Physics with Philosophy

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.

Prepare for a career researching the deep philosophical questions raised by modern physics, like what does quantum mechanics tell us about reality, and is our universe random, and does it matter?

Run in partnership with the Department of Philosophy, your dual masters degree in Physics with Philosophy MPhys at Sheffield is where you’ll begin to understand motion and religion, electricity and ethics, magnetism, quantum mechanics, art and death. And where you start your career as a researcher in academia or industry.

In your first two years, you’ll do the essential physics that all of our students cover, and choose from a wide range of optional philosophy modules. In practical classes, you’ll run experiments using the equipment in our modern laboratories to help you understand how important theories apply to the real world.

In optional programming classes you’ll absorb skills that are key to modern physics and valuable in many graduate careers. And our Department of Philosophy staff encourage students to engage with real world issues, meaning what you learn can be applied to make a difference in the community.

In your third year, you can branch out into lots of different areas and complete your own research project in physics or philosophy – from astrophysics and dark matter, to free will and metaphysics – boosting your analytical, writing and presentation skills.

A variety of optional physics modules are also available in your fourth year, when you’ll be working on a major research project. You’ll choose a research topic in physics and work closely with a member of academic staff who is an expert in the area you want to explore. The project takes up around half of your final year and can lead to a publication in a scientific journal.

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.

• Sociable departments - because you’ll be taught across two departments, you’ll have double the options when it comes to your social life. In philosophy, you could join the Philosophy Society or be involved in the only UK undergraduate philosophy journal. In physics you might choose to join the Sheffield Space Initiative, and design a Mars rover or launch a rocket.

• Practical teaching and labs - learn through lectures and labs where you’ll cover the essential physics and fundamentals of astronomy.

• Accredited by the Institute of Physics (IOP) - our courses meet the educational requirement for you to become a Chartered Physicist.

• Follow your ambition - you have the options to complete a research project, industrial group project, Quantum Information Lab, or Physics Education and Outreach project – giving you hands-on experience wherever your career aspirations lie.