The concern of physics is the behaviour of matter and its interaction with energy under conditions as different as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and the inside of an integrated circuit. With boundaries extending from the more specialised areas of theory to chemistry, materials science, biology, engineering, medicine, informatics, and others, physics underlies the other exact and practical sciences and has reached the stage of widespread application at most levels of civilised existence. Nevertheless, the beauty of physics as a study in itself and for itself cannot be underscored. The vast majority of our students choose the subject because of its intrinsic beauty and their passion for understanding how nature works.
At the Department of Physics we offer our services through the design of a number of undergraduate and postgraduate courses as well as doctoral degrees. These courses are designed to equip students with the necessary knowledge, experience and skills to pursue careers as scientists within industry, administration, education and research.
The Department of Physics was re-established in 1987 as part of the Faculty of Science. The main offices and laboratories are housed within the Physics and Mathematics Building.
Candidates who choose to study physics are those who are suitably qualified according to the University Regulations and the course Bye-Laws, and who have a strong interest in the subject and wish to dedicate their time to its study with a view to acquiring a range of transferrable skills, most important among which would be a refined problem solving aptitude. Such students would typically have a sound mathematical background and would be willing to improve this during the course.
Physics graduates may find employment in government departments, with private industry, with public authorities, as teachers in state and private or church schools and research laboratories, both locally and abroad. The local demand for physicists is currently higher than the number of graduating students. A subject combination that includes physics as a major component will provide students with many interesting and challenging career options.
