Bachelor of Arts in History and Italian

at University of Bristol - Clifton Campus United Kingdom

If you love the challenge of thinking through a maths question and the satisfaction of having solved a difficult problem, but also appreciate the applications of mathematics in areas of physics and want access to the exciting and specialised subjects offered by the School of Physics, then this four-year, joint honours course can offer you both.

Your mathematics study will focus on the areas of applied mathematics that are most linked to physics, such as the mathematical modelling of physical problems, quantum mechanics and random matrix theory. You will also cover a range of topics in physics, such as special relativity, electromagnetism and superconductors.

This interdisciplinary MSc programme is for students who are passionate about early life, mass extinctions, macroevolution, climate change and fossil preservation. It bridges the biology-geology divide. You will learn the latest techniques in phylogenetics, biomechanics and macroevolution, providing you with a strong foundation for independent research to PhD level or for a career in museum curation, science education, science policy, management or the media.

You will join Bristol's established palaeobiology research group and engage in current debates in evolution, systematics and palaeobiology. You will learn how to analyse problems quantitatively and design experimental approaches to resolving questions in macroevolution and the study of both ancient and living organisms.

A key aspect of the programme is preparing your research project for publication, and many of our previous students’ projects have been published in leading international journals. Recent research project topics include the origin of cellular life, the preservation of colours in dinosaurs and the evolution of culture in humans.

This programme gives you the opportunity to develop a wide range of professional skills, including research planning, problem-solving and communication. You will learn to present palaeontological data through talks, visual displays and formal written reports. You will also develop computing skills in data handling, phylogenetics, macroevolution, function and 3D digital modelling.

This course is ideal for students interested in learning more about how to analyse and use numerical data within criminology. It provides training in practical and analytical skills, which will enhance your career prospects and provide you with a strong platform for postgraduate study. No prior knowledge of statistical techniques is required.

About two thirds of your studies will follow the single honours BSc Criminology course, where you will acquire core knowledge in crime and justice. By drawing on social harm perspectives, criminology at Bristol examines conventionally defined crimes along with other problem activities or behaviours which may not be criminalised but which still cause extensive harm to individuals and society. This approach helps you to develop a critical and informed understanding of crime and the criminal justice system, as well as related social and economic questions.

The remaining third of your course will provide interdisciplinary training in quantitative methods. In year one of the quantitative pathway we discuss how numbers and data are used to tell convincing stories in the media and social research. We consider what is meant by segregation and how it can be mapped and measured. Year two offers practical classes in social statistics and applied data analysis, which will develop your skills in numeracy and analysis and enable you to undertake your own individual research project in an area of quantitative social science in year three.

Composite materials are increasingly replacing traditional metallic components in several industrial applications, such as aerospace engineering, wind turbine blade manufacture and the automotive industry. This MSc provides you with an in-depth theoretical understanding and practical knowledge of advanced composite materials.

The programme is based in the Bristol Composites Institute (ACCIS), which houses a number of state-of-the-art composites manufacturing facilities. ACCIS has strong industrial and research links with major international companies and research centres. ACCIS is collaborating with the National Composites Centre for high technology readiness level research.

Our taught units primarily focus on structural mechanics, design and analysis, manufacturing and testing of composites, while providing more optional units to further specialise your expertise in other relevant areas. Our programme is a great career development route for students with engineering backgrounds to develop their expertise in composites engineering, and for students with non-engineering backgrounds to expand their expertise to composites engineering.

There is strong industrial demand for skilled engineers able to span the mechanical and electrical engineering disciplines. This degree will give you the fundamental knowledge and tools to satisfy this demand in a unique way.

You will study units from the mechanical and electrical disciplines along the following themes: design and integration of electro-mechanical systems; energy conversion and actuation systems; embedded systems and control; power electronics and electric drives; and energy management.

Years one and two offer a grounding in mathematics, thermal management, dynamics and control, computing, electrical energy technologies, and analogue and digital electronics. Laboratory work and case studies will draw together these interdisciplinary foundations.

In the third and fourth years you will choose from a range of options and engage in group design projects and an individual research project. This means you can focus on anything from soft robotics and intelligent adaptable power systems to efficient, clean propulsion technologies.

Mechanical and electrical engineering graduates will be able to innovate technologies in a range of areas. These might include:

• The power flow of renewable energy microgrids – from the wind, to the electric generator and the power network, to the user in the home;
• Robotics used in healthcare and manufacturing – by exploring the integration of mechanical and electrical elements to deliver new capabilities;
• The complete power train of future electric vehicles – from the energy storage system, through to the electric motors, to the mechanical drivetrain and traction system;
• Battery-free technology that harvests background energy, allowing sensors to operate in previously inaccessible and far-reaching locations.

Bristol and the surrounding area host a thriving and world-renowned semiconductor design industry. The different groups involved in microelectronics research at the University of Bristol have many collaborative links with multinational companies in the microelectronics industry. These organisations have identified a shortfall in graduates with the necessary qualifications and professional skills to work in the sector, so this programme has been designed to meet this need.

A range of taught subjects cover core topics, such as digital and analogue ASIC design, DSP and FPGA-based computing, integrated sensors and actuators, radio-frequency and mixed-signal design. Changes are made periodically to reflect important emerging disciplines, such as electronics for the Internet of things, biomedical applications and quantum photonics applications.

The programme offers you the opportunity to learn from experts in microelectronics, nanoelectronics and computer science. You could move on to start working straight after your degree or continue your studies via a PhD. Special emphasis is put on providing you with a range of contemporary design skills to supplement theoretical knowledge. Lectures are accompanied by lab exercises in state-of-the-art industrial EDA software to give you valuable experience of a professional environment.