- UCAS course code
- F3FA
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Course description
This course is designed for students wishing to obtain a solid grounding in physics but who also want to study astronomy. Astrophysics principally involves the application of the laws of physics to distant regions in which the physical conditions can only be inferred from the emission of electromagnetic radiation. During the course you can learn about the Sun and the Solar System, the Stars and the Galaxy, distant galaxies and quasars and the beginning of the universe in the Big Bang. You learn how to apply basic physics in situations that are often extreme compared to those available on earth.
It is possible to transfer to the 3-year BSc course at the beginning of your third year.
See more in our undergraduate handbook where you can find out more information about the course content of your chosen degree programme.
Special features
- You get the chance to conduct experiments based at Jodrell Bank, the home to the world's second largest fully-steerable 76-metre diameter Lovell radio telescope.
- There is an opportunity to spend a period of time studying abroad in Year 2 or 3.
- It is possible to transfer to the 3-year BSc course at the beginning of your third year.
Coursework and assessment
Course unit details
You can find out more information about the course units included in your chosen degree programme here
Course content for year 1
Course units for year 1
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
---|---|---|---|
Mathematics 1 | PHYS10071 | 10 | Mandatory |
Dynamics | PHYS10101 | 10 | Mandatory |
Quantum Physics and Relativity | PHYS10121 | 10 | Mandatory |
Year 1 Lab Work (All Yr) | PHYS10180 | 10 | Mandatory |
Introduction to Astrophysics and Cosmology | PHYS10191 | 10 | Mandatory |
Vibrations & Waves | PHYS10302 | 10 | Mandatory |
Electricity & Magnetism | PHYS10342 | 10 | Mandatory |
Properties of Matter | PHYS10352 | 10 | Mandatory |
Mathematics 2 | PHYS10372 | 10 | Mandatory |
Introduction to Data Science | PHYS10791 | 10 | Mandatory |
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Course content for year 2
Course units for year 2
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
---|---|---|---|
Introduction to Quantum Mechanics | PHYS20101 | 10 | Mandatory |
Electromagnetism | PHYS20141 | 10 | Mandatory |
Introduction to Programming for Physicists | PHYS20161 | 10 | Mandatory |
Mathematics of Waves and Fields | PHYS20171 | 10 | Mandatory |
Year 2 Lab Work (All Yr) | PHYS20180 | 20 | Mandatory |
Fundamentals of Solid State Physics | PHYS20252 | 10 | Mandatory |
Wave Optics | PHYS20312 | 10 | Mandatory |
Statistical Mechanics | PHYS20352 | 10 | Mandatory |
Galaxies | PHYS20491 | 10 | Mandatory |
Astrophysical Processes | PHYS20692 | 10 | Mandatory |
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Course content for year 3
Course units for year 3
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
---|---|---|---|
Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics | PHYS30121 | 10 | Mandatory |
Yr3 Physics Laboratory Work (All Year) | PHYS30180 | 20 | Mandatory |
Cosmology | PHYS30392 | 10 | Mandatory |
Stars and Stellar Evolution | PHYS30692 | 10 | Mandatory |
Particle Physics | PHYS40222 | 10 | Mandatory |
Nuclear Physics | PHYS40322 | 10 | Mandatory |
Quantum Computing | COMP39112 | 10 | Optional |
Comparative Planetology | EART30232 | 10 | Optional |
Meteorology & Atmospheric Physics P511 | EART30351 | 10 | Optional |
Climate and Energy P607 | EART30362 | 10 | Optional |
Displaying 10 of 38 course units for year 3 | |||
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Course content for year 4
Course units for year 4
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
---|---|---|---|
MPhys Project | PHYS40181 | 20 | Mandatory |
MPhys Project | PHYS40182 | 20 | Mandatory |
Quantum Computing | COMP39112 | 10 | Optional |
Comparative Planetology | EART30232 | 10 | Optional |
Meteorology & Atmospheric Physics P511 | EART30351 | 10 | Optional |
Climate and Energy P607 | EART30362 | 10 | Optional |
The Nuclear Age: Global Nuclear Threats from Hiroshima to Today | HSTM31212 | 10 | Optional |
Climate Change & Society | HSTM33201 | 10 | Optional |
Reactor Systems | MACE31642 | 10 | Optional |
Applied Complex Analysis | MATH34001 | 10 | Optional |
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