Physics

取得日期：未有保存

https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/physics/physics-bsc/

https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/entry/hong-kong/

https://www.ucas.com/explore/courses/e9abca12-b583-9244-5972-c51507a9c3e1?studyYear=2027

https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/entry/language-requirements/undergraduate/

Physics BSc - Subjects - University of St Andrews

University of St Andrews

Toggle search

Physics BSc (Honours) 2027 entry

Register your interest How to apply

UCAS code

Course start

September 2027

Duration

Four years full time

School of Physics and Astronomy

Why study this course?

The BSc (Hons) in Physics will allow you to explore the fundamentals of this central science, from classical dynamics to the intriguing theories of quantum mechanics and relativity, and how these and other underpinning ideas may be applied in fields such as electronics, lasers, music, and semiconductors.

The Physics degree programme allows you to develop your knowledge and skills (including computational and lab work) to build competencies that will be useful in a wide range of careers, both in physics-based industry and in areas such as finance and management.

Accreditation

All St Andrews Physics and Astronomy degree programmes are accredited by the Institute of Physics for the UK and Ireland.

Course details

The BSc in Physics is a four-year course (three years for those taking direct entry to second year) run by the School of Physics and Astronomy. During your degree, you will be introduced to core topics in mainstream physics – such as mechanics, special relativity, waves, quantum physics, light, electricity and magnetism – as well as develop the necessary mathematical, computational, and laboratory skills needed as a physicist. Later in the course, these underpinning skills and knowledge bases may be used to explain and explore a range of contemporary topics.

In the first two years of your studies you will also study modules from the School of Mathematics and Statistics, as mathematics is the language of physics. Depending on how many mathematics modules you choose to do, you may be able to choose modules in other subjects such as astronomy, chemistry, computer science, philosophy, or many other subjects from across the University. The flexible nature of the degree programmes at St Andrews means that by appropriate choice of modules in first and second year, you may be able to change your final degree topic during your course.

You have some choice of modules in first and second year. At the start of third year, your choice of degree title (in the School of Physics and Astronomy) largely determines what set of modules you take in third year. There is significant choice of modules in fourth year.

Final year students carry out a major project, which typically takes one-quarter of their time for the year. This is often carried out in close cooperation with one of the School’s research groups.

The University of St Andrews operates on a flexible modular degree system by which degrees are obtained through the accumulation of credits.

Ask a student

If you are interested in learning what it's like to be a student at St Andrews you can speak to one of our student ambassadors. They'll let you know about their top tips, best study spots, favourite traditions and more.

“I love how physics is behind every phenomenon of our world. I really like that it is very interdisciplinary and how the skills that we develop as physicists can be applied to many jobs not only in the scientific world, for example consulting and business. ”

- Genoa, Italy

How it's taught

Teaching

Physics modules are taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, workshops and laboratory work.

In both first and second year, each core physics module typically consists of four or five lectures per week (about 120 to 150 students), along with one problem-solving workshop, one small group tutorial (about 11 students), and 2.5 hours in the teaching laboratory. Laboratory work is usually undertaken in pairs in first year and individually in second year.

At Honours level, lecture-based modules in this School typically consist of three lectures per week (6 to 140 students), some with associated small group tutorials (about 5-11 students). Students on the Physics BSc also take two laboratory-based modules, each of which runs two afternoons a week in different semesters.

In your final semester, you will spend around 20 hours per week focusing on your final-year project.

Find out more about how academic years are organised.

When not attending lectures, tutorials and labs, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve:

working on individual and group projects

undertaking research in the library or online

preparing for laboratory work

preparing coursework assignments and presentations

preparing for examinations

Open all

Assessment

During first and second year, most modules are assessed by a mix of coursework and written examinations. In Honours years, assessment depends on the nature of the specific module. Most modules give a higher weighting to written examinations, but some are assessed solely through coursework.

Coursework includes:

laboratory work

classroom tests

presentations

reviews of research papers

tutorial participation

Most examinations are held at the end of the semester during a dedicated exam diet and revision time is provided beforehand.

