The aim of this module is to provide the student with a set of techniques used to develop AI systems in both theory and practice.

In this module, students will dive into collaborative learning, partnering with industry experts to attempt to find solutions to real-world problems. In addition to advanced physics thinking and problem-solving methods, students will apply a variety of industry-standard systems engineering methodologies and practices used to accelerate productivity in complex tasks.

Tailored to each specialization, whether it's Mathematics and Physics, Physics with Theoretical Physics, or Engineering Physics, students will apply their unique skills to deliver a technical project equivalent to approximately 1500 hours of individual work (team size may vary).

The ability to undertake research, and apply the scientific method and physics thinking in seeking solutions to advanced open-ended problems is one of the key skills that all physicists should have. The MPhys programme offers students the opportunity to contribute towards departmental research in part D. The module develops, through a combination of lectures and lab-based experiments, a range of skills that will support the more advanced research expected in the MPhys project. This module seeks to make clear the interplay between experimental and theoretical physics at an advanced level.

Statistical mechanics main purpose is to study properties of assemblies of systems in terms of physical laws. Its applications include many problems in the fields of physics, biology, chemistry, economics, neuroscience.

In Advanced Statistical Mechanics we will develop the fundamental formalisms of equilibrium statistical mechanics from microscopic properties of systems (which include electrons, atoms, molecules and magnetic moments on the sites of lattices). Then we will relate them to the thermodynamic quantities such as internal energy, free energy, entropy, specific heat and related properties of both classical and quantum-mechanical systems. We will discuss real systems from classical and quantum world. The last part of the module will be devoted to phase transitions and their description.

The aims of this module are to introduce a variety of physical phenomena that occur in condensed matter physics and show how they can be understood in terms of microscopic processes.

A crystal interacts with the environment through its surface. Since surface atoms have fewer chemical bonds than atoms inside the crystal, surfaces may differ from bulk crystals in terms of crystallographic order, chemical composition, electronic and ionic conductivity, lattice vibrations, mechanical properties etc. Surfaces need to be studied and understood in order to work with catalysis, metal oxidation, corrosion, adhesion, crystal and thin film growth. Further, both the thin film growth technology and experimental surface science use high vacuum equipment. Thin films are used to manufacture semiconductor electronics, optoelectronics, magnetic data storage, nanostructures, optical, conductive and hard coatings.

You will study interactions of vapour molecules with surfaces, physics and technology of high vacuum, electron spectroscopy, physics of surface structures and diffraction of electrons, preparation of thin solid films and a range of further techniques that are available for the investigation of surfaces and thin films, for example scanning probe microscopy.

This module introduces the physics of the nucleus and nuclear radiations, with a view to understanding its applications and implications.

Over 99.9% of the visible mass in the universe arises from protons and neutrons - their interactions explain everything from why the stars shine to how we are able to mine helium on Earth.

Nuclear radiation is hazardous to humanity but was also a major driver of our evolution and finds applications in medical treatments and diagnostics. Fission reactors could spare mankind from the consequences of fossil fuel driven climate change, but these are underutilised. Meanwhile, we have been within 20 years of a working fusion reactor for the last 40 years. Alongside discussing the relevant physics, this module explores how historical choices and public perception shapes our use of nuclear energy.

This is a 10 credit module from the University-wide language programme.

This module aims to introduce key concepts in data mining and machine learning by focusing on the fundamental ideas that are applicable in both fields.

The module will provide students with the knowledge and experience of using existing tools to analyse and model data associated with practical applications.

The module will also provide a general overview of artificial intelligence (AI), its scope and applications.

The aims of the module are:

• To develop a range of skills within students and provide an early introduction to teaching for those interested in pursuing it, or a related field, as a career.
• To develop confidence and competence in communicating their subject.
• To provide opportunities to devise and develop science and mathematics projects and teaching methods appropriate to the age and ability of those the student is working with.

Photonics is the science of light. The Photonics module aims to equip students with a robust understanding of the fundamental physics underpinning the development and advancement of photonic technologies. It has keen focus on the physical principles at the base of the development that underpin sectors as diverse as healthcare, telecommunications, and defense and the links with classical and quantum background related to light. The vision is to provide the background of key aspects of technologies relevant for impactful careers in a sector that mirrors the innovation and resilience of the UK's £15.2 billion photonics economy.

The module is rooted in the exploration of electromagnetic energy and intensity, monochromatic fields, and complex formalism, and delves into the intricacies of field-matter interaction within both linear and nonlinear optics. Students will engage with core concepts such as, the complex refractive index, and the mechanisms of radiation-matter interaction, the principles underlying absorption and emission of light. By the end of this module, students will have acquired the essential background to understand the physics of photonic technology, the analytical tools to assess photonic systems, and the design skills to develop cutting-edge photonic devices and systems.

The aim of this module is to give students an overview of the uses of physics in medicine and allow them to gain an appreciation of how physics contributes to society. With a thorough grounding in the basics, students will be able to independently investigate more advanced techniques and draw informed conclusions about published health-related research. They will also be more prepared to go into healthcare or healthcare-adjacent careers.

The module aims to give a broad introduction to the theories and experiments of modern elementary particle physics, and to acquaint the student with the latest developments in the subject.

Particle phenomenology is introduced, followed by an exploration of the basic concepts of relativistic quantum mechanics, which predicts and explains anti-particles.

The fundamental interactions are described using Feynman diagrams, and Feynman's rules are used to convert these diagrams into amplitudes for scattering calculations to explain results from the big particle physics experiments.

The ideas of quantum field theory, which treats the field as the fundamental entity and all the particles and antiparticles as excitations of their respective fields, and which constitute the standard model of particle physics, are developed.

Qualitative concepts around symmetries and symmetry breaking are introduced to explain the pattern of particles that exist and the origin of the nucleons' mass, of which only 1% is explained by the explicit quark masses.

The module aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the physics of semiconducting and magnetic nanodevices, with a particular emphasis on their applications in modern data storage and information processing technologies.

This is a 10 credit module from the University-wide language programme.