Master of Physics with Year of Experimental Research

at University of Southampton - Highfield Campus United Kingdom

Learn how we generate, transmit then process the signals that power today's communications. This course looks at modern and future wireless technology, from wifi to sat-nav, and it's a great chance to apply your mathematical theory to real-world problems. You’ll gain the knowledge and practical skills to meet a growing need for professionals in this industry.

Wireless communications support the technologies we rely on, and this course explores the systems and standards that make it possible.

You’ll study information theory, looking at the capacity of channels and the fundamental limits of wireless networks. Practical work includes applying software-defined radio equipment to real radio systems in the lab.

You’ll also look at specialised topics such as signal and image processing or radio communications engineering.

Many modules include guest speakers from industry, and our academics have close links with industry through research collaborations and their own enterprises.

As part of this course you can:

• Use our research facilities, including a high-voltage laboratory and our £110m interdisciplinary clean room
• Develop your enterprise skills with help from our startup supporter, Future Worlds
• Build your own unique electronic systems
• Study engineering management and law to develop your career skills

This MEng Electronic Engineering and Wireless Communications degree is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of:

• Fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer

Learn how to communicate across different languages and cultures on this MA in Translation and Professional Communication Skills. On this UK master’s degree you'll gain specialist knowledge in translation, mediation and interpreting. You'll be well prepared for a career in multicultural and multilingual settings.

On this UK master’s course at the University of Southampton, you'll get to choose from range of specialist modules, including:

• Translation
• Mediation
• Interpreting
• Subtitling
• Professional writing and editing

This master’s degree in translation and professional communication skills combines theoretical learning with practical exercises to develop skills you’ll need for a range of multilingual and multicultural environments. As well as working with translation theorists and practitioners, you'll study with experts in cultural and literary studies, history, ethnography and anthropology.

You’ll also get the chance to use software such as Trados and memoQ - widely used in language-related professions - and familiarise yourself with industry-standard interpreting equipment.

An optional placement module will give you the chance to apply what you’ve learnt to a work environment of your choice.

Mathematics is the fundamental language of physics. Physics uses maths to make predictions, and many mathematical areas have been developed to solve physical problems. This degree explores mathematical topics and how they appear throughout theoretical physics. You'll study particle physics, astrophysics and quantum field theory. You’ll graduate with technical skills sought by employers across science, industry and research.

This course is run by the School of Mathematical Sciences. It's taught jointly by Mathematical Sciences and Physics and Astronomy, through the STAG (Southampton, Theory, Astronomy and Gravitation) research centre. STAG is a leader in the latest research in theoretical particle physics, astronomy, general relativity and string theory.

The mathematical part of this course begins with the fundamental areas of calculus, linear algebra, vector calculus and partial differential equations.

The physics part includes the key ideas of relativity, cosmology and astrophysics, applications of laser technology, atomic and particle physics, and optoelectronics.

As part of this course you’ll:

• Identify the key areas of physics theory relevant to a given problem
• Construct mathematical models for physical situations
• Choose to specialise in areas such as particle physics, astrophysics or condensed matter
• Use our student centre, a dedicated learning and social space for maths students
• Use mathematical and computational packages such as Python and the statistics package 'R'

Help businesses to manage economic change on this master’s degree in International Banking and Financial Studies. You’ll gain expert knowledge about the relationship between banking, finance and the economy.

When you graduate you'll be well prepared for success in the global job market. Our graduates have gone to work for leading organisations such as the International Monetary Fund and the Bank of England.

This MSc International Banking and Financial Studies is ideal if you want to move into senior roles in finance and banking.

You’ll explore current theory and practice as you learn to assess and evaluate real-world scenarios. Using quantitative evaluation methods and historical perspectives you'll hone your ability to identify the latest trends and events. This will inform your understanding of modern banking and finance.

Learning highlights include:

• Company financing
• Capital costs and security
• Investment appraisal
• Foreign exchange exposure management
• Corporate governance

You'll also cover the ‘micro’ aspects of banking looking at areas like financial risk management, and ‘macro’ factors such as understanding how the economy influences banking.

Optional modules give you the freedom to personalise the course to match your career plans or research interests. You could focus on:

• Banking in developing countries
• Behavioural biases and financial decision making
• Fixed income or derivative securities analysis
• The stock market

You can gain experience using specialist industry tools including:

• Stata for analysing, managing and visualising data
• EViews for statistical forecasting and modelling
• MATLAB for numerical computing

Develop the skills to help businesses make informed decisions, on this MSc in Business Analytics and Finance.

You'll study topics on corporate finance, portfolio management and credit scoring, along with the latest analytical techniques.

A 3-month placement opportunity with a company like British Airways or JP Morgan will give you valuable practical experience. When you graduate, you'll be well prepared for a career in finance, banking or data analytics.

This degree is ideal if you want to advance your data analytics skills and you’ve carried out a quantitative study. It will also suit you if you have relevant professional experience.

We align our teaching with the latest sector thinking by developing the course content with our Business Advisory Board. The board includes industry experts from organisations such as:

• Rolls Royce
• BT Openreach
• Ford
• Shell

Our competitive industry placement project will boost your career prospects as you take on a real-world challenge. This will form the basis of your dissertation.

You’ll also benefit from the expertise of the Centre of Operational Research, Management Sciences and Information Systems (CORMSIS), one of the country’s strongest analytics research groups. Your learning is informed by specialist research, and you can personalise your studies with optional modules. For example, you can choose to focus on:

• Financial risk management
• Sdvanced analytics
• Simulation
• Revenue management

Learn to hear music in a new way, and discover how sound and vibration can affect us and the world around. This Acoustics with Music degree combines musical composition and critical analysis with acoustical engineering. Whether you sing opera, play guitar solos or make electronic dance music, we'll help you develop.

