics with advanced computational techniques to observe and understand the universe.

Physics with Astrophysics is a comprehensive programme that introduces the core concepts of physics and demonstrates how they can be applied to the field of astrophysics.

This programme will give you valuable skills in the various facets of observational, computational and theoretical astrophysics that enable the study of the cosmos. This will include the usage of telescopes for precise observation, rigorous treatment of the laws of optics and electromagnetism that have enabled our study of the unimaginably distant stars, and computational modelling techniques. You will also undertake a project that will include simulation of large scale gravitational effects.

The programme includes a field trip in the fourth year, where members of staff will take you to a Dark Sky Park in the Cairngorms National Park for a weekend of astronomical observation. We also offer a case study the preparations required for a rocket launch, informed by discussions with local launch platform companies in Shetland and western Scotland.

The University of Aberdeen has a long association with astronomy. The local Aberdeen Astronomical Society (AAS) was formed in 1969, led by University of Aberdeen’s Professor RV Jones, who is most famously remembered for his work on the development of radar during the Second World War. AAS maintain a close partnership with the University and have been actively engaged with the use of the Cromwell Tower Observatory located in King’s College on the main Old Aberdeen campus.

Other eminent astrophysicists associated with Aberdeen include the Astronomer Royal, Sir David Gill (1843 – 1914), who first measured precisely the distance of the Sun from the Earth and who studied under James Clerk Maxwell (1831 – 1879) who is widely regarded as one of the greatest scientists of all time due to his revolutionary work on the theory of electricity and magnetism.

**We are ranked 6th in the UK for Physics - The Guardian University Guide 2024
We are ranked 2nd in Scotland for Overall Satisfaction - NSS 2023**

Modules

View all modules on the programme page to find out more about what you will be studying and when. University of Aberdeen modules are designed to give you breadth and depth to your degree. The range of modules you study will allow you to become proficient in all subjects which are directly relevant to your degree giving you greater career options.

Assessment methods

The use of various forms of assessment and learning environments facilitates the development of generic transferable skills enhancing student employability.

Students are assessed by any combination of three assessment methods: coursework such as essays and reports completed throughout the course; practical assessments of the skills and competencies they learn on the course; and written examinations at the end of each course. The exact mix of these methods differs between subject areas, years of study and individual courses.

Honours projects are typically assessed on the basis of a written dissertation.

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
£24,800
per year
International
£24,800
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£1,820
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

Extra funding

Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, who pay tuition fees may be eligible for specific scholarships allowing them to receive additional funding. These are designed to provide assistance to help students support themselves during their time at Aberdeen.

View the University of Aberdeen Online Prospectus programme page to find out about any scholarships and funding you may be eligible to apply for.

The Uni

Course location:

University of Aberdeen

Department:

School of Natural and Computing Sciences

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.

87%
Physics

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

70%
Staff make the subject interesting
85%
Staff are good at explaining things
64%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
85%
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

91%
Library resources
88%
IT resources
100%
Course specific equipment and facilities
64%
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?

69%
UK students
31%
International students
65%
Male students
35%
Female students
84%
2:1 or above
12%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
B
C

Astronomy

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.


Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

69%
UK students
31%
International students
65%
Male students
35%
Female students
84%
2:1 or above
12%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
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.

£20,000
med
Average annual salary
90%
low
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

22%
Natural and social science professionals
15%
Other elementary services occupations
14%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

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.

£20,000
med
Average annual salary
90%
low
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

22%
Natural and social science professionals
15%
Other elementary services occupations
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.

£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.

£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.

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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:

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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