Master of Physics (Hons) with Research Placement Year

at University of Bath United Kingdom

Apply the full breadth of physics to a wide range of astrophysical phenomena from star formation to black hole growth and the expansion of the Universe.

Physics with Astrophysics at Bath will give you a strong grounding in physics, along with in-depth specialist knowledge of astrophysics. You’ll learn how to combine evidence from stellar and extragalactic astronomy to build consistent theoretical models of the evolution of galaxies.

Topics covered include exoplanets, galaxies, cosmology, stars and stellar evolution, general relativity and high energy astrophysics. There'll also be opportunities for you to carry out both observational and computational astrophysics projects alongside our astrophysics research group.

Placement Year

As an MPhys student, you can choose to undertake a research placement in the final year of the course. You’ll spend six months (July to December) working in a research organization of international standing, before returning to the University for the final semester. We have links with leading research organizations, including CERN, NTT Basic Research Laboratories (Japan), European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (France) and Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

Learn about the deep connections between mathematics and theoretical physics and develop your scientific computing and theoretical modelling skills to understand and solve complex physical problems.

This course is for you if you want to study a broad physics degree with less emphasis on experimental laboratories and a stronger focus on theoretical, mathematical and computational aspects of physics.

You'll study the cornerstones of theoretical physics while developing your understanding of their mathematical foundations. Our courses reflect our theoretical research expertise in condensed matter, photonics and astrophysics. The computational physics and programming aspects also reflect the more applied nature of our theoretical research.

The combination of theoretical and practical knowledge of physics and mathematics is highly sought-after by employers and also gives an excellent grounding for postgraduate or industrial research.

Year abroad

Broaden your horizons by spending a year studying at a university abroad. You’ll experience another culture whilst studying a course that complements your studies at Bath.

We currently have links with universities in North America, Australasia, Asia and Europe, including Purdue University, the University of Queensland, National University Singapore and the University of Helsinki.

Combine your passion for chemistry with a desire to make a real contribution to the development of new pharmaceuticals.

If you’re interested in the drug discovery process and want to pursue a career in the pharmaceutical industry, this is the course for you.

You’ll gain a solid foundation in chemistry with a focus on how drugs and medicines are designed and made, how they work and why they’re successful. Major pharmaceutical companies have contributed to the design of the course so you can be sure your studies will be relevant for industry. You’ll develop in-depth knowledge of the drug design process, and the skills to carry out experimental and computational drug discovery projects.

Placement Year

Going on placement gives you the opportunity to apply your skills and knowledge to a year working in industry. You’ll be employed full-time in a role to match your future career ambitions, broadening your experience and transferable skills. This could give you a competitive edge when applying for graduate jobs.

We have links with some of the industry’s leading companies. Recent employers include GlaxoSmithKline, Syngenta, AkzoNobel and Pfizer.

Develop the skills and understanding to tackle the global challenges of development, social justice and sustainability.

Whether you are a graduate aiming to make a difference in the world, or a professional wishing to deepen your knowledge and critical thinking, this course is for you.

You will explore the political, economic and social forces that promote and prevent social and environmental justice around the world. These include people’s struggles for wellbeing and sustainability and the visions that inspire them; and the roles of state, society and market actors. Transcending geographical binaries of Global North and South, you will consider areas of complementarity and trade-off between economic development, human wellbeing and environmental sustainability.

This specialist master’s combines skills and knowledge of international development with an in-depth focus on social justice, wellbeing and sustainability. Innovative learning approaches promote investigation of particular cases and issues drawing out connections and contradictions between different actors, analytical perspectives and across global, regional, national, and local scales.

Develop specialist knowledge in machine learning, statistics and software technology for a solid grounding in the theory and practice of data science.

Data science drives a significant proportion of global economic activity from healthcare to finance and technology. It's influencing scientific progress across numerous fields including bioscience, energy and telecommunications. This course provides you with the tools and strong mathematical foundation to become an industry expert. You'll gain an understanding of the balanced combination of science and technology required for delivering effective data science.

Placement Year

Going on placement gives you the opportunity to apply your skills and knowledge during a year working in industry. You’ll be employed full-time in a role to match your future career ambitions, broadening your experience and transferable skills.

