Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Astrophysics

at University of Hertfordshire - De Havilland Campus United Kingdom

Literature can offer new perspectives on familiar themes, as well as open doors to unfamiliar ideas and cultures which are temporally or spatially remote from your own. It is an ideal source for philosophical reflection, exploring and challenging the assumptions that frame the way we think, act and see the world around us.

Our BA Philosophy and English Literature degree encourages you to expand your imaginative capacities and to critically reflect on possibilities for how the world could be, by engaging with a wide variety of perspectives. You will gain skills in understanding how to read and interpret in context, and in how to formulate your own arguments, to arrive at your own conclusions.

In your first year, you might choose to study international and American literature or revisit Shakespeare and consider his cultural relevance today through fictional, cinematic and TV adaptations. In Philosophy, you might explore questions which lie at the heart of much literature, such as whether anything can give meaning to life, and whether our striving to achieve anything of significance is ultimately futile, even ridiculous. The philosophy of film and literature module addresses the assumption that anything is possible in fiction and considers the extent to which that is true.

All our English Literature and Philosophy lecturers are active researchers, so you’ll share the excitement of doing original work in a supportive and highly-rated academic community. Our Philosophy team is in the top 15 in the Guardian League Table 2019 and rates as one of the 100 best Philosophy departments worldwide in the 2017 QS rankings.

In your second year, you’ll focus on period-based literature from the Renaissance onwards and gain an understanding of literary history, from Elizabethan verse and drama, via Augustan poetry and the emergence of the novel in the 18th century, to the radical transformations of the Victorian age, and the emergence of modernity in the 20th century. In Philosophy, you’ll choose from a variety of topics, which includes a module on the nature of art, expression and representation (in literary as well as visual art), and modules on influential texts in philosophy, such as Plato’s Republic.

The final year allows for even more opportunity to tailor your degree to reflect your own interests. On the literature side, themed options include children’s literature, young adult fiction, Renaissance tragedy, 21 st century American literature, European crime fiction, literary adaptations and the culture of print in the 18th century. A wide variety of Philosophy modules are available, including modules on feminist philosophy, the nature of language and meaning, and a module on Nietzsche, who is well-known for his literary style.

• A flexible programme of study, allowing you to concentrate on areas you find especially interesting
• An exceptional academic team, conducting internationally renowned research
• Stimulating, innovative courses that allow you to make rewarding connections between two disciplines
• CV-building potential through work placements and extra-curricular activities

Ethics and human rights are always hot topics, both domestically and internationally. The LLM International Human Rights Law will enable you to explore a wide range of subjects in this area, examine the latest developments and critically analyse the arguments on all sides of the debates. The two compulsory modules – International Human Rights Law and Medical Law and Ethics – will offer you a firm foundation for human rights specialisation, particularly with an ethical and medical law perspective. Practical work and case studies underpin solid theoretical teaching, equipping you with everything you need to work in this dynamic and challenging area of international law.

In the International Human Rights Law module you will gain a critical understanding of human rights law from a comparative and cross-cultural perspective. The module also includes examination of theoretical and philosophical discussions on human rights, international and regional systems of human rights protection and the effectiveness of the United Nations system, and a focus on civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights.

The Medical Law and Ethics module offers analysis of a wide range of areas within medical law and ethics, particularly from an international perspective. You will cover topics such as medical negligence and legal and ethical dilemmas, medical law and ethics from ‘birth to death’, the impact of modern technologies in areas such as gene editing, embryo testing, surrogacy and organ donation, and the law and ethics of end-of-life issues, such as assisted suicide.

Why choose this course?
You can be sure that the teaching you receive is up to date and highly relevant to twenty-first-century global human rights issues, taught as it is by specialists at the forefront of their disciplines and underpinned by the latest research and practice. Practical, innovative teaching methods combined with traditional class seminars ensure that you are equipped with the knowledge and skills that you will need for your career in the arena of human rights.

The two compulsory modules will be complemented by two from a range of optional modules on offer, enabling you to tailor your course according to your particular ambitions and aspirations.

There is an increased need for professionally managed purchasing and supply chains mangement to ensure businesses are able to succeed and provide to their customers. The School of Engineering Computer Science have developed this unique programme to help you develop a wide range of skills for your chosen career ensuring success in whatever sector you decide to work in.

Why choose this course?

• You will develop skills and advancement of knowledge on the broad areas of business to enable you develop transferable skills in all areas. Areas include: operations management, operations research, procurement and supply chain management, financial control, manufacturing information systems, manufacturing strategy; legal aspects of supply chain; and human resources management.
• You will focus on a combination of practical work and case studies, including analysis and synthesis, contribution to profitability, understanding of purchasing, procurement and logistics. It will promote critical review and analysis of strategic value, procurement and supply chain management.

