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Astrophysics

Entry requirements


120 UCAS Points including A-Level BB in Physics and Maths. Use of Maths and General Studies not accepted

120 points including 15 level 3 credits at D in Maths and 15 level 3 credits at D in Physics

GCSE/National 4/National 5

5 GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above including Maths and English or equivalent. Equivalent qualifications are Functional Skills Level 2 in Maths and English or Level 3 Key Skills in Maths and Communication.

Pass IB Diploma including 120 UCAS points from Higher Level subjects, including HL5 in Physics and Maths

120 UCAS Points including Physics and Maths at H1

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma

DDM

only accepted alongside A-level Maths and Physics at grade BB

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

DDM

only accepted alongside A-level Maths and Physics at grade BB

120 UCAS Points including Physics and Maths at grade BB.

UCAS Tariff

120

including A-Level BB in Physics and Maths

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Astrophysics

**Course Overview**

Did you ever wonder how stars and galaxies came to be? An Astrophysics degree can provide the answer. You'll gain the skills, methods and knowledge to investigate the physics of our universe.

**Why study with us**

- Learn at one of the UK’s best-equipped teaching observatories, with our recent £200,000 investment in probably the most powerful modern optical telescope available in the country.

- You’ll have access to specialist laboratory facilities for the study of nuclear physics, mechanics, optics, quantum physics, laser physics, spectroscopy and astrophysics .

- You’ll develop your mathematical skills, and benefit from a state-of-the art learning environment for practical analysis, interpretation and modelling of astronomical data.

**What you’ll do**

- This course begins with the same introductory modules as both our Physics and Physics with Astrophysics courses, so you’ll have the flexibility to switch within your first year.

- We collaborate with some of the world’s leaders in the field, including NASA and the Southern African Large Telescope: you’ll become an active part of our vibrant research culture, learning from research-informed teaching, working on projects and even joining funded internships.

- If you’re doing well on the BSc programme, you can step up to the MPhys route – an ideal option for a career in scientific research.

**Accreditations**

- This course is accredited by the IOP, the professional body and learned society for physics in the UK and Ireland. On completion of this course graduates can progress towards Chartered Physicist (Phys) status.

**Future careers**

Our BSc (Hons) Astrophysics degree course provides the analytical and mathematical skills which are prized across a range of industries, as well as a strong foundation for a career in research.

Modules

Please visit The University of Central Lancashire’s website for the latest information about our modules.

Tuition fees

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

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of Central Lancashire

Department:

School of Engineering and Computing

Read full university profile

What students say


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.

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?

89%
UK students
11%
International students
82%
Male students
18%
Female students
73%
2:1 or above
26%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
D

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.

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.

£19,200
med
Average annual salary
76%
low
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

16%
Science, engineering and production technicians
11%
Protective service occupations
11%
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.

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.

£22k

£22k

£28k

£28k

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.

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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.

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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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here