BSc (Hons) Physics
DURATION
3 up to 6 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
GBP 13,450 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* international students full time, part time £1680 per 15 credits / UK students full time £9250, part time £1155 per 15 credits / EU students full time £13450, part time £1680 per 15 credits
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
"Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, examinations may be replaced by an alternative form of assessment during the academic year 2021/2022. Please refer to the Programme Specification on these pages for further details."
Why choose this course?
Our degree lets you study the fundamental theories behind Physics and their application to modern-day research and technology. We will take you from the knowledge that you have gained in your school or college studies right the way to the most up-to-date developments.
During your second and third years, you begin to specialise in experimental physics or more theoretical and mathematical concepts. You can choose from a range of options in your final year, including Nonlinear Systems, Rocket Performance and Propulsion, Physics of Stars, Nonlinear Systems, Partial Differential Equations, Dynamics and Geometry, Further Numerical Methods or Quantum Computing.
You will also carry out a final year investigative project in a cutting-edge area of Physics research. You will be closely supervised and guided by one of our experienced researchers in the Centre for Atmospheric & Instrumentation Research. Previous projects have included designing a calibration system for airborne ice sensors, modelling the behaviour of soliton waves in the oceans, and examining quantum dynamics using topological methods.
If you are continuing on our M.Phys programme it is possible to extend your project into your M.Phys year. We also have an innovative strand of industrial projects supported by the Institute of Physics that give you direct experience of working in industrial research.
What's the course about?
Explore the fundamental theories of physics and gain the skills to understand the world in terms of forces and particles in small or complex systems. During this fascinating course, you’ll learn to comprehend everything from the streamlined shape of dolphins to the quantum encryption of messages. The course is informed by our internationally excellent and world-leading physics research, which covers areas such as the microphysics of air quality, atmospheric physics, light scattering, quantum optics and mathematical physics. You’ll also have the option of spending a year working in the industry or at a research institution. Study abroad opportunities is available at universities in Europe, Australia and the USA.
Your main campus is College Lane
This is where the creative arts, science and health-related subjects are based. This means you’ll share the campus with future nurses, scientists, artists and more. You can use the common rooms to relax with friends, work out in the 24-hour gym or have a drink in our on-campus pub or cafes. We also have restaurants for you to eat in or grab something on the go. Our Learning Resources Centres are open 24/7, which means you can study whenever suits you best. Want to pop over to the other campus? You can take the free shuttle bus or walk there in just 15 minutes.
This course includes the options of:
- Work placement
- Study abroad
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Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Curriculum
What will I study?
We take pride in our student-focused approach to teaching Physics. With one of the best student-staff ratios in the country, we are able to put our focus on you as an individual and give you the support that you need to reach your full potential as a Physics graduate. Our graduates are in a wide range of careers, from scientific research to teaching and industry.
We use a variety of teaching methods during our Physics degrees, ranging from small-group tutorials to lectures and practical classes. Our typical intake of students is around 50-60 each year, which means that our class sizes are small enough so that your lecturers will know you by name. We place particular emphasis on transferable skills, employability, and project work throughout the degree.
You will meet your personal tutor on a regular basis in small-group tutorials, which are a great way of reinforcing the material that you learn in lectures. We also offer a wide variety of support throughout your degree, from your lecturers, the School’s Maths Centre, and peer support from our student proctor scheme.
Level 4
- The Physical Universe II 30 Credits II Compulsory
- Mathematical Techniques 1 II 30 Credits II Compulsory
- Special Relativity and Quantum Physics II 30 Credits II Compulsory
- Experimental Physics II 15 Credits II Compulsory
- Computational Modelling II 15 Credits II Compulsory
- Small-Group Tutorial (Level 4) II 0 Credits II Compulsory
Level 5
- Mathematical Techniques 2 II 15 Credits II Compulsory
- Electromagnetism II 15 Credits II Compulsory
- Optics and Lasers II 15 Credits II Compulsory
- Thermodynamics II 15 Credits II Compulsory
- Quantum Mechanics II 15 Credits II Compulsory
- Small-Group Tutorial (Level 5) II 0 Credits II Compulsory
- Career Planning and Development II 0 Credits II Compulsory
- Programming II 15 Credits II Optional
- Professional Teaching Skills II 15 Credits II Optional
- Numerical Methods II 15 Credits II Optional
- Differential Equations II 15 Credits II Optional
- Physics of the Solar System II 15 Credits II Optional
- Extra-Solar Planets II 15 Credits II Optional
- Plasma Physics and Fusion Reactors II 15 Credits II Optional
- Motion and Tensors II 15 Credits II Optional
Level 6
- Condensed States of Matter II 15 Credits II Compulsory
- The Physics of Elementary Particles II 15 Credits II Compulsory
- Physics Project and Investigative Skills II 30 Credits II Compulsory
- Geophysical Fluid Dynamics II 15 Credits II Compulsory
- Rocket Performance and Propulsion II 15 Credits II Optional
- Professional Placement II 0 Credits II Optional
- Space Dynamics II 15 Credits II Optional
- Year Abroad II 0 Credits II Optional
- Computational Physics II 15 Credits II Optional
- Partial Differential Equations II 15 Credits II Optional
- Further Numerical Methods II 15 Credits II Optional
- Nonlinear Systems II 15 Credits II Optional
- Placement with Study Abroad II 0 Credits II Optional
- Star Formation and Evolution II 15 Credits II Optional
- Foundations of Cosmology II 15 Credits II Optional
- The Physics of Astronomical Spectra II 15 Credits II Optional
- Quantum Optics and Information Theory II 15 Credits II Optional
- Applied Optics and Photonics II 15 Credits II Optional
- Lagrangian Dynamics II 15 Credits II Optional
Study abroad
An opportunity for an amazing experience, which will help make you stand out from the crowd. With more and more companies working internationally, the experience of living in another country can make a great impression on future employers.
This course offers you the opportunity to enhance your study and CV with a sandwich year abroad. The University has partnerships with over 150 universities around the world, including the USA, Canada, Asia, Africa, Australia, South America and closer to home in Europe.
If you study abroad between your second and third year of study, you’ll pay no tuition fee to the partner university and no tuition fee to us either. We’ll ask you to make your decision in your second year, so there is plenty of time to think about it.
Work placement
Graduate with invaluable work experience alongside your degree and stand out from the crowd.
This course offers you the opportunity to enhance your study and CV with a work placement sandwich year. It’s a chance to explore career possibilities, make valuable contacts and gain sought after professional skills.
Our dedicated Careers and Employment team are here to help guide you through the process. Within the UK our students have worked at:
- IBM
- Microsoft
- the Rutherford Appleton Labs
- the Met Office and
- the National Physical Laboratory
If you take up a work placement between your second and third year of study, at the University of Hertfordshire you’ll pay no tuition fee for this year. We’ll ask you to make your decision in your second year, so there is plenty of time to think about it.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
What's next for my career?
A physics degree opens up opportunities for careers in industry, teaching, telecommunications, computing, and research. The analytical skills you’ll gain are also highly valued in a variety of non-scientific jobs, including finance, accounting, and commerce. You’ll also be able to progress to postgraduate study.