Please note the course details apply to 2025 entry. Details for 2026 entry for our undergraduate courses will be published from September 2025.
This interesting and challenging Physics & Philosophy MSci will enable you to investigate the connection between these two subjects and take this study to master’s level in both. You will study the fundamental aspects of physics, including relativity, quantum mechanics, fields and waves, electromagnetism and nuclear physics. Studying philosophy will help you to develop your understanding of reality and our knowledge of it, as well as develop skills in reasoning and arguments. Women in STEM Scholarship The Faculty funds a scholarship for female undergraduate applicants, as part of its commitment to increasing the representation of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Find out more about eligibility and how to apply at the link in the sidebar.
“Physics & Philosophy is unique in a way no other degree is. It teaches you invaluable life skills such as how to think critically”
We have designed our joint honours Physics & Philosophy MSci to offer you the opportunity to study both subjects at master’s level. The course is initially split equally between physics and philosophy modules, with the opportunity to specialise in one discipline in the final years 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 of 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, including 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 preparing you for further study in theoretical physics. By taking appropriate module options and project choices, you could also pursue further study in experimental physics should you wish to do so. In the philosophy section of the course you will learn to address 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 philosophy modules during the first year to give you a good grounding in a range of important philosophical concepts. Later on you will be free to choose from an exceptionally broad range of philosophical topics. 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. In the final year, you will undertake a Physics project and research and write a Philosophy dissertation to explore your own academic interests. You will also be able to choose from a wide range of modules from either discipline, including modules offered by the Mathematics department, or from another University of London college (Royal Holloway). We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment. This course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Strand Campus. Our central location gives you easy access to major libraries and many leading societies, including the Institute of Physics. You will also benefit from the extensive social and cultural offerings of one of the world’s most exciting and vibrant cities.
Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.
Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.
King's College London and Affiliates
King's is regulated by the Office for Students
Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels.
Must include grade A in Mathematics and Physics. Notes: If you are taking linear A-levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all Science subjects. This is with the exception of private candidates who are unable to take the practical component. We do not consider the EPQ at any point of the assessment process.
AAC Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels. Must include grade A in Mathematics and Physics. Notes: If you are taking linear A-levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all Science subjects. This is with the exception of private candidates who are unable to take the practical component. We do not consider the EPQ at any point of the assessment process.
36 points overall or an aggregate score of 18 from three Higher Levels.
Must include grade 6 in Higher Level Mathematics and Physics. Notes: The total point score of 36 includes TOK/EE. Note: IB students studying the new Mathematics curriculum would be required to study Mathematics - Analysis and Approaches at Higher Level to meet the Mathematics subject requirement for this programme.
33 points overall or an aggregate score of 16 from three Higher Levels. Must include grade 6 in Higher Level in both Mathematics and Physics. Notes: The total point score of 33 includes TOK/EE. IB students studying the new Maths curriculum would be required to study Analysis and Approaches at Higher Level to meet the subject requirement for this programme
ATAS
An ATAS certificate is required by the UK government for students who will be commencing on this programme, where the student requires a visa to study in the UK. However, this requirement is waived by the UK government for students who are nationals of EU countries, the European Economic Area (EEA), Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the United States. Further guidance on obtaining an ATAS certificate can be found on our Student Services pages, where you can also find the contact details for our Student Advice team, where specialist visa advice can be obtained.
If you meet the criteria for requiring an ATAS certificate, and you receive an offer to study on this programme at King's, and you accept the offer, then you should ensure that you apply for the ATAS certificate in good time to ensure that, if you meet all conditions of your offer, we are able to issue your CAS promptly.
The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be 60 credits in total.
Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits overall: 36 credits must be from units awarded at Distinction, with 9 at Merit. The Access to Higher Education Diploma must include at least 15 Level 3 credits in Mathematics awarded at Distinction, and at least 15 Level 3 credits in Physics awarded at Distinction. The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be in a relevant subject - Science or similar - to be considered.
The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be 60 credits in total. Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits overall: 30 credits must be from units awarded at Distinction, with 12 at Merit, and 3 at Pass. The Access to Higher Education Diploma must include at least 15 Level 3 credits in Mathematics awarded at Distinction, and at least 15 Level 3 credits in Physics awarded at Distinction. The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be in a relevant subject - Science or similar - to be considered.
