Physics with a Year Abroad

Physics is an exciting subject which seeks answers to the biggest questions, covering everything in our universe, from the building blocks of matter to the vastness of the cosmos.

Employers seeking physics graduates 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, for instance in consultancy, IT, the environmental industry, financial services, the legal sector, transport and utilities.

Based at our superb seafront campus close to the magnificent Gower Peninsula, you will have the opportunity to study an exciting and flexible range of modules which could include astronomy and cosmology, electromagnetism, atomic physics, the frontiers of nuclear physics, the quantum world and climate physics.

As part of this programme, you will spend a year abroad between your second and final year, broadening your skills and experience. Our partner institutions span the globe, with opportunities varying each year. If you wish to receive more information, please get in touch with us on study@swansea.ac.uk. This degree is also offered with a year in industry (F478). There is also a foundation route available for those students who do not achieve the entry requirements for this course (F301).

Your Physics Experience

• A flexibly structured degree path means you have the opportunity to study abroad for a year or work in industry for a year, either locally, nationally or overseas.

• Our common student & staff space (the Event Horizon) overlooking spectacular views of Swansea Bay, provides an ideal location for quiet study, informal discussions and lunches.

• The Physics department and the Swansea University Physics Society sponsor frequent social, and academic events such as departmental colloquia and distinguished lectures to bring students and staff together.

• Elected student reps for each year and for the Swansea University Physics Society (PhySoc) ensure that every student voice is heard through regular meetings with HoDs.

• Our world leading research groups in Particle Physics and Cosmology Theory, Applied Materials, and the ALPHA anti-matter collaboration with close ties to CERN, ensure that our teaching is informed by the latest research. Students have the opportunity to do a summer internship at CERN and undertake final year projects with any of our major research groups.

Why Physics at Swansea?

• 11th in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2025)

• 3rd in the UK for Teaching Quality (Guardian University Guide 2025)

• 5th in the UK for Teaching on my Course* (NSS 2024) * Based on the average positivity score across questions 1 to 4 in the NSS 2024 when ranked against universities featured in the Times Good University Guide.

• Top 201-250 in the world (QS World University Rankings 2025)

Our notable Physics alumni include Professor Lyn Evans, leader of the Large Hadron Collider project at CERN, while Professor Peter Higgs, Swansea University Honorary Fellow and Physics Nobel Prize winner, proposed the Boson particle, and has strong links with the department.

“The Physics staff were always very supportive; the lecturers enthusiastic and are good at explaining difficult concepts eloquently. There was a real sense that they thoroughly enjoyed teaching us. Through my degree, I was able to successfully apply to the NHS Scientist Training Programme, a highly competitive graduate scheme through which I will eventually become a fully qualified Medical Physicist.” - Guy Drabble, Physics graduate

In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: Classical Mechanics; Astronomy and Cosmology; Mathematics for Physicists; Quantum Mechanics; Special Relativity; and Practical Physics which can be studied in English or Welsh.

In Year 2, you will typically study areas including: Electromagnetism; Practical Physics; Mathematics for Physicists; Thermal and Statistical Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Experimental Physics, Professional Development and Career Planning.

In Year 3, you will spend a year broadening your skills and experience. Our partner institutions span the globe, with opportunities varying each year. If you wish to receive more information, please get in touch with us on study@swansea.ac.uk

In Year 4, you will typically study areas including: Nuclear and Particle Physics, Condensed Matter Physics and Atomic Physics. There are also optional modules, such as Gravity and Cosmology, Lasers and Optics, Semiconductor Physics and Science Communication with a Placement.

We are proud to provide an outstanding educational experience, using the most effective learning and teaching approaches, carefully tailored to suit the specific needs of your course. Our programme consists of in-person, on-campus teaching, enabling full engagement with your lecturers and fellow students.

We believe in fostering a learning environment where students actively engage with physics concepts through experimentation, data analysis, and problem-solving. We offer informal weekly Maths drop-in support sessions to assist with developing and enhancing problem solving skills. These are mentored by postgraduate students.

We use inquiry-based learning, labs and practical work and diverse assessment types throughout the programme. The labs and practical work promote active engagement, hands-on learning, diverse skills development and real-world experience. The research project modules gives you the opportunity to participate in real-life research, working on real-world problems/questions. Lectures take place in larger group sessions, in a lecture theatre setting. The course content is explored in further detail in workshops, allowing for further collaborative working with your peers.

Lecture recordings allow for more flexibility to revisit material, to revise for assessments and to enhance learning outside of the classroom. Some modules have extra resources in Canvas, our virtual learning environment, such as videos, slides and quizzes enabling further flexible study.

This course may offer some modules taught through the medium of Welsh or bilingually for students who consider themselves to be fluent Welsh speakers. For more details on the provision available see the Welsh Provision expander below.

This course may offer some modules taught through the medium of Welsh or bilingually for students who consider themselves to be fluent Welsh speakers. For more details on the provision available see the Welsh Provision expander below.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

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