The School aims to provide feedback on assessments and coursework within a time specified for the assignment – in some cases two days, in some cases two weeks. Feedback is given with a view to improving your performance in the future.

Undergraduates on the BSc in Physics can find information on progressing through the degree in the Physics programme requirements.

Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module. To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements. To find out the classification equivalent of points, please see the common reporting scale.

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team and will have significant interaction with staff within the School. Postgraduate research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of laboratory classes and tutorials under the supervision of the module leader.

You can find contact information for all Physics staff on the School of Physics and Astronomy website.

The University's services and support teams can help students with additional needs resulting from disabilities, long-term medical conditions or learning disabilities, as well as many other difficulties and challenges students might face while studying.

In the first two years of your degree (known as sub-honours), you will take the required modules in physics and mathematics, possibly alongside modules in subjects like astronomy, mathematics, chemistry or music.

Typically, you will take one or two physics modules per semester during your first two years, and four to five modules per semester during your third and fourth year (known as Honours).

Course information may change. Module information and course content, teaching and assessment may change each year and after you have accepted your offer to study at the University of St Andrews. We display the most up-to-date information possible, but this could be from a previous academic year. For the latest module information, see the module catalogue.

First year

Mathematics: introduces the ideas and techniques required for further study of mathematics or applications to other sciences.

Physics 1A: Covers the core subjects of mechanics, waves and optics, and the physical properties of matter. The module also includes a laboratory element to supplement lecture material and develop laboratory skills.

Physics 1B: covers an introduction to quantum physics, classical mechanics, lasers, and includes laboratory skills. The module also includes a group project element where an open-ended physics-based problem is investigated.

Second year

Linear Mathematics: introduces the theory of vector spaces, linear independence, linear transformations and diagonalisation.

Multivariate Calculus: extends the techniques of calculus in a single variable to the setting of real functions of several variables.

Physics 2A: covers mechanics, special relativity, oscillations, thermal physics, and laboratory skills.

Physics 2B: covers quantum physics, electricity, magnetism and classical waves, and includes laboratory skills.

In your third year, you will cover advanced theory and applications in some or all of the following subjects:

electromagnetism

electronics

laboratory skills and investigations

mathematics for physicists

quantum mechanics

thermal and statistical physics

You will also take ‘Transferable Skills for Physicists’ which provides training and practice in research skills, advanced written and oral communication skills, problem solving and teamwork.

During fourth year, you will further develop your knowledge and skills in physics in some of the following topics:

advanced quantum mechanics

atomic, nuclear, and particle physics

communication and teaching in science

condensed matter physics

optoelectronics and nonlinear optics

physics of music

principles of lasers

principles of optics

signals and information

In fourth year, students undertake a major project which is often carried out within one of the School’s research groups. This provides a great chance to explore physics, and on occasion can lead to a paper in a refereed international scientific journal.

Fees and funding

Scotland: Tuition fees are yet to be confirmed by the Scottish Government.

England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man: £10,050 (yet to be confirmed by the UK Government)

EU and overseas: £34,910

More information on tuition fees can be found on the undergraduate fees and funding page.

Additional costs

There are no additional fees for labs and lab equipment in the School. Most students in the 'Transferable Skills for Physicists' module are normally expected to attend the residential conference weekend in the Scottish countryside, and are asked to make a contribution (currently £50) towards the costs of the weekend.

Accommodation fees

Find out about accommodation fees for University accommodation.

Funding and scholarships

The University of St Andrews offers a number of scholarships and support packages to undergraduate students each year.

Entry requirements

The University offers different entry requirements, depending on your background. Find out more about

Standard, Minimum and Gateway entry requirements using academic entry explained and see which entry requirements you need to look at using the entry requirements indicator.

For degrees combining more than one subject, the subject with the higher entry requirements determines the grades you need. You will also need to meet any further subject-specific entry requirements as outlined on their pages.

SQA Highers

Standard entry grades:

AAAA, including A in both: Mathematics and Physics.

Minimum entry grades:

AAAB, including A in both: Mathematics and Physics.

Gateway entry grades:

Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades, but meet the University's contextual criteria, may be interested in one of the University’s Gateway programmes.

