Course summary

We run this course with the university’s Department of Philosophy to give you the chance to explore the deep philosophical questions raised by modern physics: What does quantum mechanics tell us about the nature of reality? Is the universe random or deterministic, and does it matter? You’ll cover most of the same topics as students on our standard Physics courses, and choose from philosophy topics that range from religion, ethics and politics, to feminism, art and death, to major thinkers such as Plato, Kant and Hegel. In your first two years, you’ll do the essential physics that all of our students cover: heat, motion, electricity, magnetism and quantum mechanics. You will also be able to choose from a wide range of optional philosophy modules, which range from religion, ethics and politics, to feminism, the arts and death. In practical classes, you’ll run experiments using the equipment in our modern laboratories to help you understand how important theories apply to the real world. In optional programming classes you can learn skills that are key to modern physics and valuable in many graduate careers, from data science to computer game design. There are also optional modules on topics such as relativity and the physics of music. In the third year, you can branch out into lots of different areas and complete your own research project in physics or philosophy. Physics options include topics like astrophysics, dark matter and nuclear physics. Philosophy options include free will, phenomenology and metaphysics. OpenPlus entry with the Open University On the OpenPlus scheme, instead of doing our standard first year, you study physics in your own time with the Open University, allowing you to combine work with your studies. Complete this successfully, and you can transfer directly onto the second year of one of this degree programme. Accredited by the Institute of Physics (IOP) for the purpose of fully meeting the educational requirement for Chartered Physicist.