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University of Liverpool

UCAS Code: F365 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

Entry requirements

A level

A,B,B

Must include Mathematics and Physics. For applicants from England: Where a science has been taken at A level (Chemistry, Biology or Physics), a pass in the Science practical of each subject will be required.

Access to HE Diploma

D:30,M:15

Distinctions are required in each of Mathematics and Physics. GCSE English and Mathematics grade C/4 or above also required.

Extended Project

A

Applicants who offer the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and meet our offer criteria will be made the standard offer, plus an alternative offer. This will be at one A Level grade lower plus a grade A in the EPQ, for example the offer would be ABB or BBB plus A in the EPQ, including Physics and Mathematics.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

4/C in English and 4/C in Mathematics

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

33

33 points with no score less than 4, including Higher Level Mathematics and Physics

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H1,H2,H2,H2,H3,H3

Must include H2 or above in Mathematics and Physics

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

D*DD

Accepted in relevant Diploma. BTEC National Extended Certificate: Distinction plus BB in A levels Maths and Physics

Scottish Advanced Higher

A,B,B

Must include Mathematics and Physics

T levels are not currently accepted.

WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales

B

Acceptable at grade B including Mathematics and Physics A Levels with grades AB

UCAS Tariff

128-152

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2025

Subjects

Physics

Geophysics

Study this programme and gain a range of transferable skills that will put you at the forefront of modern physics while discovering how planet Earth works and how we use physics to image its static and dynamic subsurface, from inner core to crust.

There has never been a better time to study physics and geophysics as we seek to provide sustainable resources for the world’s population. On our Physics with Geophysics BSc you will learn fundamental Physics principles that govern the behaviour of matter and energy, which are essential for understanding a wide range of natural phenomena, and then apply these principles within Geophysics to study the Earth’s physical properties and processes. This integration helps in comprehensively understanding the Earth’s structure and behaviour.

As a geophysicist, you’ll study the physical aspects of the earth using a range of methods, including gravity, magnetic, electrical and seismic. By collecting data on seismic waves, which move through and around the earth, you’ll create a picture of what lies below the earth’s surface. This information is vitally important to many industries and governments.

As part of the Department of Physics, you will be taught by academics involved in cutting-edge research across various fields in physics. We are very proud of our research achievements and major international collaborations, such as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Switzerland, STFC’s Diamond Light Source and Daresbury Laboratory in the UK, ESRF and GANIL in France, GSI and DESY in Germany, and TRIUMF in Canada.
During your studies you will use our award-winning Central Teaching Laboratories with state-of-the-art, superbly equipped and purpose-built teaching spaces that host research-grade equipment.

Geophysics students at Liverpool also benefit from extensive fieldwork opportunities. The fieldwork is an integral part of the curriculum, as practical experiences allow students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings, enhancing their understanding of geophysical processes and techniques. Fieldwork in the Physics with Geophysics programme currently involves a residential course.

You will also work within one of our research groups to undertake a significant geophysical research project in your final year, which has the possibility to include a fieldwork component. Our students have opportunities to study abroad or take a year in industry. We also have strong connections with industry and governmental agencies who can provide opportunities for collaborative projects, and employment after graduation.

What you'll learn to apply the principles of Physics and Geophysics to study, explore and understand the Earth’s structure, atmosphere and space environment.

This programme is available with either a Year in China or a Year Abroad. The Year in China offers undergraduate students the opportunity to spend one year at our joint venture, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), following XJTLU's BA China Studies degree classes. XJTLU is a fully English-speaking university, located in Suzhou. The Year Abroad offers students the opportunity to spend a full academic year studying at one of our partner universities around the world, following a mixture of culture and/or discipline-related modules. If you wish to study this programme with a Year in China or a Year Abroad you will have the opportunity to apply after you arrive at Liverpool.

The Uni

Course location:

University of Liverpool

Department:

Undergraduate Physics

Read full university profile

What students say

We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

88%
Physics
86%
Geophysics

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Physics

Teaching and learning

65%
Staff make the subject interesting
75%
Staff are good at explaining things
83%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
59%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

84%
Library resources
84%
IT resources
89%
Course specific equipment and facilities
55%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

94%
UK students
6%
International students
72%
Male students
28%
Female students
90%
2:1 or above
9%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
B
B

Earth sciences

Teaching and learning

78%
Staff make the subject interesting
83%
Staff are good at explaining things
86%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
77%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

79%
Library resources
93%
IT resources
90%
Course specific equipment and facilities
52%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

86%
UK students
14%
International students
58%
Male students
42%
Female students
87%
2:1 or above
11%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
C

After graduation

The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Physics

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£27,500
med
Average annual salary
82%
low
Employed or in further education
80%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

21%
Business, research and administrative professionals
21%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
9%
Engineering professionals

Although the subject has seen a bit of resurgence in recent years, the UK is still felt to be short of physics graduates, and in particular physicists training as teachers. If you want a career in physics research — in all sorts of areas, from atmospheric physics to lasers - you'll probably need to take a doctorate, and so have a think about where you would like to do that and how you might fund it (the government funds many physics doctorates, so you might not find it as hard as you think). With that in mind, it's not surprising that just over a fifth of physics graduates go on to take doctorates when they finish their degree, and well over a third of physicists take some kind of postgraduate study in total. Physics is highly regarded and surprisingly versatile, which is why physics graduates who decide not to stay in education are more likely to go into well-paid jobs in the finance industry than they are to go into science. The demand and versatility of physics degrees goes to explain why they're amongst the best-paid science graduates.

Earth sciences

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£26,500
med
Average annual salary
95%
high
Employed or in further education
75%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

24%
Other elementary services occupations
12%
Conservation and environment professionals
10%
Natural and social science professionals

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Physics

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£23k

£23k

£30k

£30k

£36k

£36k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Earth sciences

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£20k

£20k

£27k

£27k

£30k

£30k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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place
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Lower entry requirements
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UCAS Points: 120

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here