Computational Physics - course unit details - MPhys Physics - full details (2025 entry)

Duration: 4 years
Year of entry: 2025
UCAS course code: F305 / 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

Full entry requirements How to apply

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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:
Computational Physics

Course unit fact file
Unit code	PHYS20762
Credit rating	10
Unit level	Level 2
Teaching period(s)	Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit?	No

Overview

Computational Physics

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title	Unit code	Requirement type	Description
Introduction to Programming for Physicists	PHYS20161	Pre-Requisite	Compulsory

Aims

To give an introduction to the techniques of computational physics and dynamic high-level scripting programming languages.

Learning outcomes

On completion successful students will be able to:

1. Write programs using dynamic high-level scripting programming languages and carry out data analysis in them.

2. Use classical numerical methods (Euler and higher order) to find solutions of ordinary differential equations.

3. Use Monte Carlo techniques and associated statistical methods.

4. Use numerical solutions to analyse the behaviour of a physical system (such as a driven oscillator).

Syllabus

1. Use of high-level scripting language for data analysis.

a) Definitions of variables and arrays; scalar and array operations; built in and user-defined functions;

b) Working with data sets: file input / output. Data visualization and plotting;

c) Revision of error analysis: X2 analysis, errors on fitting coefficients, propagation of errors;

Project 1 is formative, but will not directly contribute to your final mark.

2. Numerical methods and the solution of ordinary differential equations

a) Introduction to numerical computing; errors in numerical methods.

b) Numerical methods for solving ordinary differential equations; Euler’s method; higher order methods, symplectic methods;

c) Implementation of numerical methods.

d) The linear driven damped oscillator; phase space; conserved quantities; sources of simulation error.

Project 2 will constitute 50% of the final mark.

3. The Monte Carlo method and its applications.

a) Introduction to Monte Carlo methods; Monte Carlo integration; classical problems;

b) Pseudorandom sampling; methods of generating samples with given probability density;

c) Applications of Monte Carlo methods;

d) Statistical errors.

Project 3

Will constitute 50% of the final mark.

Assessment methods

You will carry out 3 short projects (as an individual, not in a pair or group). You must PASS projects 1 (receive more than 40%) to be allowed to submit projects 2 and 3. The final two projects contribute 50% each to the final mark, respectively.

Feedback methods

Feedback will be given orally by demonstrators during lab sessions and additional written feedback will be provided with the mark for each project.

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Practical classes & workshops	36

Independent study hours
Independent study	64

Teaching staff

Staff member	Role
Saeed Bahramy	Unit coordinator
Draga Pihler-Puzovic	Unit coordinator

Additional notes

All material for the unit, such as videos, example scripts and notes, is available online via Blackboard.

* Tutorial = online classes

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MPhys Physics