Physics (with a year in industry) at Swansea University

Come and join the No1 Physics Teaching Department in the UK!

Top in the UK for satisfaction with teaching and organisation and management. Top in Wales. Physics and Astronomy - 97% for overall satisfaction and top 5 in the UK.

Key features

Physics and Astronomy - 97% for overall satisfaction and top 5 in the UK. Top in the UK for satisfaction with teaching and organisation and management. Top in Wales [National Student Survey 2017]
100% of our students say the course is intellectually stimulating [National Student Survey 2015]
Exceptional project supervision - students can experience working in a research group as part of their final year project
Portfolio of degree schemes designed to reflect cutting-edge research developments
Summer studentship and project opportunities at CERN Particle Physics Laboratory
TOP in the UK for research intensity*
Year in Industry programmes available for 2016 entry
£4.2m investment in state-of-the-art Science laboratories
Learning in the medium of Welsh - the department currently offers five optional modules that support learning in the medium of Welsh
More flexibility - the common structure of our first year allows students to transfer between degree programmes
Physics-specific careers guidance - our undergraduates get progress-targeted advice and training to allow them to make the most of their degree
Exceptional project supervision - students can experience working in a research group as part of their final year project
Small-group teaching - students work in pairs and small groups in tutorials, problem classes, group projects and teaching laboratories, enhancing their communication and networking skills
The compact and friendly campus offers a superb seafront location close to the magnificent Gower Peninsula

*Complete University Guide 2017

Course description

Excellent teaching - we received the government's highest grade in a recent assessment - the only one in Wales.
International leading research in experimental and theoretical physics, with 90% of our research classes as excellent or internationally-leading. Together with our "Excellent" Teaching award, this makes us the highest rated Physics Department in Wales.
Students gain unique insights into cutting edge areas of research, including superconductivity, nanotechnology, superstring theory and antimatter.
A flexible modular course structure, allowing for transfers between different schemes up until the start of the 3rd year, with the final year of our MPhys programmes involving specialised courses and a full semester working on a cutting edge research project, including the possibility of carrying this out at CERN.
Research projects in areas including cold matter, lasers and optics, antimatter, nanoscale technology, all with expert supervision.
A wide range of entrance scholarships and bursaries available.
Very friendly and caring Department in a traditional University.
All successful applicants who make Swansea their first choice are guaranteed University Accommodation for their first year.
The compact and friendly campus offers a superb seafront location close to the magnificent Gower Peninsula.
Wide choice of career options and good graduate earnings potential!

Career prospects

Physics graduates have a wide range of job opportunities. Employers include academic institutions, government research organisations and industry, including aerospace and defence, education, energy, engineering, instrumentation, manufacturing, oil and gas, science, communication, space exploration and telecommunications. Many physics graduates pursue a career outside physics, ie in consultancy, IT, the environmental industry, financial services, the legal sector, transport and utilities.

Every year we survey our recent graduates to ascertain their employment status. The data is more commonly known as the Graduate Destinations Survey and is reported to HESA (the Higher Education Statistics Authority). Here are some examples of job titles from the recent survey: