Master of Science Nanoscience and Functional Nanomaterials

at University of Bristol - Clifton Campus United Kingdom

The Department of Philosophy has exceptional research strength in philosophy of physics, and very strong links with the University's School of Physics. The latest Philosophical Gourmet Report ranked Bristol as the fourth strongest department in the UK for Philosophy of Physics and the joint strongest for General Philosophy of Science. The department is home to the Centre for Science and Philosophy and regularly hosts major research projects in philosophy of science (see our research pages)..

This MA draws on these outstanding research strengths. It is intended both for students who wish to specialise in philosophy of physics at a higher level, and for individuals with a background in physics or mathematics who wish to make a transition to philosophy and foundations of physics.

The MA is an exciting programme consisting of taught components in philosophy and physics, as well as a dissertation which is an opportunity to work on an extended and original piece of research on a topic of your choosing, with guidance from a research supervisor.

Digital technologies drive economic growth, yet create new cyber risks demanding ever more sophisticated solutions. There is worldwide demand for new and innovative approaches to tackle global cyber-threats specific to large-scale infrastructures, from energy production to finance through to healthcare and smart transportation. The cyber security of such infrastructures is paramount – their disruption can have large-scale impacts on society as well as massive business losses. There is a major shortage of cyber security professionals globally, and the specialist nature of critical infrastructures makes the problem even more acute.

A strong ethos of rigorous experimental and empirical cyber security research underpins the MSc, facilitated by a state-of-the-art testbed for studying critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and Internet of Things (IoT) security, and bespoke teaching equipment. You’ll learn to apply foundational cyber security techniques to infrastructure and will develop the skills for engineering scalable solutions. You'll be exposed to real-world problems that are practical and challenge-oriented, but underpinned by rigorous research.

This MSc aims to:

• Enable a deep understanding of fundamental concepts, design principles, building blocks and methods to understand and mitigate against cyber security threats;
• Give you hands-on experience of working with devices, systems and networks utilised in realistic infrastructure environments;
• Equip you with the ability to apply security principles and technical knowledge to analyse complex real-world infrastructures systems (including software systems, networks, control systems and IoT) to identify potential security issues and solutions;
• Provide you with the skills to reason critically about complex problems that require evaluation and analysis from a multi-dimensional perspective including technical, human and organisational aspects.

Studying biology at Bristol exposes you to the breadth of biological sciences, from enzymes to ecosystems. During your study you will gain knowledge of the diversity, evolution and functions of living organisms and the interactions between animals, microbes and plants.

Our course reflects the interdisciplinary nature of modern biology, taking into account the past, present and future of life on Earth.

Our biology degree starts broadly and then introduces more choice in years two and three, giving you the freedom to specialise or maintain breadth in your studies depending on your interests. The range of research-oriented and transferable skills you will learn will also enhance your employability as a graduate.

We have outstanding facilities in our brand new state-of-the-art Life Sciences Building and our lecturers are world-leading researchers in their fields.

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

During this course, you will study units from the mechanical and electrical disciplines along with 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 year, you will choose from a range of options and engage in group design projects and individual research projects. This allows you to 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.

This course combines philosophy with the study of French, providing a valuable skill set ideally tailored to the increasingly globalised workplace.

In philosophy you will study units covering introduction to philosophy, logic, and realism and normativity. In your first year you will gain a grounding in the fundamentals of philosophy through two mandatory introductory units: one exploring issues in epistemology and metaphysics and the other concerning moral and political philosophy. You will also take a unit exploring critical thinking and logic.

In year two you complete your foundation in philosophy with a mandatory unit on realism and normativity and conduct more detailed study in topics ranging from ethics to the philosophy of language.

In the final year you may undertake an independent study unit on almost any topic in philosophy, writing an extended essay in consultation with a supervisor. Final-year taught units relate to the research interests of staff in areas ranging from global justice to philosophy of physics.

At a critical time in history, our LLM in Health, Law, and Society presents an exciting opportunity for you to develop a deep understanding of the relationships between law, governance, and health across society and governmental sectors – and graduate with the knowledge and skills to approach some of the greatest challenges for law and policy as mechanisms to address health and wellbeing.

The LLM in Health, Law, and Society has been well received as a distinctive course that goes far beyond traditional courses on healthcare law. It offers an in-depth, intensive study of wide-ranging issues from health inequalities and regulation of the body to reproductive justice and mental health and wellbeing. It also explores the diverse roles social and political institutions and emerging technologies, such as healthtech, can play.

If you are curious about our planet and interested in finding solutions to global problems, this course is for you. Learn about the physics, chemistry and history of the Earth through examining earth materials such as rocks, minerals and fossils, and use remote sensing techniques to explore the structure and chemistry of its inaccessible areas.

Learn with experts whose research feeds directly into your studies at the cutting edge of scientific developments. Recent options have included Volcanic Hazards, Global Tectonics, Mineral Resources and Hydrogeology. By your final year you’ll be conducting your own independent research and exploring the questions that matter most to you.

We have a large geology collection and the ability to measure unique geochemical reactions, giving you a real feel for geology in practice.

Field trips are a huge part of why our community is so tight knit, giving you the chance to get to know your course mates while honing your practical skills. 

This course offers a superb grounding in chemistry with the opportunity to specialise in your final year. The first two years are common to all of our degree courses. You will study fundamental concepts in inorganic, organic and physical chemistry and applications in areas such as analytical, environmental, materials and theoretical chemistry.

You will also develop your ability to design experiments and interpret results, and gain key skills through our chemistry-specific communications and mathematics units.

Our BSc course includes a final year project. Options include working in a research laboratory or in a local school helping to develop science resources or carrying out chemistry education research.

We are one of the UK’s biggest chemistry schools and we have a superb reputation for teaching and research; over a third of our research was rated 'world-leading' in the Research Excellence Framework 2014.

There are a growing number of new threats in international security, ranging from civil war, terrorism and transnational crime to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

This program provides you with a theoretical and empirical understanding of the international security environment of the post-Cold War era, including the origins of conflicts and peace, the emergence of new security threats and the many different agencies involved in conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacemaking today.

The MSc aims to be empirically relevant by teaching you how to apply theoretical concepts to contemporary conflicts and current affairs.