Studying Physics is a unique opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the great. from Newton, Faraday, Maxwell and Watt to Roger Penrose and Stephen Hawking.
We certainly can proudly boast our fair share of brilliant minds. This is a trend that looks to set to continue - University scientific departments in Britain have are internationally renowned reputation for their excellence in education and in a recent subject review, Physics departments in particular achieved consistently high scores for teaching quality.1998 saw a team of physicists design and build the first land vehicle to break the sound barrier. Thrust SSC. Scientists around the world were astonished - through theoretically possible, many had believed that it was impossible to build such a vehicle in practice. On the experimental side, the UK collaborates on international projects such as CERN (high-energy particle physics) and JET (the experimental fusion reactor), as well as having a number of high quality research facilities such as the Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire.
Most universities offer two types of undergraduate degree - a Bachelors degree (BSc) of typically three years duration. The courses also cover a wide variety of topics, which many institutions offering modules in medical physics, astronomy, space and science, applied physics and other related topics. The modular course structure at many universities means that you can tailor your course to fit your interests and career aspirations.
Some universities also offer courses where you can incorporate industrial placements and other work experience into your studies. This is a great opportunity for you to try out your chosen career. Most universities specialize within certain areas of physics. Whilst their undergraduates will study across a broad spectrum, you will find that the researchers work in only four or five regions. This means that you can select an institution where world-leading researchers are working at the front line of scientific discovery that interests you.
A high number of universities have a Physics Society that organizes events in addition to your academic course, such as inviting guest speakers, arranging tours or research facilities and industrial sites and holding social functions that provide an excellent opportunity to meet the more senior physicists at your department.
Employment opportunities are also good for those with physics qualifications. Most enjoy good salaries and work in diverse areas, from finance to research. Once you have a physics degree, you have set yourself up for a successful career, no matter what field you eventually work in. The Institute of Physics is the professional body for physicists, and can help you to obtain recognised professional status, such as Chartered Physicist (Cphys) and Chartered Engineer (CEng). To help you choose a physics course , the Institute of Physics produces a free guidebook, entitled 'Physics on course', which details all the tertiary physics courses in the country.
