Physics and Astronomy

Course details With recent ground-breaking discoveries in astronomy, the Universe, subatomic particles and nuclear fusion there’s never been a better time to study physics. If you are fascinated by the relationship between mathematics, the cosmos and the scientific world this MPhys could be for you. This integrated Master’s degree is the first step towards Chartered Physicist status. It will suit those looking for an accredited course that leads to higher level education or a research role in physics, while also providing the knowledge, analytical and problem-solving skills for a career in the sciences, engineering, finance or IT. Course content ranges from fundamental topics, such as elementary particle physics and cosmology, to applied areas which include material physics and biophysics.

Why Durham University? When you study physics at Durham you will work with experts across a range of specialisms to explore subjects such as the Big Bang, black holes, the Higgs boson, high-temperature superconductors, lasers, cold-atom Bose-Einstein condensates, biophysics and more. Our undergraduate physics degrees offer outstanding teaching, learning and employability outcomes for students. We offer four Institute of Physics accredited BSc and MPhys qualifications which share a common first year.

Facilities We also have state-of-the-art scanning electron microscopes (SEM), transmission electron microscopes (TEM) and focused ion-beam microscopes (FIB) that are accessible to staff and students from physics, chemistry, earth sciences, engineering and biology areas. The main department building houses all the lectures and teaching laboratories as well as some of our world-class facilities such as our Cosma 8 supercomputer, which has the processing power and memory of about 28,000 home PCs. The Department also includes the Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics, which is home to the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology and the Institute for Computational Cosmology.

Rankings World Top 100 in the QS World University Subject Rankings 2024 3rd in The Guardian University Guide 2025 3rd in The Complete University Guide 2025 Top 10 in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025

Career Opportunities We seek to develop the practical and intellectual skills sought by employers and we are regularly ranked among the country's top performers for graduate employment. Our graduates have progressed to careers in business, industry, commerce, research, management and education, and typically more than fifth of our graduates go on to study for higher degrees. The Department also has an impressive track record of spin-out technology companies that commercialise our knowledge in areas of semiconductors, composites and advanced instrumentation. Examples of high-profile employers include BT, Procter & Gamble, Rolls Royce and BAE Systems.