Theoretical Physics MSci
This is the programme information for 2025 entry.
If you require details of the previous year's programme, Theoretical Physics MSci (2024), click here
This four-year programme offers an additional year of study on top of the Theoretical Physics BSc, during which students have the opportunity to specialise further by taking advanced optional modules, and undertaking a research project.
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26), programme starts, application deadline, ucas course code.
- Entry requirements
Contextual offer information
Contextual offer, uk applicants qualifications.
For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:
Equivalent qualification
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
D2,D3,D3 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects, including D2,D3 in Mathematics and Physics (in any order).
A1,A,A at Advanced Highers (or A1,A at Advanced Higher and AAA at Higher), including A1,A in Mathematics and Physics at Advanced Higher (in any order).
Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A levels at grades A*AA, including A*A in Mathematics and Physics (in any order)
International applications
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .
Access and widening participation
Undergraduate preparatory certificates.
The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.
Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.
For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc .
- English language requirements
The English language level for this programme is: Level 1
Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.
A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education .
Course overview
Compulsory modules in the first year provide a firm foundation in quantum and classical physics, underpinned by mathematics and a practical skills module which includes computing skills training. You will also take a module in practical mathematics.
The second year includes compulsory modules in quantum physics and its application to atoms and molecules, in statistical thermodynamics and in electromagnetic theory, along with further mathematics. Computing and practical mathematics skills are further developed.
The quantum and condensed matter elements of the core are completed in the third year. Students reading for the Theoretical Physics degree replace second and third-year experimental work with theory modules.
The third year also includes optional modules to develop further and enhance knowledge of a range of physics topics. The fourth year comprises a compulsory research project, and a number of optional modules, generally chosen from subjects in the relevant degree specialty.
What this course will give you
A theoretical physics degree from UCL is a strong asset across the whole range of careers where scientific skills are required, from accountancy to astrophysics, and computing to cryogenics.
The programme is accredited by the Institute of Physics (IOP) and includes the very latest developments and discoveries in the field , based on our highly rated research.
Ranked in the top 4 in the UK by the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023 for Physics and Astronomy you will be taught by lecturers who are experts in a wide range of physics-related fields.
The wide range of optional modules enables you to develop your interests both within and outside physics, giving you problem solving and communication skills, along with a deep knowledge base to offer potential employers.
Teaching and learning
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
Upon successful completion of 480 credits, you will be awarded a MSci (Hons) in Theoretical Physics.
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.
Compulsory modules in the first year provide a firm foundation in quantum and classical physics, underpinned by mathematics and a practical skills module which includes computing skills training. You will also take a module in practical mathematics. The second year includes compulsory modules in quantum physics and its application to atoms and molecules, in statistical thermodynamics and in electromagnetic theory, along with further mathematics. Computing and practical mathematics skills are further developed. The quantum and condensed matter elements of the core are completed in the third year. Students reading for the Theoretical Physics degree replace second and third-year experimental work with theory modules.
This programme is offered both as a three-year BSc and a four-year MSci, with common structures and subjects for the first two years. However, the additional fourth year of the MSci programme allows for a greater depth of study and we recommend you apply for an MSci initially, as this keeps more options open.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules, your learning.
Teaching is delivered through lectures, laboratory (and as appropriate, observatory) practical sessions, and supervised problem-solving tutorials. These tutorials are designed to deal with lecture-based questions, enlarge on topics addressed in lectures, and allow clarification and in-depth discussion of new concepts.
Teaching contact hours for programmes offered by the Department of Physics and Astronomy are approximately 20 hours per week in year 1, consisting of lectures (14-15 hours per week), laboratory classes (3-4 hours per week) and problem solving tutorials (2-3 hours per week). The exact number of contact hours and composition varies throughout the programme, as in particular laboratory classes in subsequent years are longer. Observatory classes for students on the Astronomy programme may take place in the evening. In addition to timetabled sessions students are expected to undertake approximately 15-20 hours of independent study per week.
Assessment will normally involve end-of-year examinations, and an element of assessed coursework. Practical work you will be continuously assessed.
Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team .
Online - Open day
Physics & Astronomy Information Session
Watch this video to find out more about UCL's Physics & Astronomy programme, entry requirements, course structure and other helpful information. Recorded Spring 2024.
The foundation of your career
Around one third of our graduates choose to pursue further study for an MSc or PhD. A PhD opens up the possibility of an academic or research career in a university or research institute. Alternatively, like many of our graduates, you may consider employment in research, design, development, computing, finance, marketing and teaching, among others.
Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2020/2021 cohort.
Employability
Your scientific training will equip you with an understanding of mathematics, and of physical principles and techniques, as well as transferable skills in analysis, rational argument and innovative problem solving. Surveys by the Institute of Physics indicate that physicists' versatility is welcomed by a wider range of professions than any other subject.
