Physics

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.

Your final year will include a full semester working on a research project in areas such as cold matter, lasers and optics, antimatter, and nanoscale technology, all with expert supervision. It is also possible to carry out your project with the Swansea Antihydrogen group stationed in CERN.

This degree is also offered with a year in industry (F30Y) and a year abroad (F304)

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; and Professional Development and Career Planning

In Year 3, you will typically study areas including Nuclear and Particle Physics; Condensed Matter Physics; Atomic Physics; Gravity and Cosmology; Lasers and optics; Science Communication with Placement; and Semiconductor Physics.

In Year 4, you will typically study areas including Quantum Field Theory; Atomic and Quantum Optics; Machine Learning for Physicists; Medical Imaging and Spectroscopy: From MRI to photonics; Advanced Particle Physics; Modern Laser Systems; Quantum Gravity; and Quantum Information Processing. In addition, you will complete a research project.

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. Apart from a small number of online-only courses, most of our courses consist of in-person, on-campus teaching, enabling full engagement with your lecturers and fellow students.

Practical skills sessions, lab work seminars, and workshops predominantly take place in person, allowing for group working and demonstrations. We also operate virtual labs and Simulated Learning Environments which will facilitate greater access to training opportunities in the future. However, our approach also includes the use of some online learning to support and enhance traditional face-to-face teaching.

Online learning may take place ‘live’ using software such as Zoom, allowing you to interact with the lecturer and other students and to ask questions. Lecture recordings also 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, 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.

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

• Physics, Institute of