
This programme is accredited by the Institute of Physics
Education and Physics
BSc (Hons)
- Year of entry
- 2019
- Course type
- Combined Honours
- Duration of study
- 3 years/ 4 years with International Year
- Location
- Recru it networ campus
- Subject area / School
- School of Social Science and Public Policy
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences
- UCAS code
- FX33
Course overview
At Keele, studying a combined honours degree will include some modules from both of the single honours degrees. In this case, your programme will be made up of a combination of modules from both Education and Physics.
Key facts
Course content
Physics at Keele is consistently rated highly in the National Student Survey, (No. 1 for Physics in 2016 and 2017, with 100% overall satisfaction). And, if you have a passion for teaching, this course is for you.
Physics is a fundamental, curiosity-driven discipline, with applications in many other areas of science and technology. You will gain an understanding of the subject fundamentals, including quantum mechanics, relativity and electromagnetism, and will apply this knowledge to solve problems, plan investigations and report your work. By taking modules in Education, you will learn how social, political and economic factors may impact on the application of physics knowledge in schools. You will explore present and future developments in education and professional practice, which will prepare you for a career in teaching.
Course structure
Our degree courses are organised into modules. Each module is usually a self-contained unit of study and each is usually assessed separately with the award of credits on the basis of 1 credit = 10 hours of student effort. An outline of the structure of the programme is provided in the tables below.
There are three types of module delivered as part of this programme. They are:
- Compulsory modules: a module that you are required to study on this course;
- Optional modules: these allow you some limited choice of what to study from a list of modules;
- Elective modules: a free choice of modules that count towards the overall credit requirement but not the number of subject-related credits.
Physics - A summary of the total credit requirements per year is as follows, with a minimum of 90 subject credits (compulsory optional) required for each year across both of your Principal Subjects. This document has information about Physics modules only; please also see the document for your other subject.
Year |
Compulsory |
Optional |
Electives |
||
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
||
1 |
60 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
60 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3* |
30 |
30 |
30 |
0 |
0 |
* in year 3 there is the option to choose to specialise in one of your subjects, taking a minimum of 90 credits in this subject rather than taking modules from both subjects
The Physics Principal Course is modular in structure, and is taken in combination with another principal subject as part of a Combined Honours course. At the end of year 2 (level 5), you may also be able to specialise in one of your two principal subjects in your final year.
Year 1 (Level 4)
Education Year 1 (Level 4)
All students must take two compulsory modules and one optional module. The remaining 15 credits can be obtained by either taking another optional module or an elective module.
Compulsory modules |
Credits |
Optional modules |
Credits |
Understanding Learning |
15 |
Childhood, Policy and Education |
15 |
Education in Britain: past, present, future |
15 |
Back to the Future: Issues in the History of Schooling |
15 |
Digital Technologies: Rethinking Learning and Teaching |
15 |
||
Too Poor to Learn? Poverty, Education and Social Policy |
15 |
||
Elective module |
15 |
Physics Year 1 (Level 4)
At level 4, Physics and Astrophysics students require a common knowledge and skills base. Therefore, many of the modules taught at level 4 are common to Physics and Astrophysics disciplines. You will study FOUR lecture-based modules of core Physics.
The lecture-based modules are supported by problem classes and assessed problem sheets with an end of semester examination in each. These modules also include lectures, problems classes and tutorials in mathematics, and laboratory classes, which are an essential part of physics. The module descriptors provide detailed synopses of each module with suggested study reading and are available on the KLE.
Compulsory modules |
Credits |
Optional modules |
Credits |
Mechanics, Gravity and Relativity |
15 |
None |
|
Nature of Matter |
15 |
||
Oscillations and Waves |
15 |
||
Electricity and Magnetism |
15 |
Year 2 (Level 5)
Education Year 2 (Level 5)
All students must take two compulsory modules and one optional module. The remaining 15 credits can be obtained by either taking another optional module or an elective module.
