www.phys.soton.ac.www.phys.soton.ac.ukuk

Top Research

Department

– 5* RAE

Over 50% internationally

excellent or world leading

Physics is….

Fun… Challenging… Excellent training

for a wide range of careers

Physical Science graduates are the third best paid graduates in the UK – Institute of Physics

What is Physics – Cosmology!

Why is there a Universe? – the Big Bang and before???

Why is the Universe the way it is?

Hubble deep field survey

What is Physics – Astronomy!

How do stars work?

Why do they explode?

Is there life out there?

Physics is the Quantum World!

How do electrons, protons and neutrons combine to make elements?

What are superconductors?

Can we engineer new materials or nano-machines?

Physics is Fundamental!

What are the building blocks of matter?

Can all the forces be unified into one?

particles or string?

Physics is a Philosophy!

Reductionist understanding – how does it work?, what’s in there?

Mathematical description – we want a precise understanding!

Bottom up modelling

Physics Skills are Wanted

80%+ of our graduates get a job within 6 months“A Science degree is worth £187,000 extra over your career (double that of an arts degree!)” – BBC news

40%+ of our students go on to further study

PhD – research degree

MSc – training in career specific subject

Physics Skills are Wanted

Scientific research in high-tech companies Nortel, Sharp, British Aerospace, DERA, Oxford

Instruments, QinetiQ Huge shortage of skills!

Consultancy & Management Software Development & Systems analysis Law, including Patent Law Scientific Journalism & Media Financial Consultancy, Accountancy and the City

We have a careers advisor specifically for Physics Graduates

School of Physics & Astronomy

Research activity spans all the major branches of physics

We teach 400 undergraduate and 60 postgraduate students

42 Academic staff, including 18 Professors and 3 FRS

One of only 5 departments with a 5* rating in the 2001 & 2008 Research Assessment Exercise 5*5*100% of staff submitted

Over 50% of work internationally excellent or world leading

15 more staff submitted in 2008 over 2001

Investing in ExcellenceThe School has employed 5 new international experts this year… 20 in past 7 years

5*5*

New Infrastructure

Leaders in the SEPNET consortium which has received £12.5M – new staff, new courses, more

outreach

£3.5M Quantum, Light and Matter grant

£5M new nanomaterials rapid prototyping facility

Our undergrad labs are recently renovatedObservatories moved and re-equipped

£2.4M Particle Physics grant

Teaching Quality

Cutting Edge Research Dynamic, Quality Teaching

“Excellent department” – Government Teaching Quality Exercise

“Top 3 ranking UK physics department” – Guardian 2005

“9th ranked UK physics department” – Times 2009

"Standards match those at Cambridge" - Our external examiner from Cambridge

Average rating of lecturers by our students: 81%

81% of 2009 MPhys graduates achieved 2.1 or 1st

National Student Survey

100% of our students said they would recommend us to a friend

In the 2008 return Southampton had the highest rating of any Russell Group University from Physical Science students (top 4 including everyone)…

Physics Degrees 3 year BSc or 4 year MPhys 6 of 8 Units a Year are Core Physics

Mechanics of Planetary Orbits,

Relativity, Quantum Mechanics,

Quantum Physics of Materials,

Electromagnetism, Light and Photonics,

Atomic, Nuclear and Particle Physics

Choice (options or “with” Degree)

National Oceanograpy Centre

2 Units a Year can be chosen to specialize in

Dissertations

Seminars

Double Unit ProjectChoose from 210 hours of first year options!

• Astronomy• Space Science• Mathematics• NanoScience• Photonics

• Computer Science• Oceanography• Languages• Archaeology

Flagship programsPhysics with Astrophysics

with a year abroad: final year spent on astrophysics research at Harvard

Physics with Particle Physics with a year abroad: final year spent on fundamental physics research at CERN

Physics with year of Experimental Research: final year spent in quantum materials research

Open to top first class students on our MPhys programs

Financial SupportWe have entered the era of tuition fees.

£3,225/year… but paid back after you’re earning £15,000+ a year

School Scholarship: 5 best students in our Scholarship exam in November receive £4,000/year plus guaranteed entry.Hardship Fund & University Bursaries: available for less well off….. + special Hampshire/Isle of Wight Bursaries available+ Sports Bursaries + Armed Forces Support (£5,500/year) + Uni Temporary work bank

How to Apply

We encourage applications through the UCAS systemApply by Oct 30th if you want to take Scholarship

ExamWe are typically looking for AAB

A2s in Maths and Physics – 240 points

+ another A2 – totalling 340 points

We are keen to promote wider participation and take account of all your circumstances – if in doubt talk to us!

2010: 690 applicants….. we will take 132

Student-run societies Physoc

(www.soton.ac.uk/~physoc)

Academic support

Social functions

Astrosoc (www.soton.ac.uk/~astrosoc)

Staff-student liaison Guest lectures, Trips

“Parenting”

Weekly social events

Observation Social events

IoP Award winning society 2009