Astrophysics with a Year Abroad MPhys

From the formation, evolution, and deaths of stars — including planetary systems, nucleosynthesis, and supernovae — to the structure of galaxies and the evolution of the Universe, this programme introduces the physics that governs the cosmos. At the end of Year Two, a week-long field trip to the Teide Observatory in Tenerife provides experience with professional observatories.

Physics appeals to those interested in the fundamental laws of nature. Topics such as relativity explore how space and time are interconnected and how gravity affects the passage of time. On microscopic scales, the programme examines quantum mechanics, where concepts like wave-particle duality challenge classical interpretations of reality.

The four-year Astrophysics degree develops skills applicable to careers in education, research, finance, and industry. Students gain access to observations from the two-metre aperture Liverpool Telescope in the Canary Islands — the largest robotically controlled telescope in the world — during their final-year research project.

There are opportunities to collaborate with internationally recognised academics on projects at the LHC at CERN and across research centres in the USA, Canada, Japan, Korea, and Europe. Flexible programme structures allow transfers between physics pathways until the end of the second year.

The course is taught jointly by academics from the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University, and leads to a jointly awarded certificate upon successful completion.