Physics with Astronomy BSc (Hons) - 2025/6

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This programme is aligned to the University of Surrey's Five Pillars of Curriculum Design, namely: Global and Cultural Capabilities; Employability; Digital Capabilities; Resourcefulness and Resilience, and Sustainability.

Global and Cultural Capabilities: Students engage with physical concepts and technological advancements that are of benefit to society worldwide. This technological progress addresses issues such as access to clean energy, healthcare, communication, and transportation, thereby benefitting different cultures globally. Students take part in scientific outreach in both core modules early in the programme and optional modules in later years, this enables our graduates to promote scientific literacy. In addition, this programme includes Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) workshops which aim to increase awareness of cultural, religious, or racial differences while delivering information about how a person can change their behavior to be more inclusive. Through this training, students are encouraged to diversify their knowledge and reflect upon their experiences as a physicist and in education. Through this we seek to prepare our graduates for work in large and diverse teams in their future careers.


Employability: Our programmes provide students with a blend of valuable scientific and mathematical expertise, problem-solving abilities, presentational skills, and other transferable skills sought by employers. These advanced skills are highly valued in sectors such as finance, engineering, data science, and technology. Students learn to apply concepts using industry-standard coding languages, such as Python, and students develop skills in communicating complex ideas clearly both through scientific writing and orally. The capacity to analyse and resolve complex problems through physical and mathematical reasoning, critical thinking, and logical deduction carries universal significance and is highly valued by employers. Finally, the principles and methodologies of our physics programmes are applicable across a diverse range of industries. Knowledge of physics can lead to careers in fields including healthcare (Medical Physics), environmental science, energy, finance, and the emerging quantum computing industry. Our range of optional modules exposes students to ideas in these areas and provides valuable experience for future employment.


Digital Capabilities: By integrating digital tools, programming skills, and data analysis techniques into the curriculum, our programmes equip students to employ physical and mathematical knowledge in a digital context, fostering the digital acumen essential for success in today's technology-driven world. Computer modelling and simulation are a key component of our programmes in order to understand and describe physical phenomena and require the use of computational languages such as Python. Students utilise advanced laboratory equipment and technology gaining hands-on experience with sophisticated instruments which helps with understanding how to operate and leverage technological tools effectively. Experiments and simulations in physics generate vast amounts of data and students learn statistical methods and data analysis techniques to interpret results. Such skills are transferable to various fields where data-driven decision-making is essential, such as data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence. While studying on our programmes students also engage with various digital learning tools and our virtual learning environment thus learning to collaborate effectively in a technologically advanced work environment.


Resourcefulness and Resilience: Physics involves tacking complex problems that sometimes lack straightforward solutions. Our programmes provide a learning journey whereby increasing complex ideas and problems are developed and explored which cultivates adaptability and innovation in the face of challenges. Frequent exposure to challenging problems, tackled both individually and in groups, encourages students to develop resourcefulness and resilience by exploring innovative approaches and thinking critically. The complex ideas and theories that students engage with on our programmes help students to further develop their resourcefulness by learning to break down these problems into manageable parts which can be tackled step-by-step. In addition, the need to make connections to other disciplines encourages students to broaden their skill sets and develop resourcefulness in applying interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving. Our students are, therefore, equipped with the general skills of resourcefulness and resilience which are applicable in all roles in society.

Sustainability: By studying physics our graduates can contribute to the development of technologies, systems and solutions that promote sustainability. Physics contributes to a deeper understanding of natural phenomena, leading to advancements that can address challenges related to energy, climate change, resource management and environmental conservation. By employing mathematical and computational modelling, data analysis, and optimization techniques, students learn to assess environmental and economic systems for informed decisions promoting sustainability.