Course specific subject requirements are indicated in subject requirements above
English language band: D
Please note that nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries (as defined by UKVI) who have successfully completed high school in the respective country, are not required to complete an English language test. For information on our English requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.
Contextual consideration
We make contextual offers for this programme, which can be found in the entry requirements. As part of the assessment process, we take into account contextual information to gain a more complete picture of each application. More information can be found on the Contextualised admissions website.
Deferrals
Applications can be submitted for deferred entry by choosing the appropriate year of entry on the UCAS application.
If your circumstances change and, therefore, you need to request a deferral after an offer has been made, then we can generally permit these for this programme. However, each deferral request will be considered on a case-by-case basis and we reserve the right to decline any post-offer deferral request. Requests should be submitted via a message on King’s Apply with an explanation of the reason for making the request.
Please note, second deferral requests will only be considered where the request is due to extreme unforeseen extenuating circumstances, for example, health reasons. We are unable to permit deferral requests that go beyond two years and you would need to apply again. This is with the exception of deferrals which are due to military/national service.
Foundation courses
Applicants studying Foundation Year programmes in the UK are welcome to apply for this programme. Foundation programmes from other universities and further education providers in the UK are considered on a case-by-case basis. Whether or not we can consider a particular foundation year as suitable for study at King's depends on the content of the syllabus and modules studied. In the past we have accepted foundation programmes from a number of other institutions.
We are unable to accept Foundation programmes that are integrated as part of a main degree at another institution. These may be called Year 0 or Integrated Foundations. We are also unable to accept non-UK Foundation courses.
Once you have submitted an application, the Admissions Office may contact you via King's Apply to ask for further details on your qualification, such as a list of modules and course specifications.
The King's International Foundation Programme has guaranteed pathways available for progression onto our King's undergraduate degree programmes, and information can be found on the website.
Graduates
Our general entry requirements are based on A-level or equivalent. However, where an applicant is completing/has completed a degree, we are able to consider the degree study as part of the assessment of the application.
Generally, we would consider a minimum of a UK Bachelor degree with a 2:1 grade profile (or overseas equivalent) as meeting the entry requirements for our undergraduate degrees. However, those who have achieved/are predicted a high 2:1 or a First may be considered more competitive.
Where a programme has subject requirements, these will still need to have been met. If you have not met the subject requirements via A-level (or equivalent) then we may be able to consider the content within your degree. We would be looking for significant study of the subjects across the degree programme with a 2:1 or above grading on those modules.
Once you have submitted an application, the Admissions Office may contact you via King's Apply to ask for further details on your degree study.
Personal Statement
Your personal statement is one of the many factors in the overall assessment of your application, and is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the university and inform us of your commitment to the programme and profession as well as any work experience or extracurricular activities you have done.
Resits
We are able to consider applicants who have retaken or are retaking their qualifications.
Transfers
We are able to consider applications for transfer into Year 2 of this programme. Please see our Transferring to King’s website for more information.
If you don't have a suitable qualification for direct entry to a UK university, we can help with our Foundation year courses.
If you have an offer from King's, but English isn't your first language, we have courses to help you.
We will teach you through lectures, seminars, laboratory classes, tutorials and project work.
Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work, e.g. 150 hours work for a 15 credit module. These hours cover every aspect of the module, including independent study.
Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations. Forms of assessment may typically include written exams and essays, with some class testing, assignment reports and oral presentations.
The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.
Courses are divided into modules. You will normally take modules totalling 495 credits.
In your first year you will take 75 credits in Physics and 45 credits in Philosophy. In Physics, you are required to take:
In Philosophy, you are required to take 30 credits, one from each of the following groups:
Group A:
Group B:
There are no optional Physics modules in your first year. In Philosophy, you are required to take 15 credits from a range of optional modules, which may typically include:
Any of the required philosophy modules listed above.
King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.
Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.
Our Physics and philosophy graduates are in high demand because employers recognise the wide range of skills that they possess. We train physicists to be good problem solvers, to think logically and to apply mathematical and computational techniques to real problems.
The UK tuition fee for the 2025-26 academic year is currently £9,535 per year. This is based on the UK Government's cap.
The International tuition fee for the 2025-2026 academic year is £35,800 per year.
Please note that the International tuition fee is subject to annual increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions.
All International applicants to Undergraduate programmes are required to pay a deposit of £2000 against their first year's tuition fee. This deposit is payable when you firmly accept an unconditional offer to study with us, and will be offset against your tuition fees when you join King's.