We have links with companies of all sizes from household names to start-ups. Recent placements include positions at Rolls-Royce Motorcars, Seagate, Bosch, Cognisses and Imagination Technologies.

Vital in addressing global health and environmental challenges, biochemistry explores the chemical processes of living organisms at a molecular level.

Combine your interests in biology and chemistry by applying chemical knowledge and techniques to study biological processes. You’ll learn what’s happening inside cells, how they communicate with each other, and use this to predict how molecules will interact.

Gain specialist human resource management knowledge and consulting skills. You’ll also develop your key business skills and apply what you learn to organisational challenges.

This course is for graduates who want to develop key managerial skills and are interested in a career in human resource management or consultancy.

With the latest knowledge in people management, you’ll graduate prepared for a variety of business management roles. We use a hands-on, practical approach to teaching the latest approaches in human resource management.

Key benefits

• One of a few MSc courses in the country to offer the specific combination of HRM and consulting
• Make the course your own. Customize your degree to suit your strengths and interests with a range of optional units
• Meet and engage with our network of industry leaders
• Develop as a future business leader by gaining global insight and cross-cultural experience from your coursemates
• The practical and collaborative focus of the degree will give you experience to take into a consulting career

Develop theoretical and practical abilities in software design, development and experimentation, to become an innovative computing professional.

This course is for you if you’re interested in studying computer science but want to wait until later in your degree before deciding what area to specialise in. It's a broad-ranging course giving you the knowledge to apply computer science methods to the latest industry challenges and learn skills highly valued by employers.

Tailor to your interests

In the first year, you’ll learn core skills in mathematics and programming and the foundations of artificial intelligence, software design and development, interaction design, computer graphics and vision. More advanced and specialised units follow in the second and final years. In the second year, you'll complete a group project with other students to design and build an interactive application.

In the final year, you'll choose optional units alongside an individual project combining your interests in a specific area of computer science. You’ll regularly meet with an academic who specialises in your chosen field.

The modern world needs thoughtful, politically-conscious, questioning economists. Become a professional who understands how economics and politics intertwine.

In this course, you’ll examine the challenges facing individuals, countries and the international community. You will develop an understanding of government and society through core concepts such as power, justice, conflict, accountability, obligation, sovereignty and decision making. You will develop strong analytical skills which will aid your understanding of the institutional, UK and global context within which economic decisions and policy formation takes place.

In your first year you'll study key concepts in microeconomic and macroeconomic theory. You'll explore political theory and analysis, introducing central subjects such as power and the state, democracy and the climate crisis.

In your second year you'll continue with more advanced study of political and economic theory. You'll study the exercise of power in societies and economies through an engagement with themes such as democratic theory, populist and nationalist politics, and the politics of race and gender.

In your final year you'll explore your interests through a range of optional units in both economics and politics.

By the end of the course, you will have an appreciation of the interface between economics and political science.

Placement Year

Taking a placement in your third year enables you to use the theory you have learned in a practical context. You will learn about an organisation and its area of work in the UK or overseas. This is an excellent opportunity to test potential career paths. Sometimes permanent jobs are offered to our students. You’ll develop skills such as teamwork, planning, problem-solving, decision making and project management.

Employers value a year of professional work and you’ll gain an advantage in the job market. Sometimes it is possible for you to acquire additional professional qualifications, particularly in accountancy, whilst on placement.

Placement opportunities can’t be guaranteed but you will receive tailored support from our specialist team to help you secure a placement.

Combine electronic engineering expertise with advanced knowledge of computer hardware and software skills to develop the computer systems of the future.

Our course prepares you for a career in an advancing field at the interface of engineering and computing. You'll gain in-depth knowledge of modern computer systems, software engineering, computer graphics and embedded programming to become a systems-level expert.

Learning the foundations of electronic, electrical and computer principles gives you a broad understanding of the subject. Later in your degree, you can specialise with a choice of units including embedded electronic systems, computational intelligence or electronic design.

Working with the latest digital technology, you'll design systems such as embedded microprocessors, programmable integrated circuits or high-performance computers. You'll learn how to use industry-standard programming and hardware design languages, operating systems and applications.