Start date:
Course information
Typical offer BCC
UCAS code F995
International fee £24,500
Institute code L34
Taught by School of Physics and Astronomy
Ranked 7th in subjects aligned to Physics for ‘overall positivity’ in the NSS 2024 (according to Times Higher Education NSS 2023 methodology applied to the NSS 2024 data).
Course description
Course description
Our integrated Science, Technology and Engineering (STEM) Foundation Year degrees are aimed at students who wish to study a STEM subject, such as physics, but don't have the traditional entry requirements.
The course is run on the University of Leicester campus like any other, and you will be studying alongside other students who applied for, and slightly missed out on, a place on a course similar to yours. In the first year of this course you will all be working towards passing a foundation year (year 0), which will enable automatic progression onto year 1 of any of our BSc (or MPhys) Physics courses.
- By completing the STEM Foundation Year you will automatically progress onto the first year of your chosen degree.
- You will be taught by our expert academic staff from across a number of Schools.
- The course strongly emphasises the development of essential professional and personal skills, which are necessary throughout your studies and beyond.
- During your foundation year you will join our student community and be able to enjoy all aspects of the University of Leicester student experience. You will be able to join the Students’ Union, use our academic and leisure facilities, live in our accommodation and access all our support services.
- You will have a personal tutor to support you.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
- A-levels: BCC or points equivalent from your best three A-levels. You must have taken Maths or Physics at A-level.
- GCSE: Grade C/4 in English.
- BTEC Diploma: DDM in a science related subject, which must include appropriate maths and science content. You may be required to take an additional maths assessment test.
- International Baccalaureate: Pass diploma with 26 points minimum, and must include appropriate maths and science content.
- Access to HE: Pass diploma with 24 Distinctions in a science related subject, which must include appropriate maths and science content. You may be required to take an additional maths assessment test.
Other official national and international qualifications considered from across the world. You can review some of the qualifications we accept on our countries page and English Language equivalencies.
If your qualification or country is not listed, please contact us for more information, including the name and result of the qualification you have studied.
Contextual offers
The University of Leicester is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all applicants from all backgrounds. We make contextual offers to support students who may be impacted by the area they live in, their personal circumstances or who have completed one of our progression programmes. These offers are usually one or two grades lower than the standard entry requirements. To qualify for a contextual offer, you must apply for an eligible course and meet specific criteria – check if you’re eligible.
Selection Process
When considering your application, we will look for evidence that you will be able to fulfil the objectives of the course and achieve the standards required. We will take into account a range of factors including previous exam results.
English Language Requirements
IELTS 6.0 or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.
International Qualifications
Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.
Countries listFees and funding
Fees and funding
UK Students
Starting in 2025
- £9,250 in your first year. Tuition fees are subject to government regulations and may change in future years
- Year Abroad: your fee will be £1,250 for that year
- Year in Industry: your fee will be 15% of the full-time tuition fee that applies in that year
Find out more about scholarships and funding.
International Students
Starting in 2025
- £24,500 per year
- Year Abroad: £6,125 which is 25% of the full-time tuition fee
- Year in Industry: £3,675 which is 15% of the full-time tuition fee
If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.
If you are an EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme, you may qualify for the UK fee (subject to criteria).
Find out more about scholarships and funding.
Accreditation
Accreditation
All of our degrees are accredited by the Institute of Physics.
An accredited degree not only gives you a solid grounding in core physics, it also sets you on a route towards Institute of Physics membership and the Chartered Physicist (CPhys) professional qualification. With an accredited BSc degree to your name, you will have partially fulfilled the educational requirements for CPhys status.
Careers and employability
Careers and employability
You can gain first-hand experience of physics education through a final year mentoring scheme with physics teachers in local schools, working for half a day a week over one semester.
We offer a small number of Summer Research Placements: six weeks of paid employment working with the research groups within the School of Physics and Astronomy. These placements provide excellent experience if you want to go on to a career in academic or industrial research.
Our dedicated Careers Tutor can provide information, advice and guidance on the graduate job application process.
Graduate destinations
Recent graduate destinations include:
- Henry - Data Visualisation Lead, Office for National Statistics (graduated MPhys Physics with Astrophysics)
- Katie - Research Assistant at the Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London (graduated MPhys Physics)
- Elizabeth - Product Analytics at Facebook, London (graduated BSc Physics)
- Jack - Cyber Security Engineer at KHIPU Networks (graduated BSc Physics with Astrophysics)
- Jasmine - PhD Student at UCL (graduated MPhys Physics)
- Lucy - Senior Clinical Trials Coordinator at East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust (graduated BSc Physics)
- Saira - Plant Implementation Lead at Ford Motor Company (graduated BSc Physics)
Peter completed a degree in Physics with the University of Leicester and went onto a NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Careers and Employability Service
Get career-ready at Leicester with guidance from our award-winning Careers and Employability Service. We're here to give you a lifetime offer of support, even after graduation. Our team of specialist careers advisers and mentors will help you every step of the way. From supporting you with CVs and interviews, to volunteering opportunities and placements, we're here to help you reach your professional goals.
Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goals
We are committed to providing skills and knowledge to help prepare you tackle global challenges. We have mapped our undergraduate degrees for learning which aligns to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
This degree includes learning which relates to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
- Goal 3: Health and well-being
- Goal 4: Quality education
- Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
- Goal 10: Reduced inequalities
Course structure
Foundation Year
Foundation Year
Modules
- Mathematics 1
- Mechanics 1
- Waves and Matter
- Mathematics 2
- Mechanics 2
- Electromagnetism and Quantum Physics
- Laboratory Skills
- Academic Support
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Year 1
Year 1
Modules
- Mechanics
- Electricity and Magnetism
- Mathematical Physics 1.1
- Light and Matter
- Waves and Quanta
- Mathematical Physics 1.2
- Physics Skills and Professional Development 1
- Experimental Physics 1
- Introduction to Physics Specialisms
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Year 2
Year 2
Modules
- Mathematical Physics 2
- Relativity, Quantum Physics and Particles
- Electromagnetic Fields
- Thermal and Statistical Physics
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Physics Skills and Professional Development 2
- Experimental Physics 2
- Intermediate Physics Specialisms
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Year in Industry or Abroad (optional)
Year in Industry or Abroad (optional)
If you want to, you can spend your third year studying abroad at one of our partner institutions or working on an industrial placement. Alternatively, you can opt to continue studying at the University and complete your degree in four years.
Year Abroad
We’ll make sure you have everything you need for your future career: not just by awarding you a high quality degree, but also by helping you to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to make your mark in the world as a Citizen of Change. One way you can do this is by opting to take a Year Abroad between Years 2 and 3 of your degree.
Studying abroad is not just for people who are interested in travelling and meeting new people. It is about acquiring life skills that are becoming increasingly significant for a wide range of jobs in our modern globalised society. Whether you go on to a career in the private, public or third sector - or plough your own furrow as an entrepreneur – you will find the experience invaluable.
For more information, including a list of destinations, please visit our Study Abroad website.
Please note
- A year spent abroad still incurs a tuition fee, but this is much lower than for a normal year at Leicester. See the Fees and Funding tab of this page for details.
- You may be eligible for a travel grant from Student Finance England.
- Places are offered on a competitive basis, and eligibility is dependent on your academic performance in Years 1 and 2.
- Language courses, at beginners or advanced level, are available through our Languages at Leicester scheme.
Year in Industry
An industrial placement is a fantastic opportunity to gain experience of a professional working environment, between your second and third years of study. By enhancing your degree with an industrial placement, you can make yourself a more attractive proposition to employers after you graduate.
You'll benefit from real-world experience in a commercial setting, enabling you to make an easier transition from studying to working after you finish your degree. You'll gain invaluable insight into a potential career path, as well as strengthening your CV significantly in preparation for entering the graduate labour market. On top of all this, you'll be paid a salary for your placement, which gives you greater financial flexibility as well as offsetting the cost of the extra year.
A year in industry still incurs a tuition fee, but this is much lower than for a normal year at Leicester. See the Fees and Funding tab of this page for details.
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Final Year
Final Year
Core modules
- Physics Skills and Professional Development 3
- Quantum Mechanics
- Radiation and Matter
- Physics Challenge
- Research Project
Option modules
Choose two option modules from:
- Industry Project
- Astrodynamics
- Electronics
- Physics in Education
- Python
- Numerical Programming in C++
- Sustainability Enterprise Partnership Project
- Mathematical Physics 3
Then choose one option module from:
Then choose one option module from:
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Why Leicester?
All our degrees are accredited by the UK Institute of Physics (IOP).
Ranked 2nd in subjects aligned to Physics for ‘Organisation and management’ and ranked 4th in subjects aligned to Physics for ‘Student voice’ in the NSS 2024 (according to Times Higher Education NSS 2023 methodology applied to the NSS 2024 data). View the NSS questions all students were asked for individual themes.
The academic staff in the School have written or edited dozens of books and publish regularly in major national and international journals. Where other people only get to read what our experts think, you will be working directly with them, learning from them in lectures and questioning them in seminars.
In your final year you will gain experience of scientific research by working with our staff on real physics research problems. Recent examples of projects include: black holes and the Higgs mechanism, analysis of Martian rocks, the evolution of planet-forming discs, and novel medical ultrasound techniques.
Teaching and learning
You will be taught through a combination of lectures, small group tutorials, lab sessions, seminars, workshop classes and project work. Training in scientific computing and programming is built into each degree.
A typical week for a first year physics student might consist of five hours of lectures, about two afternoons in laboratory or computing workshops (six hours), two hours of problem classes, four hours of workshops, and one hour in a small group tutorial session. This is a total of about 20 hours of contact time. You will also spend several hours a week on private study.
Assessment includes exams and course work (such as workshop and seminar problem classes). Lab work is primarily assessed in real time and project work is assessed through written reports and oral presentations.
You will have regular meetings with your personal tutor to discuss progress in your studies. Your personal tutor will also provide a sympathetic ear for all matters of personal concern, whether they be academic, financial, housing, career or social issues.
Independent learning
When not attending lectures, seminars or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. To help with your independent learning, you can access the Library and our social study spaces in halls of residence.
Your contact hours will depend on the option modules you select. You can see details of the contact hours on individual module pages.
Academic support
Our Centre for Academic Achievement provides help in the following areas:
- study and exam skills
- academic writing
- presentations
- dissertations
- numerical data skills
- referencing sources
Our AccessAbility Centre offers support and practical help for students with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties, including physical, mental health or mobility difficulties, deafness, or visual impairment.
Teaching staff
You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. PhD research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader. Our teaching is informed by the research we do. You can learn more about our staff by visiting our staff profiles.
Apply now
| Course | Qualification | Duration | UCAS Code | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course Physics with a Foundation Year | Qualification BSc | Duration 4 years full-time | UCAS Code F995 | Availability How to apply |
Data about this course
I chose Leicester due to its expertise in space research. The University’s reputation in this field was something I was already aware of.