We have designed our joint honours Physics & Philosophy BSc to offer you the opportunity to study both subjects at degree level. The course is split equally between physics and philosophy modules, but you can specialise in one discipline in your final year if you choose. Ours is one of the few physics and philosophy joint honours courses that follows an integrated approach to the two subjects, with modules in the philosophy of physics and philosophy of science offering you a deeper understanding and alternative perspective on some of the conceptual puzzles that you will encounter in your physics courses.
The physics section of the course covers core theoretical aspects of physics and includes areas such as relativity, quantum mechanics, fields and waves, electromagnetism and nuclear physics.
This will give you important numerical and analytical skills, as well as prepare you for further study in theoretical physics.
In the philosophy section of the course, you will learn to tackle difficult questions about the world, our knowledge of it, and our values. This will give you highly transferable and valuable skills in reasoning and argument. We have designed our first-year philosophy modules to give you a good grounding in a range of important philosophical topics. In your second and particularly third year, you are free to choose from the exceptionally broad range of philosophical topics that we offer. At the same time, modules in the Philosophy of Spacetime Physics, the Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics and the Philosophy of Science offer you the opportunity to apply your reasoning skills to physics and to explore some of the fascinating problems encountered in interpreting modern physics.
Problem solving and project work is very important for us, as it teaches you team-work, group organisation, and the skills of oral and poster presentations. We also allow you to work with a school, to experience teaching and to develop the skill of presenting information at an understandable level.
Teaching
We will teach you through a combination of lectures and laboratory classes, seminars, tutorials and project work. All of our academic staff are involved with the undergraduate teaching course.
You are expected to spend approximately 10 hours work per credit for each module you attend in your degree, e.g. 150 hours work for a 15 credit module. These hours cover every aspect of the module.
Assessment
We assess our modules through written exams and essays, with some class testing, assignment reports and oral presentations.