Accreditation
This programme is accredited by the Institute of Physics . Holders of accredited degrees can follow a route to Institute of Physics membership and the Chartered Physicist (CPhys) professional qualification. Graduates of accredited Integrated Master's (MPhys or MSci) degrees have fulfilled the educational requirements for CPhys status, while graduates of accredited Bachelor's (BSc) degrees have partially fulfilled these requirements.
- Fees and funding
Fees for this course
The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2024/25 academic year. The UK fees shown are for the first year of the programme at UCL only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase. The Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2024/25 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.
Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website .
Additional costs
You will require the approved model of calculator for use in exams. Currently this is either the Casio FX-85GT X or Casio FX-83GT X, which can be purchased for around £11 - £15. For details please see the UCL examinations guide . You may also be required to purchase books, stationery, printing, thesis binding and photocopying.
A guide including rough estimates for these and other living expenses is included on the UCL Fees and funding pages . If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).
- Funding your studies
The Physics & Astronomy Opportunity Scholarship aims to attract undergraduate students from a broad range of backgrounds to tackle the lack of Black representation within the Physics & Astronomy field. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/physics-astronomy/physics-astronomy-opportunity-scholarship
Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.
Scholarships
Funding opportunities relevant to the department may appear in this section when they are available. Please check carefully or confirm with the programme contact to ensure they apply to this degree programme and 2024/25 entry.
Physics & Astronomy Opportunity Scholarship
Deadline: 20 June 2025 Value: £12,400 maintenance/yr (Duration of programme) Criteria Based on financial need Eligibility: UK
The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.
Your application
We are seeking students with a strong background in physics and mathematics, with evidence of a broader interest in science, and the capacity for independent study. You should show us your enthusiasm for physics, for example through reading, lectures or peer-mentoring, and particularly what parts of physics excite you that are beyond the A-level curriculum.
- How to apply
Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.
For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application .
Some Physics Offer Holder's Days will be partially livestreamed for overseas applicants.
Your application will be carefully assessed based on your UCAS form and reference. If you are made an offer, you will be invited to a Physics Offer Holder's Day. This will include presentations, a tour of facilities and an opportunity to meet current students and staff members. Attendance is strongly recommended as we cannot provide private tours of the department at the moment.
Got questions? Get in touch
Physics and Astronomy
UCL is regulated by the Office for Students .
Prospective Students Undergraduate
- Undergraduate courses
- Why choose UCL?
- A history of disruptive thinking
- Research-based education
- Cutting-edge facilities
- A sustainable space
- Careers and employability
- Your global alumni community
- Entrepreneurship
- Volunteering and community at UCL
- A vibrant social life
- Support and well-being
- Your life in London
- Accommodation
- Tour the neighbourhood
- UCAS explained
- Guidance for international applicants
- Access and participation
- Applicants with a disability
- After you apply
- How we assess your application
- Admissions enquiries
- Stay in touch
- Download the prospectus
Our cookies
We use cookies for three reasons: to give you the best experience on PGS, to make sure the PGS ads you see on other sites are relevant , and to measure website usage. Some of these cookies are necessary to help the site work properly and can’t be switched off. Cookies also support us to provide our services for free, and by click on “Accept” below, you are agreeing to our use of cookies .You can manage your preferences now or at any time.
Privacy overview
We use cookies, which are small text files placed on your computer, to allow the site to work for you, improve your user experience, to provide us with information about how our site is used, and to deliver personalised ads which help fund our work and deliver our service to you for free.
The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience.
You can accept all, or else manage cookies individually. However, blocking some types of cookies may affect your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
You can change your cookies preference at any time by visiting our Cookies Notice page. Please remember to clear your browsing data and cookies when you change your cookies preferences. This will remove all cookies previously placed on your browser.
For more detailed information about the cookies we use, or how to clear your browser cookies data see our Cookies Notice
Manage consent preferences
Strictly necessary cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems.
They are essential for you to browse the website and use its features.
You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. We can’t identify you from these cookies.
Functional cookies
These help us personalise our sites for you by remembering your preferences and settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers, whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, then these services may not function properly.
Performance cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and see where our traffic comes from, so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are popular and see how visitors move around the site. The cookies cannot directly identify any individual users.
If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site and will not be able to improve its performance for you.
Marketing cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by social media services or our advertising partners. Social media cookies enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They can track your browser across other sites and build up a profile of your interests. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to see or use the content sharing tools.
Advertising cookies may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but work by uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will still see ads, but they won’t be tailored to your interests.
Physics and Astronomy MPhil/PhD
Ucl (university college london), different course options.
- Key information
Course Summary
Tuition fees, entry requirements, university information, similar courses at this uni, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.
PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy
Subject areas
Astronomy Physics
Course type
UCL Physics & Astronomy is one of the top departments in the UK for graduate study (RAE 2008). Our large number of international collaborations provide opportunities to work with an international team, including at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva, the Dark Energy Survey (DES) in Chile, and at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble. Graduate students whose interests are more theoretical also have ample opportunities to gain experience overseas thanks to a wide variety of international collaborations, some aimed at the foundations of quantum theory and the development of future quantum technologies, others at fundamental atomic and molecular physics or computational materials science. The wide variety of training afforded leads to a high degree of employability in many different areas.
Our recent MPhil/PhD graduates have often chosen to stay within academia as postdoctoral researchers at institutions at a variety of locations, both within and outside the UK, including some of the post prestigious institutions worldwide. Some have become researchers at related organisations such as national laboratories, or moved into industrial research. A significant number have also begun work in the financial sector for influential companies such as Deutsche Bank and PricewaterhouseCoopers and some into software research and development.
A PhD in Physics provides a wide variety of high-quality training in areas which are in great demand by future employers. A high degree of mathematical ability is always required and students learn how to apply this in innovative ways, modelling realistic physical systems. An advanced level of computer literacy, including programming in common languages, is frequently developed. Many doctorates also involve a significant degree of "hands-on" work, such as building, repairing and maintaining equipment. This variety of disparate skills leads to Physics PhD students being in particular demand and finding employment in many different areas of work within and outside the academic world.
UK fees Course fees for UK students
For this course (per year)
International fees Course fees for EU and international students
A minimum of an upper second-class UK integrated Master’s (MSci or MPhys) degree in a relevant discipline, or an undergraduate degree followed by an MSc in a relevant discipline, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. An upper second- or first-class UK Bachelor’s or equivalent may be considered in special circumstances.
UCL (University College London) is consistently ranked among the top ten universities in the world, conducting leading research across a wide range of subject areas. Throughout its long and prestigious history, it has inspired and educated countless minds and produced 30 Nobel prize recipients. With one campus located in the heart of Bloomsbury and a second campus in vibrant east London, the university is home to around 42,000 students... more
Planetary Science MSc
Full time | 1 year | SEP-25
Physics and Astronomy » High Energy Physics »
Theory & phenomenology.
- Data Science
UCL High Energy Physics
- Theory Home
- Standard Model
- Beyond the SM
- Publications
Within the UCL high energy physics group, the theory & phenomenology research programme focusses on the following areas:
Standard Model Physics
Probe QCD in the new environment of high multiplicity, large boosts and multiple interactions that the LHC provides and utilise the advances made to benefit our electroweak symmetry breaking programme and the development of improved models of proton structure and QCD interactions. More information on this part of our research can be found on our Standard Model Theory page .
Beyond the Standard Model Physics
Use the information provided by current particle physics experiments to constrain and pinpoint new physics scenarios beyond the Standard Model, and to guide future experimental efforts to optimally explore the new physics frontier. As part of this programme, we put a focus on neutrino and lepton flavour physics. More information on this part of our research can be found on our Beyond the SM Theory page .
Group Members
Former members.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at UCL has one of the broadest bases for research in Physics of any UK university. A UCL Physics PhD provides evidence of the type of problem-solving skills which are an ideal qualification for a further career in research or the wider job market.
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at UCL is one of the top departments in the UK for graduate study and has a broad range of bases for research in Physics of any UK university.
A theoretical physics degree from UCL is a strong asset across the whole range of careers where scientific skills are required, from accountancy to astrophysics, and computing to cryogenics. The programme is accredited by the Institute of Physics (IOP) and includes the very latest developments and discoveries in the field , based on our highly ...
UCL HEP PhD Study. We offer PhDs in both experimental and theoretical particle physics, tackling some of the most fundamental questions of physics in a number of different ways. More information on our various research interests can be found on our Research pages.
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at UCL has one of the broadest bases for research in Physics of any UK university. A UCL Physics PhD provides evidence of the type of problem-solving skills which are an ideal qualification for a further career in research or the wider job market.
A PhD in Physics provides a wide variety of high-quality training in areas which are in great demand by future employers. A high degree of mathematical ability is always required and students learn how to apply this in innovative ways, modelling realistic physical systems.
FindAPhD. Search Funded PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships in Physics, Theoretical Physics, ucl. Search for PhD funding, scholarships & studentships in the UK, Europe and around the world.
University College London Department of Physics and Astronomy A 3.5 year PhD position is available from October 2024 to work under the supervision of Kabir Husain. This is an exciting opportunity to join an interdisciplinary research group that uses tools from theoretical physics to analyse, predict, and design evolutionary fates in biology.
The UCL high energy physics group has 50 academic, research and technical staff and over 50 PhD students. We are one of the largest groups in the country with research areas spanning: theory/phenomenology, detector, software and accelerator R&D and analysis of data from the LHC, dark matter and neutrino experiments.
Use the information provided by current particle physics experiments to constrain and pinpoint new physics scenarios beyond the Standard Model, and to guide future experimental efforts to optimally explore the new physics frontier.