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Astrophysics

Entry requirements


A level

A,B,B

Including Maths and Physics with one being at grade A or above. Excluded subject: General Studies Please note: You will also be excepted to achieve a Pass grade in the practical endorsement for any of the following A levels - Biology, Chemistry, Physics, if taken with one of the Awarding Bodies in England.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

A minimum of five GCSE passes to include English and Maths at grade C or 4 or an acceptable equivalent will be required.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32

6,5,5 in HL subjects, including HL Mathematics and Physics with one being at grade 6.

Queen Mary University of London welcomes applications from students currently studying Level 3 BTEC qualifications and will consider you for entry to the majority of our undergraduate courses. The typical entry requirements will vary according to the course you are applying for. Some of our courses require specific subject knowledge which you may not be able to cover as part of a Level 3 BTEC qualification and we may therefore require additional Level 3 qualifications to ensure that you are suitably prepared for relevant courses. A small number of our courses do not accept BTEC qualifications for entry, either as a standalone qualification, or in combination with other qualifications at Level 3. Information on our typical entry requirements and guidance for applying can be found at http://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/btec/ If you are at all unsure about the acceptability of your BTEC qualification for entry, please contact the Admissions team for individual advice ([email protected]).

UCAS Tariff

128

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Astrophysics

Astrophysics applies physics and mathematics to understanding astronomical objects such as planets, stars and galaxies, and to the universe as a whole.

Understanding the origin and evolution of the universe is one of the most exciting and challenging problems in modern science.

In this programme you’ll use practical and theoretical approaches to explore the evolution and properties of astrophysical systems. You’ll apply the methods used by astronomers to determine the composition and distance of other stars and galaxies. And you’ll develop an understanding of the role played by dark matter and dark energy in the large-scale structure of the universe and its accelerating expansion.

Specialist modules focus on cosmology, galaxies, stars and planetary systems and are taught by active researchers involved in high-profile active research projects. Extra option modules provide scope for you to explore topics beyond the core syllabus, providing you with a rounded physics education with a specialist focus.

You’ll develop practical skills in lab work and programming that can be applied in commerce, industry or research.

In your final year, you’ll further develop your own interests through the completion of an independent research project, supervised by one of the School’s astrophysicists.

Modules

Year 1
Compulsory
Classical Physics
Electric and Magnetic Fields
Mathematical Techniques 1
Mathematical Techniques 2
Modern Physics
Our Universe
Professional Skills for Scientists (including introduction to programming)
Scientific Measurement

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Assessment methods

Assessment depends on the nature of the work being carried out. For example, if the module involves practical work only, the assessment will be based on laboratory reports. For non-practical modules you may be assessed by weekly coursework, termly assignments and an end-of-year examination.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

England
£9,250
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Queen Mary University of London

Department:

Physical and Chemical Sciences

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

90%
Astrophysics

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Astronomy

Teaching and learning

70%
Staff make the subject interesting
70%
Staff are good at explaining things
90%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
80%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

80%
Library resources
78%
IT resources
100%
Course specific equipment and facilities
70%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

83%
UK students
17%
International students
60%
Male students
40%
Female students
79%
2:1 or above
18%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
B
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Astronomy

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£25,000
med
Average annual salary
91%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

19%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
17%
Teaching and educational professionals
10%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals

Not a lot of people study astronomy as a first degree, and if you want to be one of the small number of people who start work as an astronomer - often overseas - every year, you will need a doctorate — so at least a third of graduates go into further study. Astronomy graduates, however, are versatile, going into all parts of the jobs market - their good technical, data and maths skills taking them into IT and business especially. However, if you want to find out more specifically about the prospects for your chosen subject, it might be a good idea to go on open days and talk to tutors about what previous graduates from your chosen subject went on to do.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Astronomy

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£28k

£28k

£33k

£33k

£37k

£37k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
University of Leicester | Leicester
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UCAS Points: 128-174
Lower entry requirements
University of York | York
Physics with Astrophysics
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 54-136

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here