Postgraduate Courses in Physics
A postgraduate course in physics can open many doors for career choice and improve employability. The general skills of analysis and problem-solving that a postgraduate course in physics fosters, help physics postgraduates to contribute effectively to most areas of an organisation's activities. Whether you are interested in a career in research or simply want to improve your knowledge in a specialised area, there is a postgraduate course in physics to suit you.
One of the key ideas in physics is that behind the complexity of the world around us, there is an underlying simplicity and unity in nature. This is often expressed through all-embracing fundamental concepts, such as the principle of conservation of energy. Such concepts, when put to work using mathematics, provide explanations for how things happen. Research at the frontiers of physics leads to a deeper understanding of the way things work and how matter behaves in difficult circumstances, and from this understanding follow the many practical applications of physics. Indeed, physics is the basis for most forms of engineering and the other sciences.
As well as being concerned with deep fundamental questions, physics forms the basis of most present and future technology. Without an understanding of the basic physics of a problem, we'd be shooting in the dark. For example, when compact disc players were developed, it was crucial that the physics of solid-state lasers and the interaction of light with matter were well understood. This in turn depended on an understanding of atomic physics and quantum mechanics. Other new technological developments depend on modern physics in a similar way.
Studying physics is a unique opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the greats from Newton, Faraday, Maxwell and Watt to Roger Penrose and Stephen Hawking. Britain certainly can proudly its fair share of brilliant minds. This is a trend that looks to set to continue - University scientific departments have an 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.
Postgraduate courses in physics vary according to how heavily research-based they are and, in the case of MSc’s, what subjects they are combined with. Some MSc’s in Physics are with subjects such as Mathematics, Engineering, Astronomy or Medicine. Other courses are focused on research such as MPhil’s and PhD’s. These courses often provide grounding for development of training in research techniques and careers in academia. Some departments will be stronger in certain areas of research than others so it is important you fully investigate the teaching strengths and facilities of various physics departments before you apply. For example, at the University of Leeds, the main research groups are: Astrophysics, Condensed Matter, Molecular and Nanoscale Physics, Polymers and Complex Fluids and Quantum Information. At Southampton University, the areas of research for postgraduate study are; Theoretical High Energy Physics, Astronomy and Solar Terrestrial Physics, Quantum Optoelectronics, Quantum Control, Magnetism and Superconductivity, Nanophotonics, Lasers and Functional Optical Materials.
Entry requirements for postgraduate courses in physics for most universities is a second class or above honours degree in physics or related subject such as Electronics or Engineering. However, some universities may be stricter when it comes to the subject of your undergraduate degree. Assessment for an MSc normally takes the form of a written examination, research project with thesis and oral examination on the research project.
Employment opportunities are also good for those with physics qualifications. Physics provides a route into many careers, and opportunities exist both in Britain and throughout Europe, as well as North America. These prospects are not confined to research - they extend into a wide range of industries, including food, medicine, finance, marketing, business and management. Once you are a physics postgraduate, 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 postgraduate course in physics, the Institute of Physics produces a free guidebook, entitled 'Physics on course', which details all the tertiary physics courses in the country.
Though many physics postgraduates go on to work in academic research and teaching, the main areas of employment are in industry, particularly in the research and development sections of 'hi-tech' industry. Good examples are industries concerned with opto-electronics, computing, telecommunications, materials, motor vehicle technology, semiconductors, and power generation. There are also opportunities in medical physics, meteorology, and research concerned with an understanding and protection of the environment. The list of major employers of physics graduates includes most of the large British and multinational companies and a host of smaller ones. Physics postgraduates, because of their broadly-based training, often become leaders of the increasingly common multi-disciplinary teams employed on research and development projects.
If you are interested in applying for a postgraduate course in physics then make sure carefully consider which specialisation you want to go into and which university offers the best facilities and teaching for that particular area. The Institute of Physics is a useful place to start when looking for postgraduate courses in physics, as well as offering you additional information on careers in physics.
With thanks to : Philip Diamond, Manager, Higher Education & Research, Institute of Physics
http://www.iop.org/
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