Physics with an Industrial Placement Year

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.

Study the laws that shape our universe, from the structure of galaxies to the resonance of a violin, and put your knowledge into practice in the real world.

A BSc Physics with an Industrial Placement Year at Sheffield is where you really discover the epic scale of this field – while adding real industry experience to your CV.

You will learn about international experiments to search for dark matter, and how the quantum nature of light can help us build even more powerful computers. And at Sheffield, you’ll also learn how practical, lab-based learning brings abstract lecture topics into the real world.

Your journey into physics begins with heat, motion, quantum mechanics and the other fundamental theories behind everything. In year two, you’ll explore essential physics in even more depth, and tailor your degree as you choose optional modules like advanced programming, that will set you up for a future career.

Year three is where you take what you’ve learned into the real world. Our students have worked on new particle accelerators and nuclear waste management at government laboratories. They’ve applied their analysis skills to data science jobs in the civil service, and joined the Large Hadron Collider team at CERN, as part of their placement year.

Back in Sheffield for your final year, you can branch out into multiple areas with modules on topics like particle physics, nuclear physics and semiconductor technologies. And of course you’ll have the chance to complete your own research project, or industrial group project, giving you hands-on experience investigating a real-world physics problem.

Why study this course?

• No. 1 physics department in the UK - 100% of our research and impact was rated world-leading or internationally excellent by REF 2021.

• More astro content than most degrees - you can study 50% astrophysics content throughout your degree, more than most universities offer.

• The latest equipment - you’ll study in our newly refurbished teaching laboratories, and access loads of specialist technologies – including two telescopes on the roof of our building which you’ll be able to use from your first year.

• Research opportunities - physics students can access incredible research projects, including a summer research placement, work placements and field trips, thanks to our links with organisations like CERN and the observatories on La Palma in the Canary Islands.