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Physics

Entry requirements


A level

A,A,B-A,B,B

including Mathematics and Physics.

2 AS Levels accepted in place of 1 A-Level, must be alongside Mathematics and Physics A-Level.

Pass Diploma in relevant subject with at least 45 credits at Level 3, including a minimum of 30 credits in Physics and Maths at Distinction.

This qualification is only acceptable when combined with other qualifications.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

30

To include: 5 in HL Maths and 5 in HL Physics OR 6 in HL Maths and 6 in SL Physics. OR 6 in HL Physics and 6 in SL Maths Analysis & Approaches (SL Maths Applications & Interpretation not accepted) HL Maths accepted within both Analysis & Approaches and Applications & Interpretation

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

H2,H2,H2,H2,H3

including H2 in Mathematics and Physics.

Must be in a relevant subject. Will consider when combined with A-Level Mathematics. Contact [email protected] for further advice.

Accepted when combined with Mathematics and Physics A-Levels.

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

DDM

in Science or Engineering, plus grade B in Mathematics at A-Level.

Scottish Advanced Higher

A,B,B

including Mathematics and Physics.

Scottish Higher

A,A,B,B,B,B

Grade A required in Mathematics and Physics.

ABB from two A-levels including Mathematics and Physics and the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma Skills Challenge.

UCAS Tariff

128-174

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

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Physics

This four-year degree expands on the Physics BSc to prepare you for high-level entry into industry. It’s also a solid base for pursuing PhD research.

All our Physics students study the same core of fundamental physics and maths, based on Institute of Physics (IOP) 'core of physics' material. This includes classical mechanics, waves and fields, electromagnetism, special relativity, thermodynamics, quantum and atomic physics. By choosing the Physics MPhys you will have access to the widest range of specialist options in each year.

As a physics student at Leicester you will acquire an appreciation of the scope and impact of modern physics and the use of mathematics, computing and experimentation to solve important real-world problems.

You will study the fundamental theories of physics, from classical mechanics, waves and fields, to relativity, atomic and particle physics. Through option courses and projects you will have the opportunity to explore the areas of physics linked to the School's world-leading research - such as planetary science, climate physics, nanotechnology, astrophysics, medical physics and space science.

What's the difference?
Our three-year BSc degrees provide an excellent route to a very wide range of careers in industry and business
Our four-year MPhys degrees are aimed at students considering a career or further training in scientific research
Transfer between BSc and MPhys degrees is possible during your first and second years (subject to meeting the required end-of-year mark). It is also possible to transfer between different Physics degrees as long as you have taken the required number of options. Staff in the School will be available to offer help and advice.

Modules

For more information on this course and a full list of modules, visit the course information page on our website

Assessment methods

For more information on the methods of assessment on this course, visit the course information page on our website

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
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of Leicester

Department:

School of Physics and Astronomy

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.

93%
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

94%
Staff make the subject interesting
94%
Staff are good at explaining things
87%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
86%
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

87%
Library resources
96%
IT resources
95%
Course specific equipment and facilities
91%
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?

93%
UK students
7%
International students
75%
Male students
25%
Female students
82%
2:1 or above
12%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
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
93%
med
Employed or in further education
68%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

30%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals
11%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
11%
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.

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.

£23k

£23k

£31k

£31k

£32k

£32k

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...

Lower entry requirements
University of York | York
Physics with Astrophysics (with a year in Industry)
MPhys (Hons) 5 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 60-144
Nearby University
University of Lincoln | Lincoln
Physics with Astrophysics
MPhys (Hons) 4 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 128
Same University
University of Leicester | Leicester
Physics with Space Science
MPhys (Hons) 4 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 128-174
Higher entry requirements
University of Birmingham | Birmingham
Physics
MPhys (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 152-192

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

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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.

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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.

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