- UCAS course code
- F305
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Master of Physics (MPhys)
MPhys Physics
Join a physics Department of international renown that offers great choice and flexibility, leading to master's qualification.
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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
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:
Gauge Theories (M)
| Unit code | PHYS40682 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 10 |
| Unit level | Level 4 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 2 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
Gauge Theories (M)
Pre/co-requisites
| Unit title | Unit code | Requirement type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrodynamics (M) | PHYS30441 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
| Quantum Field Theory (M) | PHYS40481 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
Aims
To understand in detail the origin and nature of the fundamental interactions generated by invariance of the Lagrangian under local gauge transformations.
Learning outcomes
On completion successful students will be able to:
1. use concepts of a Lie Algebra and Lie Groups in explaining symmetry properties in physics
2. use the principle of gauge invariance and generalize it from the Abelian theory of Quantum Electrodynamics to the non-Abelian cases of Quantum Chromodynamics and the Standard
Model (SM) of electroweak interactions
3. describe in detail the Higgs mechanism as a means to generate masses for the SM fermions, gauge bosons, and the observed Higgs boson, as well as the role of Yukawa interactions in explaining lepton- and quark-mixing phenomena in electroweak processes
4. explain the ideas and concepts involved in the motivation and construction of theories beyond the SM, including Grand Unified Theories
Syllabus
1. Preliminaries (2 lectures)
Abelian gauge invariance, Quantum Electrodynamics (QED);
QED Feynman rules.
2. Group Theory (4 lectures)
Lie groups; SO(N) and SU(N) Groups; Group representations
3. Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) (6 lectures)
Non-Abelian gauge invariance; Fadeev-Popov Ghosts;
Becchi-Rouet-Stora Transformations; QCD Fenyman Rules;
Asymptotic Freedom and Confinement.
4. The Standard Model (SM) of Electroweak Interactions (8 lectures)
Goldstone Theorem; Higgs Mechanism; Yukawa Interactions; Quark and Lepton Mixing;
SM Feynam Rules, Unitarity and renormalizability of the SM.
5. Beyond the Standard Model (4 lectures)
Grand Unification and Supersymmetry
Assessment methods
| Method | Weight |
|---|---|
| Written exam | 100% |
Feedback methods
Feedback will be available on students’ individual written solutions to examples sheets, which will be marked, and model answers will be issued.
Recommended reading
Cheng T. P. and Li L. F., Gauge Theory of Elementary Particle Physics, Oxford University Press, 1984.
Peskin M. E. and Schroeder D. V., Quantum Field Theory, Perseus Books Group, 1995.
Pokorski S., Gauge Field Theories, Cambridge University Press, 2000, Second Edition.
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Assessment written exam | 1.5 |
| Lectures | 24 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 74.5 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Mrinal Dasgupta | Unit coordinator |