Course overview

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Course overview

The Theoretical Physics Group runs one of Europe's leading MSc courses in theoretical physics. It covers all aspects of fundamental physics, from quantum field theory and string theory to cosmology and quantum gravity, and brings students to the frontiers of current research in these areas.

The course is designed to give a solid foundation for PhD studies in theoretical physics, and the skills it provides can also be valuable for other careers. It can be taken immediately after an undergraduate degree, and it is also suitable for those wishing to return to physics after working in other fields.

The 12-month full-time course, which can also be taken part-time over two years, attracts around 40-50 students annually.

Sixteen full-length lecture courses, of which students choose eight for examination, occupy the year up to June. Many of these courses are often also taken by PhD students from Imperial and other London colleges and by visiting European exchange students. They are followed by two weeks of short courses on research topics of current interest. The students then spend the summer working on a supervised project in a specialist area. This can involve original research and leads to the writing of a dissertation.

The course leads to a full MSc degree with 90 ECTS credits, satisfying the requirements for a European PhD programme under the Bologna accord. Many students have gone on to do a PhD either at Imperial or at another major university, sometimes in theoretical physics and sometimes in other areas.

The Theoretical Physics Group at Imperial works closely with research groups throughout the theoretical physics community and has considerable experience (and success) in preparing graduates of the course for PhD study in this and related fields, including mathematics as well as physics. In addition, graduates of the course gain mathematical skills that are in great demand in with employers in other areas of physics, mathematics and business.

Current students

Admissions

The entry requirement for the course is a first class undergraduate degree (BSc or MSci) in physics or mathematics, assuming it has sufficient theoretical physics content. We can also consider degrees in other fields, if they are supplemented with an MSc or postgraduate diploma course in physics.

Foreign applicants can find some information about the required grades. Note, however, that our MSc is significantly more selective than many other Masters courses, and therefore the requirements for research students are better guide for what grades you will need. Also, note that these are only guidelines, and satisfying them does not guarantee a place on the course. Read further details about Imperial's English language requirements.

There is no strict deadline, but we recommend you apply before the end of June, but we will also consider later applications. The applications are processed as they arrive, normally within six weeks. Note that you can apply before your have finished your undergraduate degree. In that case we will make a conditional offer which details the grades you will need in order to register for the course. Similarly, you do not need to have passed the language test before applying, only to register.

Some scholarships are available through Imperial or from external organisations. The Postgraduate Prospectus has a lot of other useful information on living in London, costs, etc. including the current tuition fees. A map of the Process for Imperial MSc Scholarships 2017-18 is available but also see notes on scholarship selection process for full information on scholarships.

For more details, please contact the admissions tutor Professor Jonathan Halliwell.

Open day

Theoretical physics will hold an open day on Wednesday 27 November 2024 in Huxley Building, Room 311 from 2:30pm to 4:30pm. Please register for the open day here.

We will give a brief overview talk about QFFF MSc and PhD applications and then have faculty and current students available to answer questions.