For your first three years of the course you will follow very similar modules as those taking our Physics with Astrophysics and Cosmology BSc. This will give you an excellent grounding in the fundamental aspects of physics you will need for further study and research. You will study subjects such as relativity, quantum mechanics, nuclear and particle physics, stellar and galactic evolution and structure (touching on unsolved problems such as the nature of dark matter and dark energy). In your fourth year, you will access a wide range of specialised physics options chosen from our Physics Department, our Maths Department, or modules at other University of London institutions, and the MSci project will give you experience of a genuine large- scale research project. Problem solving and project work is an important part of this course, and you will learn about team work, group organisation, and the skills of oral and poster presentations.
You will be assigned a personal tutor to support your development and the Department encourages an atmosphere in which students feel able to easily approach academic staff. Our Student-Staff Liaison Committee provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and feedback on teaching. Staff and students are members of the Maxwell Society, which is the Department of Physics’ social and lecture society
Flexibility in course choice
Students who enrol on the MSci/BSc (Hons) Physics with Astrophysics and Cosmology, can typically change to most of the other Physics courses at the end of their first year. Similarly, students who have initially enrolled on other Physics courses can change to Physics with Astrophysics and Cosmology at the end of the first year provided that they have taken the first year module “Introduction to Astrophysics”.
Students can switch between the BSc and MSci versions of the course until their third year of study but progression into the final year of the MSci is contingent on performing at upper second class level or better in the first three years of study.
Teaching
We will teach you through a combination of lectures and laboratory classes, 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 will assess you primarily through written exams, although occasionally also through practical laboratory examinations, laboratory reports, class tests, coursework and oral presentations.