Masters degrees in Solar & Solar Terrestrial Physics involve advanced study of the Sun and its interactions with the Earth.
Related subjects include Astrophysics, and Astronomy. Entry requirements normally include an undergraduate degree in an appropriate subject such as Mathematics or Physics.
This MSc provides students with the skills, knowledge and research ability for a career in astrophysics. The programme is designed to satisfy the need, both nationally and internationally, for well-qualified postgraduates who will be able to respond to the challenges that arise from future developments in this field.
Students develop insights into the techniques used in current astrophysics projects, and gain in-depth experience of a particular specialised research area, through project work, as a member of a research team. The programme provides the professional skills necessary to play a meaningful role in industrial or academic life.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of a choice of six optional modules (90 credits), a research essay (30 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).
A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits, full-time nine months, part-time two years) is offered.
Optional modules 1 (15 credits each)
Students choose four of the following:
Optional modules 2 (15 credits each)
Students choose two of the following:
Dissertation/report
Students submit a critical research essay of approximately 8,000 words and undertake an in-depth research project which culminates in a formal report and oral presentation.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical, laboratory and computer-based classes. Student performance is assessed through coursework and written examination. The research project is assessed by literature survey, oral presentation and the dissertation.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Astrophysics MSc
Astrophysics-based careers embrace a broad range of areas, for example information technology, Large Data science, engineering, finance, research and development, medicine, nanotechnology and photonics. Employers regard a physics degree as flexible and highly desirable university training.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
Astrophysics opens up many avenues to employment through the skills acquired: problem-solving; the training of a logical and numerate mind; computation skills; modelling and material analysis; and the ability to think laterally. In addition, work vision and enthusiasm make physics graduates highly desirable members of all dynamic companies.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
UCL Physics & Astronomy is among the top departments in the UK for this subject area.
The department's participation in many international collaborations means we provide exceptional opportunities to work as part of an international team. Examples include the Dark Energy Survey - investigating the origin of the accelerating universe and the nature of dark matter - the Hubble Telescope and the Cassini project.
In some cases, opportunities exist for students to broaden their experience by spending part of their time overseas.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Physics & Astronomy
90% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
This interdisciplinary MSc offers a wide programme of study related to the physics of planetary and space environments, including planetary interiors, atmospheres and magnetospheres; the impact of the space environment on human physiology; and research project work which provides potential opportunity to work with established planetary researchers at UCL and Birkbeck, some of whom are involved in active or planned space missions.
Students develop insights into the techniques used in current projects, and gain in-depth experience of a particular specialised research area through project work as a member of a research team. The programme provides the professional skills necessary to play a meaningful role in industrial or academic life.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of a choice of six optional modules (90 credits), a research essay (30 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits).
A Postgraduate Diploma consisting of six optional modules (90 credits) and a research essay (30 credits); full-time nine months is offered.
Optional modules 1 (15 credits each)
Students choose three from:
Optional modules 2 (15 credits each)
Students choose three from the following:
Alternatively students may also choose a fourth module from the Optional modules 1 list and two from the Optional modules 2 list above.
Dissertation/report
All students submit a critical research essay and MSc students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a substantial dissertation and oral presentation.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, practical classes, computer-based teaching, fieldwork, and tutorials. Student performance is assessed through coursework and written examination. The research project is assessed by literature survey, oral presentation and the dissertation.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Planetary Science MSc
Candidates may be eligible for a Santander scholarship.
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
Physics-based careers embrace a broad band of areas, e.g. information technology, engineering, finance, research and development, medicine, nanotechnology and photonics. Graduates of MSc programmes at UCL go on to a variety of careers as research associates, postdoctoral fellows, consultants, and systems test engineers.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
An MSc qualification from UCL is highly regarded by employers. Students engage in a variety of learning activities, including undertaking their own research projects, which encourages the development of problem-solving skills, technical and quantitative analysis, independent critical thinking and good scientific practice. In addition, teamwork, vision and enthusiasm make physics graduates highly desirable members in all dynamic companies.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
UCL Physics & Astronomy is among the leading departments in the UK for this subject area. The curriculum of the Planetary Science MSc draws on a variety of other academic departments within UCL including Space & Climate Physics (Mullard Space Science Laboratory), Earth Sciences, Cell & Developmental Biology and Birkbeck's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. The programme thus has a strong interdisciplinary flavour, in line with the ethos of the Centre for Planetary Sciences at UCL/Birkbeck.
