Undergraduate courses

Physics BSc

Study the laws of the universe and the science behind major technological advances. Learn about international experiments to search for dark matter, ways to make solar energy systems more effective and how the quantum nature of light can help us build even more powerful computers.

• Industry placement

Physics MPhys

Develop the skills for a career in physics research, whether you want to help decode the laws of the universe or contribute to new technological advances in industry. You’ll run your own research project and be trained by a member of staff who is an expert in the area you want to explore.

• Industry placement

Physics with an Industrial Placement Year BSc

Put your physics knowledge into practice in the real world. As part of their degrees, our students have worked on new particle accelerators at government laboratories, applied their analysis skills to data science jobs in the civil service, and joined the Large Hadron Collider team at CERN.

• Industry placement

Physics with an Industrial Placement Year MPhys

Build up skills and experience that you can apply to a career in physics research. Our students have had placements ranging from government laboratories to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. After your placement, you’ll join a research team here in Sheffield and run your own project.

• Industry placement

Physics and Astrophysics BSc

Our Physics and Astrophysics degree has more astrophysics content than most, taking you from stars and galaxies, to the origin of the universe. You’ll be trained to use the telescopes on our roof, and there is an annual field trip to an international telescope facility in the Canary Islands.

Physics and Astrophysics MPhys

Develop the skills for a career in research, whether you want to help map the Universe as an astrophysicist or apply your scientific knowledge to solve problems in industry. Our Physics and Astrophysics degree has more astrophysics content than most.

Physics and Astrophysics with an Industrial Placement Year BSc

Put your astrophysics knowledge into practice on a work placement and build up more experience for your CV. Placement opportunities include telescope facilities in the Canary Islands and Thailand.

• Industry placement

Physics and Astrophysics with an Industrial Placement Year MPhys

Put your astrophysics knowledge into practice on a work placement. Placement opportunities include telescope facilities in the Canary Islands and Thailand. After your placement, you’ll join the astrophysics research team here in Sheffield and run your own project.

• Industry placement

Physics with Particle Physics BSc

On this course, you can learn from scientists who helped detect the Higgs boson and gravitational waves, and who are leading searches for dark matter. You'll learn how particles are detected, study key theories such as relativity and examine the laws of the universe at the subatomic level.

Physics with Particle Physics MPhys

This course is ideal if you want to help answer the biggest questions in the universe as a physics researcher. You'll learn how particles are detected, study key theories such as relativity, and join a research team that works on major projects at CERN and leads searches for dark matter.

Theoretical Physics BSc

Examine the fundamental mathematics that has brought physicists ever closer to a ‘theory of everything’. You’ll explore the classical physics principles that defined scientific thinking up to the 20th century, and look in depth at topics like relativity and quantum mechanics.

Theoretical Physics MPhys

Develop the skills for a career in research, whether you want to help answer complex questions raised by relativity and quantum mechanics, or help solve problems in industry. You’ll run your own research project and be trained by a member of staff who is an expert in the area you want to explore.

Theoretical Physics with an Industrial Placement Year BSc

Study the maths and physics that govern the universe, and build up your CV with a work placement. Our students have used their numerical and problem-solving skills on placements in data science with the civil service and with the Large Hadron Collider team at CERN.

• Industry placement

Theoretical Physics with an Industrial Placement Year MPhys

Put the theory into practice on a work placement. Previous students have had data science placements in the civil service and joined the Large Hadron Collider team at CERN. After your placement, you’ll join the theoretical physics research team here in Sheffield and run your own project.

• Industry placement

Physics with Medical Physics BSc

This course focuses on the physics that keeps us alive: from the fluid mechanics that keeps the blood flowing in our veins, to the forces acting on our bones and tissues. You’ll also learn about medical techniques and technologies, such as radiotherapy, ultrasound scanning and MRI machines.

Physics with Medical Physics MPhys

Learn about the physics of the human body and the technologies used by medical physicists in the NHS. In your final year, you’ll complete a work placement in a local hospital or in industry.

• Industry placement

Physics with Philosophy BSc

Explore the deep philosophical questions raised by modern physics. You’ll cover most of the same topics as students on our standard Physics courses, and choose from a wide range of philosophy topics.

• Dual honours

Physics with Philosophy MPhys

Prepare for a career in research, whether you want to focus on questions that physics raises about the nature of existence, or refine your logical thinking abilities to help solve problems in industry. In your final year, you’ll join a team of physics researchers and run your own project.

• Dual honours
• Foreign language study

Physics with a Foundation Year BSc MPhys

Explore the fundamental laws of the universe and learn about the development of pioneering technologies in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

• FY Foundation year