Do you have a story to tell, or have you always wanted to be a writer? Perhaps you want to learn how to be a critical reader or gain a greater understanding of the craft of writing.
Studying English Literature and Creative Writing with us will help you find your voice, whether as a poet, playwright, novelist or scholar of literature.
This joint course combines the study of literature with the practice of creative writing. Studying literature will give you a greater understanding of how literary texts work, while this improved critical insight will help you put principles into practice in your own creative writing.

We offer a stimulating and supportive place in which to explore your ideas, hone your craft and understand literary texts. Our creative writing modules are taught by lecturers who are themselves award-winning practitioners and who bridge the gap between creative and academic approaches to literature. They include our poetry lecturer Wayne Holloway-Smith, winner of the Poetry Society’s Geoffrey Dearmer Prize and Seamus Heaney Prize nominee.

Over the three years you can choose specialist creative writing modules in poetry, creative non-fiction, drama, short story writing and prose fiction. Those specialisms are reflected in our English Literature modules, which range from children’s and young adult literature to film adaptations and work written in English from all over the world.

By the time you graduate, you will have a polished piece of work which has the potential for publication. Recent successes for our students include short stories published in Bandit and AnotherLenz magazines and poetry published in Rising and international magazine Poetry London.
In your first year, an underpinning core module, Becoming a Writer, will introduce you to genres and forms and examine the universalities of dialogue, plot and language. A second core module, Identity and Contemporary Writing, introduces you to some of the most exciting new writing as a model for your own work, while an optional module enables you to specialise in writing for the screen.
The practicalities of getting published or working in literary publishing are explored in a creative writing module in your second year taught by a former editor of Granta, the renowned magazine of new writing. For your final year your particular creative interest can be channelled into a long piece of writing, which can be poetry, prose or drama.

This unique course gives you the flexibility to pursue an engineering career designing aircraft from a pilot’s perspective, or to take the first step to become a commercial pilot. The compulsory flying element is mainly in the Final Year and is provided by a nationally recognised flight centre either in the UK or the US. There are additional fees for this, but at an attractively discounted rate compared to other flight centres. There are also opportunities to fly in the First and Second Years as an extracurricular activity, including the chance to use various flight simulators. The MEng’s extra year will deepen your knowledge of aerospace systems and develop your business and management skills.

• This MEng degree course in Aerospace Engineering with Pilot Studies places particular emphasis on the flying qualities from a pilot's point of view;
• You will get the opportunity to gain a UK National Private Pilot's Licence whilst doing your degree;
• The flying is offered locally at an attractively discounted rate.
• Our MEng Aerospace Engineering with Pilot Studies students have previously completed work placement years at companies including: Goodrich Control Systems, Honeywell (UK) Ltd, and MBDA
• Recent Aerospace Engineering graduates have gone on to work at organisations including The Royal Air Force, Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, and McLarens Aviation

Learn the fundamental skills and knowledge of a modern engineer. This course offers a comprehensive introduction to engineering, giving you the flexibility to work in a broad range of industries. Among the general topics, you’ll study engineering mathematics, materials and electrical science, mechanical science, manufacturing technology, computer-aided engineering and thermodynamics. During your MEng year, you’ll deepen your understanding of engineering through a selection of advanced modules. As with the BEng, you’ll get the chance to work on some impressive team projects, including designing a hovercraft, a Formula Student racing car and an unmanned aircraft. This course is the first step towards chartered engineer status.

• The MEng in Mechanical Engineering is a broad subject and there have been thousands of successful UH graduates of this discipline working in all fields of engineering
• You can apply your knowledge to typical mechanical projects such as the design of a hovercraft
• You may join the automotive students and help design, build and race single-seater race car in the UK Formula Student Competition
• You may join aerospace students on projects involving Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs), rocketry and space tourism
• You will learn how to apply computer-aided engineering and industrial-standard software, recommended by the Automotive Industry Advisory Panel
• Students from the School of Engineering and Technology have previously completed work placement years at companies including: Rolls Royce plc, BAE Systems, and RP Aero Systems
• Recent Mechanical Engineering graduates have gone on to work at organisations including: Ocado, Ford and General Electric

More about the Course
Our School of Engineering and Technology is well known for project-orientated learning, and mechanical engineers have the opportunity to take part in exciting team projects such as the UH Hovercraft, the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ESCO-UAS) competition or the Formula Student competition. For more information see racing.herts.ac.uk

Our students can take the work placement option, spending their Third Year in industry. Some students take the opportunity to study part of their degree abroad through student exchange programmes with other universities in the EU, USA or Canada.

A mechanical engineering degree will provide you with the flexibility to be employed in any industrial company irrespective of their product range. Mechanical engineers are involved in producing innovative designs, using the latest materials and Computer Aided Engineering systems to meet ever-increasing expectations in 21st century living.  With our excellent teaching standards and facilities, the University has a strong track record of providing industry with these highly skilled professionals.

In your first year you will study the fundamental skills and knowledge required by a modern engineer including principles of flight and an introduction to aircraft systems. In particular you will be introduced to computer packages commonly used in the aerospace industry.