The combination of taught modules, tutorials and project work allows prospective students to study a wide variety of topics related to planetary and space environments, such as: planetary interiors, atmospheres and magnetospheres; the impact of the space environment on human physiology and life; and the application of current knowledge to investigations of extrasolar planets, i.e. worlds in other stellar systems.
This MSc effectively transfers to students the knowledge and expertise gained by UCL space scientists over more than four decades and is taught by world-recognised researchers in the field. The programme aims to provide a broad understanding of all aspects of space science together with specialised training in research methods, directly applicable to a career in academia, the public and private sectors.
The Space Science pathway is focussed on scientific research applications of space technology; it aims to equip participants with a sound knowledge of the physical principles essential to sustain careers in space research and related fields. Students develop a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of:
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of four core modules (60 credits), three optional modules (45 credits), a group project (15 credits), and a research project (60 credits).
Core modules
Optional modules
Dissertation/report
All MSc students undertake an independent research project, which normally involves attachment to a research group, and culminates in a report of 10,000–12,000 words.
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, team-based coursework exercises, presentations and tutorials. Student performance is assessed through unseen written examination, coursework, and the individual and group projects.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Space Science and Engineering: Space Science MSc
STFC and NERC studentships may be available.
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
The programme aims to prepare students for further research degrees and/or careers in space research or the space industry.
UCL’s Space & Climate Physics Department, located at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, is a world-leading research organisation and is the largest university space science group in the UK.
It offers a unique environment at the forefront of space science research, where scientists and research students work alongside top engineers building and testing instruments for space, as well as studying the data from these and other spaceborne and ground-based instruments.
The close contact that the laboratory enjoys with space agencies such as ESA and NASA and with industrial research teams encourages the development of transferable skills which enhance job prospects in academic circles and beyond.
The Masters in Astrophysics gives you an understanding of the principles and methods of modern astrophysics at a level appropriate for a professional physicist.
Modes of delivery of the MSc in Astrophysics include lectures, seminars and tutorials and allow students the opportunity to take part in lab, project and team work.
The programme draws upon a wide range of advanced Masters-level courses. You will have the flexibility to tailor your choice of optional courses and project work to a variety of specific research topics and their applications in the area of astrophysics.
Career opportunities include academic research, based in universities, research institutes, observatories and laboratory facilities; industrial research in a wide range of fields including energy and the environmental sector, IT and semiconductors, optics and lasers, materials science, telecommunications, engineering; banking and commerce; higher education.
The onset of big data has led to an explosion of datasets with a far more complex structure and beyond standard physics. In this program, we will provide new theoretical and computational tools to tackle this challenge within the physicist mindset.
The program intends to build an academic and professional figure that combines advanced knowledge in the field of Physics with a high-level training in Data Science.
The modeling and the theoretical interpretation of complex natural phenomena from large amounts of data are at the core of the research in Physics. The Big Data revolution presents in this sense the challenges and opportunities for the physicist of today. In addition to the figure of Data Scientist, specialized purely in the analysis of large amounts of data, it is increasingly clear the need to also train figures able to develop the methods and techniques that are fundamental for such analysis - in this sense we named the program of Physics of the Data. Training in Physics, Mathematics and Computation is increasingly necessary to generate such innovation and development. The program will thus train a new generation of physicists, which we could define as "data physicists", equipped with tools that will allow them to face the challenges that the digital revolution has brought in our society .
Graduates will have jobs opportunity in Italy and abroad in:
The University of Padova, the Veneto Region and other organisations offer various scholarship schemes to support students. Below is a list of the funding opportunities that are most often used by international students in Padova.
You can find more information below and on our website here: http://www.unipd.it/en/studying-padova/funding-and-fees/scholarships
You can find more information on fee waivers here: http://www.unipd.it/en/fee-waivers
