Why study Astrophysics at Aberystwyth University?

• On completion of this degree you will leave with accreditation by the IOP (Institute of Physics).
• Physics has been taught at Aberystwyth University since its foundation in 1872 and it continues to be an innovative learning experience for all.
• You will be taught by experts in their field.
• Our researchers are involved in the current European Space Agency ExoMars 2020 Project and engineering low dimensional materials, namely graphene.

Our Staff

Department of Physics Lecturers are all qualified to PhD level and have a track record of research in their fields of specialisation.

What can I do with a physics degree?

Our graduates have discovered career paths in:

• medical physics
• radiation protection
• science research

Other graduates from our department have sought careers in:

• systems development
• product development
• technical writing
• meteorology

Employability is embedded across all of our teaching and ethics. We instil these skills to our students:

• research and data analysis skills
• enhanced mathematical and computational skills
• effective problem-solving and creative thinking skills
• the ability to work independently
• time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines
• the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form
• self-motivation and self-reliance
• team-working, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement

What work experience opportunities exist whilst studying??

Click?here?to find out about the various opportunities that our Aberystwyth University Careers team offer.?

Enhance your employability prospects with?GO Wales and YES?(Year in Employment Scheme) managed by our Careers department.?

What will I learn?

The breakdown below will provide you with an illustration of what you may study during the three year degree scheme.

In the first year you will discover:

• the main branches of classical and modern physics underpinned by the core mathematical disciplines of algebra and calculus
• computational and experimental physics
• quantum theory
• dynamics
• the principles of gravitational and electrostatic fields

In your second year you will explore:

• solar interior
• stars
• planets and planetary atmospheres
• thermal physics
• quantum mechanics
• mathematical physics
• data handling
• statistics

In your third year you will investigate:

• cosmology
• galaxies
• space plasmas
• the solar atmosphere
• the heliosphere alongside condensed matter
• atoms and molecules
• electromagnetism

How will I be taught?

You will be taught through lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops, practicals, individual and group-based project work.

You will be assessed through coursework, presentations, lab reports, lab diaries and examinations.

Further information:

You will be assigned a personal tutor throughout your degree course, who will help you with any problems or queries, whether these are academic-related or personal issues. You should feel free to contact them at any time for help and advice.

You will also have the opportunity to complete a Personal Development Plan (PDP) at Aberystwyth. This is a structured process of self-appraisal, reflection, and planning, which will enable you to chart your personal, academic and professional development throughout your time at university. By recording your academic performance, and highlighting the skills you already have and those you will need for future employability, the PDP portfolio will equip you with the necessary tools to plan effectively, develop successful approaches to study, and consider your future career options and aspirations.

Students wishing to study through the medium of Welsh may do so by choosing our Welsh medium modules.

I love Astrophysics because the universe is a wondrous feat of reality, arising from the physical law of nature. A complex mixture of energy, mass, gravity, electric and magnetic fields gives rise to life and to the beautiful galaxies that we see in the night sky. Who wouldn't want to study that? Learning about the big picture of the universe instead of being confined to trivial problems in everyday life is character-building and a worthwhile venture. Geoffrey Knott