MPhys (Hons) Physics Integrated Master's degree at Cardiff University
MPhys (Hons) Physics at Cardiff University. That additional year is the main reason to choose this route over a standard BSc: it allows the final project to stretch further, and gives you more time to work alongside academic staff on real research problems rather than compressed…
About this course
MPhys (Hons) Physics is an Integrated Master's degree (MPhys (Hons)) at Cardiff University. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Physics graduates from this provider, 85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 85% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £32,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Physics & Chemistry, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 85% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 85% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year one 7 modules
- Mathematical Methods for Physicists 1Core20 credits
- Mechanics and RelativityCore20 credits
- Introduction to Quantum Physics and MaterialsCore10 credits
- Experimental PhysicsCore20 credits
- Electricity, Magnetism and WavesCore20 credits
- Computational Skills for Problem SolvingCore10 credits
- Mathematical Methods for Physicists 2Core10 credits
Year two 8 modules
- The Physics of Fields and FlowsCore20 credits
- Quantum MechanicsCore10 credits
- Scientific ProgrammingCore10 credits
- Intermediate Practical PhysicsCore20 credits
- Thermal and Statistical PhysicsCore20 credits
- OpticsCore10 credits
- Introduction to Condensed Matter PhysicsCore10 credits
- Physics in Action: Real-World Problem SolvingCore10 credits
Year three 4 modules
- Solid State PhysicsCore10 credits
- Atomic and Nuclear PhysicsCore20 credits
- Particle Physics and Special RelativityCore20 credits
- Physics ProjectCore30 credits
Year four 1 modules
- ProjectCore60 credits
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
The course is structured to move you progressively from grounding to autonomy. You'll start with core theory, the mathematical and conceptual physics that underpins everything else, from mechanics and electromagnetism through to quantum ideas. Alongside this sits research & methods, where you build the practical and computational skills needed to design experiments, analyse data, and think critically about evidence, and applied practice, which puts theory to work in laboratory and problem-solving contexts. As you progress, you'll choose from specialist options such as areas of physics that align with your own interests, allowing the degree to take on a more personal shape in its later stages. Professional skills are woven through the course too, covering the kind of communication, teamwork and project-management abilities that matter in research and industry alike. The degree culminates in an independent project, the extended piece of research work that distinguishes the MPhys from a shorter BSc and gives you a substantial body of original work to show for your four years.
Who it's for
This course suits someone who enjoys physics as a way of thinking, not just a subject to pass, people who like taking a problem apart mathematically, testing an idea experimentally, and sitting with something unresolved until it clicks. If you're the sort of student who finishes a first-year module and wants to go further rather than move on, the extra year built into the MPhys will likely feel like an opportunity rather than a burden. You should be comfortable with sustained independent work, since the later years lean heavily on self-directed research, and you'll need the patience to work through setbacks in a lab or a proof without expecting immediate results. It also suits people thinking beyond the degree itself, towards research careers, further study, or professions where Chartered Physicist status matters, since the accreditation and the longer research grounding are built with that trajectory in mind. Curiosity and persistence matter more here than natural brilliance; most entrants arrive with A-levels or equivalent, and the course is built to develop capability over four years rather than assume it from day one.
Careers & job market
Nationally, graduates from Physics & Chemistry courses report reasonably strong outcomes: 85% are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, and of those in work, 75% are in highly skilled roles or continuing their studies. These are national Graduate Outcomes figures across the field, not specific to Cardiff or to this particular MPhys, but they give a general sense of where physics graduates tend to land. National earnings data (LEO) for the same graduate population shows starting salaries, measured 15 months after graduation, typically ranging from £26,500 to £34,000; by three years out this range shifts to £24,650–£34,800, and by five years to £30,600–£43,200. These are national ranges rather than guarantees, and individual outcomes vary considerably depending on sector, location and further study choices. The IOP accreditation attached to this course is particularly relevant here, since it meets the educational requirement for Chartered Physicist status, a professional recognition that can matter for career progression in physics-related fields. Nationally, 90% of students on comparable courses continue past their first year, which is worth bearing in mind as a general indicator of course completion patterns.