GCE A-Levels

AAA, including A in both: Mathematics and Physics.

AAB, including A in both: Mathematics and Physics.

IB points

38 (HL 6,6,6), including HL6 in both Mathematics and Physics.

36 (HL 6,5,5), including HL5 in both Mathematics and Physics.

General entry requirements

All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.

SQA qualifications

SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:

Chemistry

Computing science

Geography

Applications of Mathematics

Mathematics

Psychology.

GCSE qualifications

GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:

Computing Science

Other qualifications

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes. Please see our entry requirements for more information.

More information on how to apply via other entry routes or accreditation of prior learning and experience can be found on the University's entry requirements web page.

Do I need to have studied this subject before?

Students must have studied both Physics and Mathematics at SQA Highers, GCE A-Levels, or equivalent. Preference will be given to candidates offering strong science qualifications.

Alternative study options

Students interested in this course may also be interested in the following:

Other BSc programmes

Students interested in this course may also be interested in:

BSc in Astrophysics

BSc in Mathematics and Physics

BSc in Philosophy and Physics

Direct entry to second year

Well-qualified school leavers may be able to apply for admission directly into the second year of this course.

Integrated Masters

It is possible for students to take Physics as a five-year Integrated Masters course in Physics, Theoretical Physics or Astrophysics, allowing you to graduate with a Master of Physics. Direct entry into second year for these courses is also possible, allowing you to complete an Integrated Masters degree programme in four years instead of five.

Study abroad

Physics and astronomy students can apply to participate in the University-wide St Andrews Abroad programme. For information about study abroad options, please see the study abroad site.

International applicants

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability.

Joint Honours degrees

You can also take Physics as part of a joint Honours degree in which you will take core modules of your chosen subjects.

UCAS code FG31: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Mathematics and Physics

UCAS code FV30: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Philosophy and Physics

UCAS code FGH1: Master in Physics (Honours) Mathematics and Theoretical Physics

UCAS code FF13: Master in Science (Honours) Chemistry and Physics

At the end of the degree, graduates should be equipped with the following skills that are valued in a wide range of occupations:

the ability to determine what information is needed to solve a problem, and a knowledge of where to find or generate such information

applicable mathematical and computational techniques and where to use them

knowledge and understanding of fundamental physical laws and principles

the ability to analyse data and evaluate the level of uncertainty in results

skills to identify relevant principles and laws of physics when dealing with problems

communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly and concisely

Graduates from the School of Physics and Astronomy have found employment in fields including:

banking and commerce

biophysics

computing

geophysics

medical physics

meteorology

research and development in industry and in government agencies

software development

teaching

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.

What to do next

Online information events

Join us for one of our information events where you can find out about different levels of study and specific courses we run. There are also sessions available for parents and college counsellors.

Undergraduate visiting days

We encourage all students who are thinking of applying to the University to attend one of our online or in-person visiting days.

Contact us

+44 (0)1334 46 3111Email

physics@st-andrews.ac.uk Address

North Haugh

St Andrews

KY16 9SS

School of Physics and Astronomy website

Discover Uni

Discover Uni provides official statistics about higher education courses taken from national surveys and data collected from universities and colleges about all their students. You can use this data to compare information for different degree programmes to help you make a decision about what and where to study.

Start your journey

Legal notices

Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our Admissions policy

Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.

Curriculum development

As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online.

Tuition fees

The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online.

Page last updated: 27 May 2026

Admissions

St Katharine's West

The Scores

KY16 9AX

Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 2150

Ask Admissions

Admissions policy

Search for modules

Programme specifications

Programme requirements

© 2026 The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland, No: SC013532

Cookie preferences

Accessibility statement

Terms and conditions

Website help

院校只公布555–5*55範圍；達上界並滿足已表示條件才可符合，請向院校確認

院校原句指定科至少5；數學依本校核心及延伸部分規定

保留舊DSE英文數字與學校條件；2027英語豁免對應未列，可能須IELTS等，請向院校確認

院校未公布 DSE 對應等級，請向院校確認。

請查看下方完整入學要求原文，或向院校確認。