Compulsory modules |
Credits |
Optional modules |
Credits |
Education Matters: Contemporary Issues and Debates in Education |
15 |
Play, Power and Pedagogy |
15 |
Treatment Strategies and Methods in Education* |
15 |
Reflective Teaching: critical and reflective approaches to teaching in secondary education |
15 |
Education Placement |
15 |
||
Progressive Education and Its Discontents |
15 |
||
Comparative Education |
15 |
||
Special Education |
15 |
||
Education Placement |
15 |
||
Elective module |
15 |
* Students taking Education as one of their combined honours subjects must take the compulsory module in each semester. However, due to significant similarities between the year two Treatment Methods modules in Education and Sociology, students studying Education and Sociology must choose only one year two Treatment Methods module. This can be from either discipline but students are advised to consider this in connection with the ISP module they anticipate selecting in year three. Students should replace the other research methods module with an optional module from either discipline offered in the same semester.
Physics Year 2 (Level 5)
At level 5 you continue to be taught the fundamentals of Physics. Modules are common to Physics and Astrophysics in the first semester of the second year, but diverge significantly from the second semester of the second year onwards.
In the first semester you take an Optics Laboratory and a short series of classes in developing your mathematical skills. In the second semester you take an instrumentation and measurement laboratory incorporating a mini-project.
Compulsory modules |
Credits |
Optional modules |
Credits |
Quantum Mechanics |
15 |
None |
|
Optics and Thermodynamics |
15 |
||
Statistical mechanics and Solid State |
15 |
||
Nuclear and Particle Physics |
15 |
Year 3 (Level 6)
Education Year 3 (Level 6)
Students can choose to do a) one compulsory module and one optional module, b) minimum 3 optional modules and one elective or c) 4 optional modules (options b) and c) suitable for students who wish to do a dissertation in their second subject)
Compulsory modules |
Credits |
Optional modules |
Credits |
Dissertation (Independent research Project, or equivalent) in either of the two subjects |
30 |
The Making of Professionals: Education, Health and Social Work |
15 |
Higher Education: Policy and the Student Experience |
15 |
||
Education, Work and Identity |
15 |
||
Education for Global Citizenship |
15 |
||
Race, Politics and Education |
15 |
||
Inclusive Education |
15 |
||
School Engagement and Outreach |
15 |
||
Elective module |
15 |
Physics Year 3 (Level 6)
Compulsory modules |
Credits |
Optional modules |
Credits |
Physics Project |
15 |
Cosmology |
15 |
Electromagnetism |
15 |
Physics of the Interstellar Medium |
15 |
The Physics of Compact Objects |
15 |
||
Quantum Physics of Atoms and Molecules |
15 |
||
Polymer Physics |
15 |
||
Particle Physics and Accelerators |
15 |
||
Binary Stars and Extrasolar Planets |
15 |
||
Life in the Universe |
15 |
||
Computational Methods in Physics and Astrophysics |
15 |
||
Data Analysis and Model testing |
15 |
||
The Physics of Galaxies |
15 |
||
Quantum Mechanics II |
15 |
||
Physics of Fluids |
15 |
||
Atmospheric Physics |
15 |
||
Plasma Physics |
15 |
If you choose to specialise in Education in your final year you will study the following modules:
You will be required to take the compulsory module and 4 optional modules. You will be able to obtain the remaining 30 credits by either a) taking further optional modules or electives approved for Education or b) by taking optional and elective modules from your second subject.