This degree provides a broad-based education in sound and technology as well as musical engineering, theory and performance. The modular nature of the course means you'll choose how you balance Acoustical Engineering and Music modules.

You'll use our extensive Music facilities, including:

• Dedicated rehearsal rooms
• Ensemble practice spaces
• Electronic studios
• Networked multimedia workstations

You'll study Acoustics at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, a leading centre for Acoustical Engineering. You'll use our world-class acoustic and engineering facilities, which include:

• Anechoic and reverberation chambers
• An aeroacoustic wind tunnel
• A virtual acoustics laboratory
• A professional manufacturing centre

Each year you can take tuition to improve your performance as a soloist or accompanist, and enhance your public performing experience.

At our Turner Sims concert hall, you can watch professional musicians perform. We support the most extensive series of professional concerts and workshops of any UK university.

You can also take a Year in Employment to enhance your employability and give you vital experience.

Learn about the physics of magnetic resonance and its real-world applications on this unique master’s course at the University of Southampton. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is crucial in providing insights for chemistry, biology and medicine. On this MSc you’ll benefit from hands-on experience with the latest magnetic resonance equipment. You’ll graduate with the knowledge and practical skills to move into industrial or academic research.

Magnetic resonance occurs when materials are placed in a strong magnetic field and exposed to radio waves.  

It is used in chemistry through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and in medical diagnostics through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

On this UK master’s course you’ll learn how fundamental physics can be used to help solve real-world problems: with this degree you could help develop new applications for diagnosing cancer or protecting the environment.

The topics you’ll study include:

• The dynamics of nuclear spins
• The practical aspects of magnetic resonance research
• Current problems in magnetic resonance research
• Numerical simulation methods

There’s a strong focus on practical experience throughout the course. We’ll teach you how to:

• Use modern magnetic resonance spectrometers
• Gather and process NMR data
• Interpret NMR data to answer research questions
• You’ll also benefit from our strong industry connections and industry-standard facilities.

Our world-leading contributions to magnetic resonance research include:

• Designing the NMR pulse methods used in all NMR spectrometers
• The discovery of nuclear spin quantum states with exceptionally long lifetimes
• Developing miniature NMR detectors to study extremely small samples

Our flexible approach means you can adapt the course to your personal interests or career plans. A wide range of optional modules allows you to complement your knowledge of magnetic resonance with specialist courses in molecular cell biology, cancer biology, advanced quantum physics or computational chemistry.

Explore the relationships between transport systems, the people who use and operate them, and the wider world, with our MSc Transportation Planning and Engineering: Behaviour. This course offers modules in human factors in transport engineering, and the interactions between transport, energy systems, and the environment. You can study this course on a full-time, part-time or distance-learning basis.

If you want a career in the transport industry or you're an experienced transport professional interested in enhancing your skills, this degree is ideal.

This master’s degree in transportation planning and engineering: behaviour covers everything from the fundamentals of modelling and economics, through to the application of software and planning tools using real life examples from around the world. It’s the perfect way to improve your capabilities and career prospects in the transport sector.

Your course highlights include field trips and a mock public inquiry, where you'll learn about  public engagement and the role of public opinion in the transport planning process.

Your taught learning includes modules on:

• Transport economics
• Transport data analysis and techniques
• Transport planning: policy and governance
• Transport modelling
• Human factors in engineering
• Transport, energy and the environment

You’ll also have the chance to choose from a range of modules including:

• Highway and traffic engineering
• Railway engineering and operations
• Transport management and safety
• Logistics systems operations

You’ll gain experience using a range of transport-related software and you’ll be able to hear directly from a range of industry guest speakers. You’ll also carry out an individual research project on a topic of your choice.

Psychology is an important resource for educators and policy makers. This course is for those interested in how education evolves, how people learn and how they behave in educational settings. Like a single-honours psychology degree, this course will prepare you for a wide range of psychology careers, as well as education-related jobs and further study.

Our course focuses on the rigorous, scientific study of education alongside the core topics of a psychology degree. You’ll also examine how psychology research applies to education.

You’ll study topics such as:

• Curriculum design
• Behavioural neuroscience
• Developmental psychology
• Special educational needs

As part of your degree you can:

• Study UK and international systems, from primary to post-compulsory education
• Explore key topics like social justice, inclusion and digital literacy
• Use our custom observation rooms, eye-movement recording facilities and virtual reality labs
• Access our Institute for Equity and Effectiveness in Education (IE3), one of the country’s leading institutes for education research
• Study abroad at one of our exchange partner universities

This programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society. It can lead onto Chartered Membership.

On this MPhys degree you’ll explore photonics – the science of light – while deepening your knowledge in the core areas of physics. An unrivalled range of specialist modules will allow you to fine-tune skills that are in high demand in this well-paid, rapidly expanding industry.

We’re home to the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) - the largest photonics research institute in the UK.

We’re also the only UK university to offer an undergraduate physics degree with photonics and you’ll join a research community with a history of revolutionary discoveries. These include the optical fibres and amplifiers that make the internet possible.

Our direct link with the ORC, a global hub for photonics research, gives you a unique opportunity to explore all the possibilities in depth.

As part of your course you’ll also:

• Learn key skills in computer modeling, mathematics and statistical analysis
• Use the latest equipment in our physics and photonics labs
• Develop problem-solving skills to test theories and conduct experiments

Additionally, you’ll spend time in one of our research groups in year 4. Past projects have included holography, photosensitive materials, nanoscale x-rays, optical fibre and silicon photonics.