- UCAS course code
- F345
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Bachelor of Science (BSc)
BSc Physics with Theoretical Physics
Duration: 3 years
Year of entry: 2025
UCAS course code: F345 / Institution code: M20
- Key features:
Scholarships available
Accredited course
- Typical A-level offer: A*A*A including specific subjects
- Typical contextual A-level offer: A*AA including specific subjects
- Refugee/care-experienced offer: AAA including specific subjects
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 38 points overall with 7,7,6 at HL, including specific requirements
Fees and funding
Fees
Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £36,500 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
The University of Manchester is committed to attracting and supporting the very best students. We have a focus on nurturing talent and ability and we want to make sure that you have the opportunity to study here, regardless of your financial circumstances.
For information about scholarships and bursaries please visit our undergraduate student finance pages and our Department funding pages .Course unit details:
Physics of the Solar System
| Unit code | PHYS10692 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 10 |
| Unit level | Level 1 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 2 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
Physics of the Solar System
Pre/co-requisites
| Unit title | Unit code | Requirement type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics 1 | PHYS10071 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
| Introduction to Astrophysics and Cosmology | PHYS10191 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
Aims
To show how many Solar System phenomena may be understood in terms of the physics already known to first year students.
Learning outcomes
ILO 1 - Explain the origin of concepts of date and time in motions within the solar system.
ILO 2 - Apply dynamical principles to understand gravitational phenomena in the solar system, including orbits, space travel and tides.
ILO 3 - Describe key features of the energy generation and internal structure of the Sun and explain how these can be determined from observation.
ILO 4 - Describe and use techniques to determine the internal structure of planets and physical properties of their surfaces and atmospheres.
ILO 5 - Explain current ideas for the origin of the solar system
Syllabus
1. Overview of the Solar System
General description and inventory. Coordinates and time keeping. Date & time in the solar system
2. Gravity
Kepler's laws; energy; orbits; space travel; tides.
3. The Sun
Plasma and magnetism; nuclear energy and solar neutrinos; helioseismology.
4. Planetary atmospheres
Origins; equilibrium temperatures; pressure and temperature profiles; atmospheric escape; composition; clouds; climate.
5. Planetary surfaces
Impact craters. Isotope dating.
6. Planetary interiors
Moments of inertia; seismology; volcanoes & plate tectonics; heating & cooling; magnetic fields.
7. The formation of the solar system
Interstellar origins; planet formation; future evolution.
Teaching and learning methods
The course content is delivered via lectures (with notes and recordings available online) and interactive sessions in which solutions to problems will be discussed. Weekly online quizzes with automatic feedback will help with embedding course content. Weekly formative problem sheets with model solutions are also presented online.
Assessment methods
| Method | Weight |
|---|---|
| Written exam | 100% |
Feedback methods
Students will receive feedback on a number of optional problem sheets.There will also be weekly quizzes to provide feedback on understanding.
Recommended reading
An Introduction to the Solar System, revised ed., 2011, Rothery, McBride & Gilmour (Cambridge University Press)
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 24 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 76 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Timothy O'Brien | Unit coordinator |