University & format
Cardiff University is a public, research-intensive institution and a member of the Russell Group, with a student community of around 30,930 and a history dating back to 1883. This MPhys is delivered full-time over four years, entirely in English, under UCAS code F303. Most accepted students previously held A-levels or equivalent, around 95% of recent entrants, with the most common UCAS tariff band among them falling between 144 and 159 points; this reflects typical entrant profiles rather than a fixed requirement. The university also offers bursaries and scholarships, details of which are available on its funding pages, and it's worth checking these directly given how they can vary year to year. As a Russell Group member, Cardiff sits within a network of research-intensive UK universities, and its degrees are nationally recognised as those of a recognised UK degree-awarding body.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 92%.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 95% |
| Other | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code F303). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page. Set under Wales's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at Cardiff University →If you normally live in Wales
2026/27 total maintenance support from Student Finance Wales. How much of it is grant and how much is loan depends on household income; the total does not. If you normally live elsewhere, use your home funding body.
Check your entitlement with Student Finance Wales →Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: paid directly to the university by Student Finance Wales.
- Maintenance support: a mix of grant and loan from Student Finance Wales, weighted to household income.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Wales runs its own system through Student Finance Wales; check studentfinancewales.co.uk for current rates.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Physics & Chemistry graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £32,000 | £28,000 – £33,000 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £28,000 | £23,500 – £33,000 | 70 |
| 5 years after | £36,000 | £29,500 – £44,000 | 80 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in physics & chemistry · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Physics & Chemistry nationally
National figures for Physics & Chemistry graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Physics & Chemistry courses at the same study level.
Compared with 886 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Engineering professionalsSOC 2020 212 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £50,325
- Information Technology ProfessionalsSOC 2020 213 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £55,357
- Science, engineering and technology associate professionalsSOC 2020 31 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £34,828
- Business, Research and Administrative ProfessionalsSOC 2020 243 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £48,746
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 30; response rate: 90%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Is MPhys (Hons) Physics worth it?
Generally yes. On its graduates’ median earnings, MPhys (Hons) Physics is worth about +£80,840 more over the first ten years of work than going straight to a job, a solid return once you net out the fees.
Cumulative earnings vs. going straight to work at 18, counting tuition and 4 years of wages given up while studying. The line clears zero around year 15.9. This is a simplified gross-earnings comparison, not a forecast of cash loan repayments.
Model: this course’s own median graduate earnings (Graduate Outcomes / LEO) above the £24,000 non-graduate baseline (ONS), net of £9,790/yr over 4 years (published course home fee). Eligible England-domiciled students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan; repayments are 9% only on income above the threshold, with anything left written off after 40 years. That makes the cash flow different from conventional commercial debt. Opportunity cost assumes £18,000 gross earnings forgone in each study year; figures are nominal and exclude tax, living costs, investment returns and loan interest. A simplified estimate. Earnings and actual fees vary by graduate, provider, fee status and UK nation.
Job market & outlook
How Physics & Chemistry graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Physics & Chemistry graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Research institutes
- Energy & manufacturing
- Universities
- Government labs
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Physics & Chemistry graduates.
Physics Content Developer for AI-Enhanced LearningUp LearnPhysics PhD, Quantum Data Scientist for AIObsidianPhysics Academic MentorRibbons and Reeves LimitedPhysics TechnicianSapientia Education TrustPhysics Academic Mentor17918Physics Teachers in Calderdale and KirkleesCV-LibraryIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Published home tuition is £9,790/year for this course. If you normally live in Wales, Student Finance Wales can pay an eligible Tuition Fee Loan directly to the university, and maintenance support is a mix of grant and loan weighted to household income. You repay only above the income threshold.
Where graduates go
85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £32,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.7 out of 10: NSS 90.3% · in work or study 85% · continued 85%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Cardiff University
Physical sciences across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Cardiff University - Main Campus
4,125 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Physics & Chemistry right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Cardiff University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by Cardiff University; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Cardiff University’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Cardiff University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Cardiff University
Common questions
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