Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Astrophysics and Computer Science

at Keele University United Kingdom

BA (Hons) Geography at Keele allows you to focus specifically on your preferred area of human geography, or to explore Geography as an integrated discipline concerned with people and their environment. You will develop interdisciplinary perspectives, problem-solving skills and the ability to research, evaluate and synthesise information from diverse sources.

Your course may include training in professional and research skills, and opportunities for either a module or a whole year of work placement.

This single honours programme has been accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

Our Single Honours Physics programme builds upon, and then goes beyond, the core topics defined by the UK Institute of Physics to provide both breadth and depth of study, with an additional emphasis on mathematics and computing as tools for physical problem-solving. This occurs in problem classes where practice problems are solved with staff and teaching assistants available to help, in laboratory teaching where practical and computational problems are addressed, and in directed work for assessment.

You will explore the subject fundamentals (including quantum mechanics, relativity and electromagnetism) and apply this knowledge to solve problems, plan investigations, analyse results, and to report and present your work. Your course will be informed by the research interests of staff, and laboratory sessions will enable you to investigate unfamiliar phenomena and develop valuable transferable skills such as scientific writing, programming and presentation. You'll benefit from a flexible approach to learning the mathematical and computational skills that are essential to the learning and application of physics.

Our Data Science graduates are trained from first principles in computer science and mathematics. The two disciplines are blended seamlessly throughout your degree.

You will study fundamental mathematical and statistical techniques alongside modern software development methods. You will have the opportunity to apply your learning using authentic datasets in our computing laboratories. You will undertake significant development projects, including a final year data science dissertation led by academics with research specialities which currently include artificial intelligence, big data and statistical modelling. You'll explore a range of advanced technical topics which may include cloud computing, academic research, industry-focused professional skills and practical problem-solving ensure you are fully equipped for an exciting and intellectually stimulating journey as a data scientist.

Keele takes a broad approach to biology, examining the diversity of life and its evolution from the geological past. You’ll consider a range of biological topics which may include the complexity of biological processes and mechanisms at molecular, cellular, organismal and ecosystem levels and related philosophical and ethical issues. You’ll explore topics such as how bodies work, how animals behave and the uses to which we can put plants. You'll develop your practical skill set by engaging in activities which may include sampling, recording and analysing data in the field and in our well-equipped labs. 

Our Environmental Science course at Keele draws on the expertise of scientists within the disciplines of life sciences, chemical sciences and geosciences to emphasise the role and importance of scientific understanding and practical skills in the analysis and management of environmental problems.

The course emphasises the role and importance of scientific understanding and practical skills in the analysis and management of environmental problems, ensuring a course which is targeted at employment in the environmental sector.

Alongside studying topical global environmental issues, you will have the opportunity to develop a broad range of practical, laboratory and field-based skills to take into future employment. You’ll also have the opportunity to complete fieldwork in the UK and gain valuable work experience or study abroad at one of our partner institutions. This course is accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES), meaning students can gain free membership of the IES to support their personal and professional development in the environmental sector. The course is also accredited by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA).

You’ll learn to use technology to create new opportunities and to solve a wide range of problems, benefiting every aspect of society from the home to business, government and beyond. Our teaching is informed by research, and we also reflect what’s happening now in industry.

You will follow a set of modules providing a specialism in information systems, evolutionary systems, or creative computing. You’ll have access to our own computing labs, based on Microsoft Windows and Linux, plus a wide range of software. This degree builds the essential skills which are in demand from employers looking for systems analysts, software engineers and consultants. You’ll graduate with a wide range of computing skills plus a highly developed approach to problem solving.

This course broadly follows the Single Honours Psychology modular structure with additional modules focusing on counselling theories, skills and personal development, delivered by School of Psychology staff with expertise in Counselling and Counselling Psychology.

The psychological content of the course will develop your critical thinking and research skills with an emphasis on how psychology impacts on everyday life. You will learn how to design and conduct your own psychological studies in our well-equipped labs using a range of quantitative and qualitative techniques. Our students graduate ready to use their psychology skills and knowledge to make a real difference.

The Counselling element of the course guides you in exploring concepts and debates in counselling, as well as developing practical skills in effective listening, communication, self-reflection and the theory of person-centred counselling.

Please note the course is not a practising qualification but provides the first steps towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist or Counselling Psychologist. It will help students meet the entry requirements for the MSc in Counselling and Psychotherapy at Keele or elsewhere.

The MA/MRes in Politics and International Relations is distinctive as it is one of the most diverse collections of Masters pathways in the UK. The programme offers the possibility of developing an individual specialism as well as learning about broader issues in the pathway, and in wider fields of Politics and International Relations. You will gain a thorough grounding in the philosophical and practical issues underpinning study and research in Politics and International Relations. You will study 3 compulsory core taught modules, 4 optional modules and a dissertation over 12 months. 

Key benefits of studying for the MA/MRes in Politics and International Relations include; small class sizes, expert dissertation supervision on cutting-edge issues and debates, a dynamic academic community, strong student-staff relations and stimulating extra-curricular seminars and workshops. Staff and students regularly organise research events, which provide important opportunities for learning, networking and collegial debate on contemporary political and philosophical issues. For example, we host an annual Royal Institute of Philosophy lecture series, a bi-annual European Consortium on Political Research environmental politics PhD summer school, and in recent years have organised several ESRC-funded (Economic and Social Research Council) seminar series. 

For the Forensic Science element of the course, you will be taught by academics and forensic professionals, and gain valuable lab and crime scene experience, helping you to stay ahead in this fast-moving science. You will be taught in our modern laboratory facilities and have access to equipment and our dedicated Crime Scene House.

This course will provide you with a broad education in the core areas of forensic science. Your studies will focus on key topics in forensic chemistry, analytical science, forensic biology and criminalistics science. You will develop your analytical science skills, enabling you to analyse a variety of forensic of evidence. This is complemented by additional emphasis on professional practice and an understanding of the roles of the crime scene investigator and the forensic scientist as an expert witness in the court. You may be able to study abroad for a semester (dependant on subject scheduling) or year at one of our partner universities.

The Psychology element of the course, which is accredited by the British Psychological Society enables you to explore why humans think, feel, communicate and act in the ways that they do. At Keele you will find out what the latest research tells us about human behaviour and learn how to design and conduct your own psychological studies in our well-equipped labs using a range of techniques.

We will equip you with the skills to tackle a range of increasingly problematic and complex issues which may include our ever growing and ageing human population, our medical problems and the impacts our actions have on each other and on life on Earth.

Combining Biochemistry and Biology gives you the chance to approach problems from the molecular and organismal level. The Biochemistry element of the course covers mainly mammalian Biochemistry and has a focus on health and disease. You’ll have the opportunity to engage in additional opportunities which may include field courses and research projects. You may also have the opportunity to apply for a placement.

Natural Sciences allows you to study a broad range of disciplines within a Single Honours programme. You choose one core discipline as a named route, accounting for half of your learning, that ensures you have a solid grounding in an established discipline. The remaining half of your learning is through an even mix of programme-specific interdisciplinary modules that cover the full range of disciplines offered by the programme and your own choice of elective modules that allows you to mix and match different subjects.