Additional Costs
In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:
To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.
We have designed our joint honours Physics & Philosophy MSci to offer you the opportunity to study both subjects at master’s level. The course is initially split equally between physics and philosophy modules, with the opportunity to specialise in one discipline in the final years 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 of 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, including 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 preparing you for further study in theoretical physics. By taking appropriate module options and project choices, you could also pursue further study in experimental physics should you wish to do so. In the philosophy section of the course you will learn to address 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 philosophy modules during the first year to give you a good grounding in a range of important philosophical concepts. Later on you will be free to choose from an exceptionally broad range of philosophical topics. 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. In the final year, you will undertake a Physics project and research and write a Philosophy dissertation to explore your own academic interests. You will also be able to choose from a wide range of modules from either discipline, including modules offered by the Mathematics department, or from another University of London college (Royal Holloway). We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment. This course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Strand Campus. Our central location gives you easy access to major libraries and many leading societies, including the Institute of Physics. You will also benefit from the extensive social and cultural offerings of one of the world’s most exciting and vibrant cities.
Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.
Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.
King's College London and Affiliates
King's is regulated by the Office for Students
Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels.
Must include grade A in Mathematics and Physics. Notes: If you are taking linear A-levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all Science subjects. This is with the exception of private candidates who are unable to take the practical component. We do not consider the EPQ at any point of the assessment process.
AAC Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels. Must include grade A in Mathematics and Physics. Notes: If you are taking linear A-levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all Science subjects. This is with the exception of private candidates who are unable to take the practical component. We do not consider the EPQ at any point of the assessment process.
36 points overall or an aggregate score of 18 from three Higher Levels.
Must include grade 6 in Higher Level Mathematics and Physics. Notes: The total point score of 36 includes TOK/EE. Note: IB students studying the new Mathematics curriculum would be required to study Mathematics - Analysis and Approaches at Higher Level to meet the Mathematics subject requirement for this programme.
33 points overall or an aggregate score of 16 from three Higher Levels. Must include grade 6 in Higher Level in both Mathematics and Physics. Notes: The total point score of 33 includes TOK/EE. IB students studying the new Maths curriculum would be required to study Analysis and Approaches at Higher Level to meet the subject requirement for this programme
ATAS
An ATAS certificate is required by the UK government for students who will be commencing on this programme, where the student requires a visa to study in the UK. However, this requirement is waived by the UK government for students who are nationals of EU countries, the European Economic Area (EEA), Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the United States. Further guidance on obtaining an ATAS certificate can be found on our Student Services pages, where you can also find the contact details for our Student Advice team, where specialist visa advice can be obtained.
If you meet the criteria for requiring an ATAS certificate, and you receive an offer to study on this programme at King's, and you accept the offer, then you should ensure that you apply for the ATAS certificate in good time to ensure that, if you meet all conditions of your offer, we are able to issue your CAS promptly.
The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be 60 credits in total.
Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits overall: 36 credits must be from units awarded at Distinction, with 9 at Merit. The Access to Higher Education Diploma must include at least 15 Level 3 credits in Mathematics awarded at Distinction, and at least 15 Level 3 credits in Physics awarded at Distinction. The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be in a relevant subject - Science or similar - to be considered.
The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be 60 credits in total. Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits overall: 30 credits must be from units awarded at Distinction, with 12 at Merit, and 3 at Pass. The Access to Higher Education Diploma must include at least 15 Level 3 credits in Mathematics awarded at Distinction, and at least 15 Level 3 credits in Physics awarded at Distinction. The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be in a relevant subject - Science or similar - to be considered.
Course specific subject requirements are indicated in subject requirements above
English language band: D
Please note that nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries (as defined by UKVI) who have successfully completed high school in the respective country, are not required to complete an English language test. For information on our English requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.
Contextual consideration
We make contextual offers for this programme, which can be found in the entry requirements. As part of the assessment process, we take into account contextual information to gain a more complete picture of each application. More information can be found on the Contextualised admissions website.
Deferrals
Applications can be submitted for deferred entry by choosing the appropriate year of entry on the UCAS application.
If your circumstances change and, therefore, you need to request a deferral after an offer has been made, then we can generally permit these for this programme. However, each deferral request will be considered on a case-by-case basis and we reserve the right to decline any post-offer deferral request. Requests should be submitted via a message on King’s Apply with an explanation of the reason for making the request.