Compulsory modules |
Credits |
Optional modules |
Credits |
Dissertation (Independent research project) |
30 |
The Making of Professionals: Education, Health and Social Work |
15 |
Higher Education: Policy and the Student Experience |
15 |
||
Education, Work and Identity |
15 |
||
Educating for Global Citizenship |
15 |
||
Race, Politics and Education |
15 |
||
Inclusive Education |
15 |
||
School Engagement and Outreach |
15 |
||
Elective module |
15 |
If you choose to specialise in Physics in your final year you will study the following modules:
Compulsory modules |
Credits |
Optional modules |
Credits |
Physics Project |
15 |
Cosmology |
15 |
Electromagnetism |
15 |
Physics of the Interstellar Medium |
15 |
Dissertation and Communication Skills |
15 |
The Physics of Compact Objects |
15 |
Quantum Physics of Atoms and Molecules |
15 |
||
Polymer Physics |
15 |
||
Particle Physics and Accelerators |
15 |
||
Binary Stars and Extrasolar Planets |
15 |
||
Life in the Universe |
15 |
||
Computational Methods in Physics and Astrophysics |
15 |
||
Data Analysis and Model testing |
15 |
||
The Physics of Galaxies |
15 |
||
Quantum Mechanics II |
15 |
||
Physics of Fluids |
15 |
||
Atmospheric Physics |
15 |
||
Plasma Physics |
15 |
You may, in addition to modules listed, include in level 6 of your Physics course one suitable programme approved elective module from another Principal Course, provided that you are not taking the Principal Course from which that module is derived as part of your Combined Honours combination.
You will find that in teaching you we put emphasis on problem solving. This occurs in examples classes where you solve practice problems in physics in class with staff to assist you, in laboratory teaching where you will be expected to address practical problems and in your directed work for assessment. You are encouraged to call upon module leaders and the director of study for guidance. The staff will be willing to see you at almost any time and you will have one-to-one progress interviews each semester. The teaching team will monitor your progress and we will you if we find that you are not achieving all that you should and advise you on how to improve.
You will benefit from a flexible approach to learning the mathematical skills that are essential to the learning and application of Physics. You will find that the classes on mathematics in level 4 are presented in a series of blocks. An assessment test is taken at the end of the class blocks. You will also attend supplementary supporting tutorials in mathematics.
For further information on the content of modules currently offered, including the list of elective modules, please visit: recruitnetworx.info/recordsandexams/az
Our Course Information Documents (CIDs) are designed to give you all of the details you need to make an informed decision about what and where to study.
Next Steps
Entry requirements
The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the likely offer or range of offers which would be made to candidates along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Recru it networ reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate’s application. Read more about our undergraduate entry requirements for United Kingdom, European Union and International students.
A Level requirements
- A Level requirement ABC/BBB
- A level Physics or Maths at grade B or above. If Maths is presented without A-level Physics, then a grade of C or better in AS-level Physics is also required.**
GCSE requirements
- Maths at C (or 4) if not taken at A Level or AS-Level
- English at C (or 4)
BTEC
- BTEC requirements DDM
- You must have taken sufficient Physics and Mathematics units.
International Baccalaureate
- 32 points to include Higher Level Physics at 5 or above or Higher Level Maths at 5 or above Higher Level Physics at 4 or above.
Access to HE Diploma requirements
- Obtain Access to HE Diploma with 122 UCAS Tariff points including a minimum of 15 Level 3 credits at Distinction.
Please note
* Reformed GCSE grades for England are stated in brackets
** If applicant has not had opportunity to sit AS level in England, please the Admissions team
Next Steps
Fees and funding
Going to university can be a daunting as well as an exciting experience. It can be difficult to understand the true costs of being a student, as well as the financial support that is available to help you meet those costs.
We can help you to manage your funds, create a budget and ensure that you receive any funding for which you may be eligible. We also offer financial support such as the Recru it networ Hardship Fund and emergency loans.
For more information visit our money, advice and guidance section.
Next Steps
Career prospects
When you graduate, you might choose to do a PGCE to become a teacher. Employers value numerate, versatile graduates who can communicate. With a Keele Education and Physics degree you could take up roles as a medical physicist, geophysicist or enter the space, telecommunications or nuclear industries. You may instead find employment as a science writer, chartered accountant, IT consultant, teacher, educational developer or curriculum innovator. If you take electives in modern languages, you may have the opportunity to graduate with an enhanced degree title, for example, ‘Education and Physics with competency in Japanese’ and teach abroad. Many of our graduates go onto further study at Master’s/PhD level.
Studying Physics for three years as part of a combined programme will lead to a degree accredited by the Institute of Physics.
Next Steps
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