In your second year the core themes from year 1 are further developed so that they can be applied to solve engineering problems encountered in industrial and commercial environments. You will learn about the design process, through both group design and detail design work, and will have the opportunity to work on the Class 200 Formula Student car.

In your third year you have the chance to work for an engineering company on placement.

In your fourth year you have the option of covering either manufacturing or the rapidly growing field of micro-electrical-mechanical systems (MEMS). Project work, both in teams on design and individually on a topic of special interest, encourages you to develop valuable practical, interpersonal and communication skills. You also have the opportunity to work on the University's entry to the Formula Student competition.

In your final year you will study at Masters level, deepening your knowledge and understanding of engineering as well as developing your business and management skills. The Team Project is multidisciplinary and involves applying your skills to solve an unusual and challenging problem.

With a 30-year record of producing skilled engineers for all branches of the automotive industry, Hertfordshire’s a great choice if you want to work in this cutting-edge sector. How? As with the BEng, this course focuses on vehicle design, taking into account performance, consumer demand, safety and sustainability. It follows the same structure as the BEng, but includes an extra year where you’ll deepen your understanding of the automotive industry. This course is also accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

• You will have use of our Automotive Centre with advanced engine test cells and a vehicle ride simulator for the testing of car suspension systems
• You will gain a practical education based around several specialist laboratories including an aerodynamics laboratory with five wind tunnels of varying speeds.
• This MEng degree course in Automotive Engineering will give you the opportunity to design, build and race single-seater race car in the UK Formula Student Competition and can get involved from your first year onwards, if you wish.
• Our MEng Automotive Engineering students have previously completed work placement years at companies including: 3M UK Plc, Bentley Motors, and Millbrook Proving Ground
• Recent Automotive Engineering graduates have gone on to work at organisations including: JCB, Nissan, Ford Motor Company, Nissan Technical Centre Europe, Jaguar Land Rover  and McLaren Automotive.
• Your MEng studies involve an extra year and will provide you with a broader and deeper understanding of the subject.

An understanding of the world from social, economic, political and environmental perspectives has never been more critical. A geography degree will give you an in-depth understanding of our rapidly changing world by combining elements of both physical and human geography. Fieldwork learning, and practical application are at the heart of this course, and you'll develop skills using our own field station, specialist laboratories and geographical information analysis facilities whilst also benefitting from our unique location in terms of planning and urban design. Your studies include two fully-funded field trips in the UK and Switzerland. Throughout the course you can explore topics such as sustainability, globalisation, climate change, food scarcity, earth surface processes and landforms, natural hazards, glaciology, environmental problem solving, demography, migration, urban place making, transport, future mobility, planning and development, leisure, tourism and identity, marginalisation, exclusion and geopolitics.

• No additional charges for compulsory UK and overseas residential field courses in Year 1 and Year 2
• Outstanding employability levels after graduation
• High student satisfaction, a vibrant student society and a strong staff-student community
• Regular opportunities for students to assist staff with field research and to undertake fieldwork in pursuit of final year dissertations in locations that have included Iceland, Switzerland and the High Arctic
• Excellent work placement and study abroad opportunities and strong links with local and national employers
• Opportunities to get involved in ecology activities at Bayfordbury such as beekeeping, bat watching, coppicing, etc.

You can find out more about our staff in Geography, Environment and Agriculture here.

Find your voice, both critically and creatively, as you develop an in-depth understanding of today’s media world and hone the skills you need to play your part. Harnessing two fascinating subjects, this course opens your eyes to the evolution and influence of the media industry, while inspiring creative thinking, writing and career pathways.

Today’s media industries are becoming more diverse and dynamic as digital and social media platforms thrive. Our practical course nurtures your hands-on technical skills, original creativity and entrepreneurial attitude, giving you the versatility for a successful media career.

You’ll develop the ability to critically comment on media practice and produce new creative work for websites, blogs, print, video, audio and multimedia. We’ll help you develop research, editorial, storytelling and targeting skills, building your confidence in creating, editing and submitting work. You’ll produce short stories, drama, poetry and creative nonfiction, as well as having opportunities to work with schools or museums, study abroad or take a year’s work placement.

This course will help you to develop professional writing skills to engaging your reader and write for a target audience. Creative writers on this course will develop: research skills, editorial skills, storytelling, effective use of imagery, and skills in writing across a range of platforms including web, blogs and media, print, video, audio and multimedia.

Indicative course structure
A strong business degree is an incredible start to your career. By combining it with accounting you’ll have the chance to build a firm foundation in business with a strong focus on accounting practices.

You’ll study a whole range of key business areas, including accounting, marketing, operations, management, human resources and the role of business in society. We’ll also help you explore everything from strategic leadership, performance and business management to ethics, enterprise and creative problem-solving.

• Develop important skills and knowledge required to become an accountant.
• Enhance your employability skills by undertaking a 12-month work placement to gain the first-hand experience.
• Develop strong intellectual capabilities.