Entry requirements
A level
A*AA in three A levels including Mathematics and Physics with A* in Maths or Physics. If you are taking a GCE A level in a science subject, you will need to pass any separate science practical endorsement. Alternative offer AAA in three A levels including Mathematics and Physics plus one of: grade M1 in Cambridge Pre-U Global Perspectives grade A in an EPQ grade B in the Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate grade A in AS level Further Mathematics grade B in a fourth A level, where your four A levels include A level Further Mathematics If you receive an offer for this course and are studying one of these qualifications you will be given both the typical and alternative offer. If you are taking a GCE A level in a science subject, you will need to pass any separate science practical endorsement.
Access to HE Diploma
A pass in the Access to HE Diploma in Science or Science and Engineering, with at least 39 credits achieved at Distinction. This must include 12 credits achieved at Distinction from Mathematics units and 12 credits achieved at Distinction from Physics units.
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
D2, D3, D3 in three principal subjects including Mathematics and Physics with D2 in Mathematics or Physics. Alternative offer D3, D3, D3 in three principal subjects including Mathematics and Physics plus one of: grade M1 in Cambridge Pre-U Global Perspectives grade A in an EPQ grade B in the Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate grade M1 in a fourth principal subject, where your four principal subjects include Further Mathematics If you receive an offer for this course and are studying one of these qualifications you will be given both the typical and alternative offer.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
36 points overall and 7, 6, 6 in three Higher Level subjects including Physics and either HL Mathematics. We have a strong preference for applicants who offer Mathematics and Physics at Higher Level. We may be able to consider you if you are studying Physics or Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches at Standard Level (but not both). Our typical offer in this instance would be 36 points overall with 6, 6, 6 or 7, 6, 5 in three Higher Level subjects including 6 in Physics or either HL Mathematics plus 7 in Standard Level Physics or Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches.
Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)
D*D*D* in the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (QCF) plus grade A in A level Mathematics. Due to the mathematical content of the course, you will need A level Mathematics alongside your BTEC qualification. We are able to consider BTEC qualifications in Applied Science and you need to have studied as many units in Physical Science as possible. Please contact us to discuss the suitability of your units before making an application.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
D*DD in the BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (RQF) plus grade A in A level Mathematics. Due to the mathematical content of the course, you will need A level Mathematics alongside your BTEC qualification. We are able to consider BTEC qualifications in Applied Science and you need to have studied as many units in Physical Science as possible. Please contact us to discuss the suitability of your units before making an application.
Scottish Advanced Higher
AA in two Advanced Highers including Mathematics and Physics. We make offers based on Advanced Highers. You will typically be expected to have completed five Scottish Highers and your grades in these will be considered as part of your application. We prefer applicants who have achieved AAAAA in their Highers.
UCAS Tariff
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About this course
Explore the complexities of physics, develop a deep understanding of the fundamental principles of physics and get involved in our research.
This is our broadest physics degree and gives you the opportunity to explore a wide range of areas in physics, from the nanoscale to the most energetic processes in the Universe.
As well as gaining a deep knowledge and understanding of physics, you’ll graduate with strong experimental, mathematical and computational expertise. You’ll also gain powerful problem-solving, analytical and critical thinking skills, preparing you not only for a career in physics, but for many other fields as well.
If you want a more in-depth study experience, you could consider applying for our MPhys Physics course.
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.
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
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
Top job areas of graduates
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.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Physics and 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
£31k
£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 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.
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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
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.
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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.
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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
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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?
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