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Research degrees

 

The department has a excellent reputation in its active research profile and has a strong publication profile, with many externally funded projects. There are several academic staff with internationally leading reputations in the areas of current excitement in physics, including Professor Anatoly Zayats, an expert in the field of plasmonics, and Professor John Ellis CBE FRS, a leading figure at CERN and an expert in theorised super symmetric particles.

The PhD degree is a research degree, meaning that the students are assessed on a thesis presenting original results obtained in the course of their research. The department has a reputation as a friendly and supportive environment. 

It is possible to undertake research leading to the PhD degree in any of the areas of interest of the Department of Physics. Each physics PhD student has a main supervisor who directs their work throughout the research degree - suggesting research problems and background reading, and recommending lecture courses, research seminars, and conferences.

If you are interested in a PhD at King's in the Department of Physics, you should identify research topics and academic staff in your area of interest. Further details of projects, potential supervisors and research areas can be found on the Group pages.

Courses

Qualification(s): MPhil/PhD 
Duration: 3.5 years

Join the Mechanics of Life Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarship Programme.

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Qualification(s): MPhil  PhD 
Duration: 3 years full-time, 4-6 years part-time

Physics Research PhD / MPhil from the Department of Physics at King's College London

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Postgraduate Admissions Tutor

Dr Evgeny Kozik

Postgraduate Programme Officer

Research environment

Physics has been studied and taught at King's College London since the foundation of the College in 1829 and many distinguished physicists have worked within the department in that time.

Today physicists at King's are developing new ways to study the molecular processes in biological cells which cause cancer and other diseases, working to understand how the focus between the individual atoms and molecules on the nanoscale shape our macroscopic world, development and application of advanced photonic and scanning probe techniques and of novel nanomaterials and continuing Maxwell's work in the unification of physics.

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Postgraduate study info

Postgraduate study info

The King's Admissions Office is here to help you throughout the application process. We hope the…

 

 

Funding in the Department of Physics

There are a number of funding schemes available. Some cover both stipend (to cover living costs) and College fees, while others may cover fees only.

King’s College London and the Department of Physics have several funding sources for PhD studentships available. Some of the main studentships are listed below. Please note that many other studentship schemes are available and you are encouraged  to refer to the King’s Graduate Study webpages which provide a comprehensive database of funding schemes. Please note that each funding scheme has specific eligibility requirements. For further details on the Centre for Doctoral Studies' administered postgraduate research degree (PGR) funding, visit the postgraduate study pages.

Funded projects are advertised on FindAPhD.com. Eligibility criteria may vary and applicants should liase with the supervisor before submitting their application. 

The Department of Physics provides PhD studentship funding for exceptional candidates in all research areas relevant to the Biological Physics & Soft Matter (BPSM) group, Photonics & Nanotechnology (P&N) group, Theory & Simulation of Condensed Matter (TSCM) group & Theoretical Particle Physics & Cosmology (TPPC) group. We will consider all eligible applicants who applied for entry to our PhD programme.

To be eligible for a full studentship (stipend plus fees), applicants must be a UK resident for a period of 3 years immediately prior to the date of application for an award. Residents of other member states of the European Union are eligible for fees-only awards. Applicants from outside the European Union are not eligible for support from the EPSRC DTA grant. Note that these are the basic criteria imposed by the EPSRC. We will check all applicants for eligibility.

Apply for a studentship quoting the name of the research group.

The Graduate School administers a range of postgraduate research degree (PGR) funding schemes that are open to international students and lso supports a number of schemes that are funded through external sponsors.

This fully funded scholarship is available to non-UK and non-EU based students. We will release the information soon, so please check back on this page regularly as the application process is slightly different. The deadline is 11 January 2019, and the student needs to put in explicitly 1920-PGR-INT in the "Funding" section of their application. Please see go to the Postgraduate Funding page for more information.

The Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences offers funding in the Departments of Chemistry, Engineering, Informatics, Mathematics and Physics. The Studentship is funded for 3.5 years, with a bursary starting at the standard research council rate, and which will cover the full cost of Home/EU tuition fees.

We have some limited funding for UK Home students and EU students; you will be automatically considered once you apply.

 

 

Teaching opportunities for PGR students

While undertaking your doctoral studies you will also have the opportunity to become a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA). Whether you plan to enter academia or not, teaching experience will develop your communication and presentation skills.

PhD students can be hired to take tutorials for undergraduate students, though please bear in mind you must not take on more than six hours per week of teaching on average, as it will detract from your research work.

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