1. www.phys.soton.ac.uk Top Research Department – 5* RAE Over 50% internationally excellent or world leading

2. Physics is…. Fun… Challenging… Excellent training for a wide range of careers Physical Science graduates are the third best paid graduates in the UK – Institute of Physics

3. What is Physics – Cosmology! Why is there a Universe? – the Big Bang and before??? Why is the Universe the way it is? Hubble deep field survey

4. What is Physics – Astronomy! How do stars work? Why do they explode? Is there life out there?

5. Physics is the Quantum World! How do electrons, protons and neutrons combine to make elements? What are superconductors? Can we engineer new materials or nano-machines?

6. Physics is Fundamental! What are the building blocks of matter? Can all the forces be unified into one? particles or string?

7. Physics is a Philosophy! Reductionist understanding – how does it work?, what’s in there? Mathematical description – we want a precise understanding! Bottom up modelling

8. Physics Skills are Wanted 80%+ of our graduates get a job within 6 months “A Science degree is worth £187,000 extra over your career (double that of an arts degree!)” – BBC news 40%+ of our students go on to further study PhD – research degree MSc – training in career specific subject

9. Physics Skills are Wanted Scientific research in high-tech companies Nortel, Sharp, British Aerospace, DERA, Oxford Instruments, QinetiQ Huge shortage of skills! Consultancy & Management Software Development & Systems analysis Law, including Patent Law Scientific Journalism & Media Financial Consultancy, Accountancy and the City We have a careers advisor specifically for Physics Graduates

10. School of Physics & Astronomy Research activity spans all the major branches of physics We teach 400 undergraduate and 60 postgraduate students 42 Academic staff, including 18 Professors and 3 FRS One of only 5 departments with a 5* rating in the 2001 & 2008 Research Assessment Exercise 5* 100% of staff submitted Over 50% of work internationally excellent or world leading 15 more staff submitted in 2008 over 2001

11. Investing in Excellence The School has employed 5 new international experts this year… 20 in past 7 years 5* New Infrastructure Leaders in the SEPNET consortium which has received £12.5M – new staff, new courses, more outreach £3.5M Quantum, Light and Matter grant £5M new nanomaterials rapid prototyping facility Our undergrad labs are recently renovated Observatories moved and re-equipped £2.4M Particle Physics grant

12. Teaching Quality Cutting Edge ResearchDynamic, Quality Teaching “Excellent department” – Government Teaching Quality Exercise “Top 3 ranking UK physics department” – Guardian 2005 “9 th ranked UK physics department” – Times 2009 "Standards match those at Cambridge" - Our external examiner from Cambridge Average rating of lecturers by our students: 81% 81% of 2009 MPhys graduates achieved 2.1 or 1st

13. National Student Survey 100% of our students said they would recommend us to a friend In the 2008 return Southampton had the highest rating of any Russell Group University from Physical Science students (top 4 including everyone)…

14. Physics Degrees 3 year BSc or 4 year MPhys 6 of 8 Units a Year are Core Physics Mechanics of Planetary Orbits, Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Physics of Materials, Electromagnetism, Light and Photonics, Atomic, Nuclear and Particle Physics

15. Choice (options or “with” Degree) National Oceanograpy Centre 2 Units a Year can be chosen to specialize in Dissertations Seminars Double Unit Project Choose from 210 hours of first year options! Astronomy Space Science Mathematics NanoScience Photonics Computer Science Oceanography Languages Archaeology

16. Flagship programs Physics with Astrophysics with a year abroad: final year spent on astrophysics research at Harvard Physics with Particle Physics with a year abroad: final year spent on fundamental physics research at CERN Physics with year of Experimental Research: final year spent in quantum materials research Open to top first class students on our MPhys programs

17. Financial Support We have entered the era of tuition fees. £3,225/year… but paid back after you’re earning £15,000+ a year School Scholarship: 5 best students in our Scholarship exam in November receive £4,000/year plus guaranteed entry. Hardship Fund & University Bursaries: available for less well off….. + special Hampshire/Isle of Wight Bursaries available + Sports Bursaries + Armed Forces Support (£5,500/year) + Uni Temporary work bank

18. How to Apply We encourage applications through the UCAS system Apply by Oct 30 th if you want to take Scholarship Exam We are typically looking for AAB A2s in Maths and Physics – 240 points + another A2 – totalling 340 points We are keen to promote wider participation and take account of all your circumstances – if in doubt talk to us! 2010: 690 applicants….. we will take 132

19. Student-run societies Physoc (www.soton.ac.uk/~physoc) Academic support Social functions Astrosoc (www.soton.ac.uk/~astrosoc) Staff-student liaison Guest lectures, Trips “Parenting” Weekly social events Observation Social events IoP Award winning society 2009