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Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,B-B,B,C

112-120 points from 2 or 3 A levels, including an A level in a relevant subject.

112-122 Tariff points from the Access to HE Diploma in a relevant subject.

Cambridge Pre-U score of 54-56, to include a Principal subject in relevant subject.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE English, Mathematics and Science at grade C or above, or equivalent/GCSE English, Mathematics and Science at grade 4 or above, or equivalent.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

29

29 points from the IB Diploma. 655/754 at Higher Level, including a Higher Level in a relevant subject. - 29 points from the IB Diploma. 664 at Higher Level, including a Higher Level in a relevant subject.

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

H3,H3,H3,H3,H4-H3,H3,H3,H3,H3


To include a Higher Level in a relevant subject.

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.

Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.

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

DDM-DMM

Must be in a relevant subject.

112-120 Tariff points, to include an Advanced Higher in a relevant subject.

UCAS Tariff

112-120

112-120 points from 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, to include a relevant subject.

112-120 points from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate including 2 A levels one of which must be a relevant subject, plus the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate.

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

4 years | Sandwich | 2024

Subjects

Astrophysics

Physics

**This is a Connected Degree**

Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.

**Overview**

95% of the universe exists in a form we still don't understand. Explore stars, galaxies, black holes and gravitational waves – joining an international community looking for answers.

On this Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology degree course, you’ll deepen your understanding of the fundamental laws of physics, and apply this knowledge to the structure and behaviour of some of the largest and smallest elements of existence.

You'll be taught by and study alongside researchers from the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG) who play leading roles in major international projects, such as the European Space Agency Euclid satellite. You’ll graduate with mathematical and computational knowledge sought after by employers in many industries, from aerospace to finance.

**BSc or MPhys?**

You can study this course as a 3-year Bachelor's degree (BSc) or a 4-year integrated Master's degree (MPhys). The MPhys allows you to achieve a Master’s level degree with just one extra year of undergraduate study, further enhancing your career prospects.

**Course highlights**

- See physics theory in practice through visits to aerospace companies such as BAE Systems, Airbus Defence and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL)

- Access Hampshire Astronomical Group facilities at Clanfield Observatory, including various telescopes such as a 24-inch reflector, to observe the stars and galaxies and collect project data

- Study alongside researchers from the University's physics research teams (and contribute to their work in your final project), whose research was ranked in the top 10 nationally for quality of research outputs

- Use advanced technical equipment with the help of expert technical staff, including x-ray diffraction, x-ray fluorescence, electron and atomic force microscopes, various types of spectroscopy and the SCIAMA supercomputer

- Develop the professional skills and standards you need as a practicing physicist, through a major research project in your final year

- Access large datasets produced by international-level sky surveys, including the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, when you take the MPhys degree course

**Accreditation**
This course is accredited by the Institute of Physics (IoP).

As a supporter of the Institute of Physics Project Juno, we're committed to addressing the under-representation of women in physics and gender equality in higher education and research.

**Careers and opportunities**

The UK government has an ambitious plan to double investment in the space economy by 2030 which means there's now high demand for skilled people to meet this growth. In fact, the sector is currently recruiting more graduates that before, and giving further training internally.

Physics and astronomy graduates are earning an average of £33,500 5 years after graduation, and you've got the potential to reach a salary in the range of £40,000 to £75,000 as a senior professional, professor or researcher.

What jobs can you do with a physics, astrophysics and cosmology degree?

You could apply your skills and knowledge in areas such as:

- cosmology

- astrophysics

- astronomy and theoretical physics

- space systems and aerospace industry

- education

- scientific journalism

- medical physics

- finance

- data analysis

After the course you could also continue your studies to a PhD or other postgraduate qualification.

After you leave the University, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from our Careers and Employability service as you advance in your career.

Modules

Year 1

Core modules include:
- Electricity and Magnetism
- Introduction to Computational physics
- Introduction to Laboratory and Field Physics
- Introduction to Mathematical Physics 1
- Introduction to Mathematical Physics 2
- Space Science and Applications of Physics

Year 2

Core modules include:
- Introduction to Modern Physics
- Mathematical Physics
- Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics
- Waves and Optics

Optional modules include:
- Computational Physics
- Modern Foreign Language
- Mechanics and Dynamics
- Practical Laboratory and Field Physics
- Universe: Planetary Systems, Stars and Galaxies

Placement year (optional)

Year 3

Core modules include:
- Modern Astrophysics
- Physical Cosmology
- Solid State Physics and Detectors

Optional modules include:
- Group Project
- Health Physics
- Introduction to General Relativity and Cosmology
- Introduction to Multiferroic Materials and their Applications
- Mathematical Methods for Physics
- Nanoscale Surface Physics
- Particle Physics
- Project
- Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Information
- Statistical Learning
- Undergraduate Ambassador

We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.

Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.

Assessment methods

Assessment opportunities are varied and balanced between coursework and different types of examination including laboratory reports, individual or group presentations and posters, coursework problem sheets, computer modelling reports and open and closed book examinations.

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
£9,250
per year
International
£19,200
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 Portsmouth

Department:

Faculty of Technology

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.

88%
Astrophysics
85%
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.

Astronomy

Teaching and learning

88%
Staff make the subject interesting
83%
Staff are good at explaining things
69%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
70%
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

90%
Library resources
83%
IT resources
93%
Course specific equipment and facilities
67%
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?

90%
UK students
10%
International students
71%
Male students
29%
Female students
78%
2:1 or above
8%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
D
D

Physics

Teaching and learning

85%
Staff make the subject interesting
85%
Staff are good at explaining things
76%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
77%
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
85%
IT resources
92%
Course specific equipment and facilities
68%
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
78%
Male students
22%
Female students
81%
2:1 or above
9%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
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.

£22,000
med
Average annual salary
94%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

23%
Engineering professionals
10%
Business, research and administrative professionals
10%
Science, engineering and production technicians

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.

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.

£22,000
med
Average annual salary
94%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

23%
Engineering professionals
10%
Business, research and administrative professionals
10%
Science, engineering and production technicians

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.

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.

£18k

£18k

£26k

£26k

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.

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.

£18k

£18k

£26k

£26k

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...

Higher entry requirements
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BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
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Lower entry requirements
University of York | York
Physics with Astrophysics
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 54-136
Same University
University of Portsmouth | Portsmouth
Physics
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 112-128

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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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