Please note, second deferral requests will only be considered where the request is due to extreme unforeseen extenuating circumstances, for example, health reasons. We are unable to permit deferral requests that go beyond two years and you would need to apply again. This is with the exception of deferrals which are due to military/national service.
Foundation courses
Applicants studying Foundation Year programmes in the UK are welcome to apply for this programme. Foundation programmes from other universities and further education providers in the UK are considered on a case-by-case basis. Whether or not we can consider a particular foundation year as suitable for study at King's depends on the content of the syllabus and modules studied. In the past we have accepted foundation programmes from a number of other institutions.
We are unable to accept Foundation programmes that are integrated as part of a main degree at another institution. These may be called Year 0 or Integrated Foundations. We are also unable to accept non-UK Foundation courses.
Once you have submitted an application, the Admissions Office may contact you via King's Apply to ask for further details on your qualification, such as a list of modules and course specifications.
The King's International Foundation Programme has guaranteed pathways available for progression onto our King's undergraduate degree programmes, and information can be found on the website.
Graduates
Our general entry requirements are based on A-level or equivalent. However, where an applicant is completing/has completed a degree, we are able to consider the degree study as part of the assessment of the application.
Generally, we would consider a minimum of a UK Bachelor degree with a 2:1 grade profile (or overseas equivalent) as meeting the entry requirements for our undergraduate degrees. However, those who have achieved/are predicted a high 2:1 or a First may be considered more competitive.
Where a programme has subject requirements, these will still need to have been met. If you have not met the subject requirements via A-level (or equivalent) then we may be able to consider the content within your degree. We would be looking for significant study of the subjects across the degree programme with a 2:1 or above grading on those modules.
Once you have submitted an application, the Admissions Office may contact you via King's Apply to ask for further details on your degree study.
Personal Statement
Your personal statement is one of the many factors in the overall assessment of your application, and is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the university and inform us of your commitment to the programme and profession as well as any work experience or extracurricular activities you have done.
Resits
We are able to consider applicants who have retaken or are retaking their qualifications.
Transfers
We are able to consider applications for transfer into Year 2 of this programme. Please see our Transferring to King’s website for more information.
If you don't have a suitable qualification for direct entry to a UK university, we can help with our Foundation year courses.
If you have an offer from King's, but English isn't your first language, we have courses to help you.
We will teach you through lectures, seminars, laboratory classes, tutorials and project work.
Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work, e.g. 150 hours work for a 15 credit module. These hours cover every aspect of the module, including independent study.
Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations. Forms of assessment may typically include written exams and essays, with some class testing, assignment reports and oral presentations.
The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.
Courses are divided into modules. You will normally take modules totalling 495 credits.
In your first year you will take 75 credits in Physics and 45 credits in Philosophy. In Physics, you are required to take:
In Philosophy, you are required to take 30 credits, one from each of the following groups:
Group A:
Group B:
There are no optional Physics modules in your first year. In Philosophy, you are required to take 15 credits from a range of optional modules, which may typically include:
Any of the required philosophy modules listed above.
King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.
Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.
Our Physics and philosophy graduates are in high demand because employers recognise the wide range of skills that they possess. We train physicists to be good problem solvers, to think logically and to apply mathematical and computational techniques to real problems.
The UK tuition fee for the 2025-26 academic year is currently £9,535 per year. This is based on the UK Government's cap.
The International tuition fee for the 2025-2026 academic year is £35,800 per year.
Please note that the International tuition fee is subject to annual increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions.
All International applicants to Undergraduate programmes are required to pay a deposit of £2000 against their first year's tuition fee. This deposit is payable when you firmly accept an unconditional offer to study with us, and will be offset against your tuition fees when you join King's.
Additional Costs
In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:
To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.
Chat with current students and King's staff to find out about the courses we offer, life at King's and ask any questions you may have.
Scientists have created an experiment that mimics black holes, enabling them to see in greater detail how they behave and...
Scholarships are available to female undergraduate applicants. Find out more about eligibility and apply.
Take a look at our comfortable, safe residences to suit your budget, located close to King's teaching campuses.
Art, food, music, shopping – you'll never find yourself with nothing to do in the world's most vibrant city.
Information about living in London, including events, budgeting and expenses, travel and safety.
During your time at King's College London, a range of academic and personal support and guidance is available to you.
