Physics and Philosophy
Bachelor's degree
In Oxford
Description
-
Type
Bachelor's degree
-
Location
Oxford
UCAS code VF53 Duration
4 years (MPhysPhil)
3 years (BA)
Entrance requirements
A*AA (with the A* in Physics, Maths or Further Maths)
Subject requirements
Physics and Maths
Maths Mechanics modules
Further Maths
Admissions test(s) ox.ac.uk/pat Written work None
Admissions statistics*
Interviewed: 30%
Successful: 9%
Intake: 14
*3-year average 2017-19
Contact
+44 (0) 1865 272200
Email Physics
+44 (0) 1865 276926
Email Philosophy
Subject requirements: Essential Recommended Helpful – may be useful on course
Unistats information for this course can be found at the bottom of the page
Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small.
This course combines the most rigorous and fundamental subjects in the sciences and the arts. Physics is concerned with unravelling the complexities of the universe from the smallest to the largest scale. Philosophy deals with foundational questions of the most general kind: what there is, what we know and how we came to know it, and how we ought to act and structure our lives. Central to both subjects is the development and application of clear and precise thinking to foundational problems, the questioning of received wisdom and the critical articulation of ideas which aim for an understanding of how things are, in the broadest possible terms.
">Video of Physics and Philosophy at Oxford University
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Physics and Philosophy are historically intertwined and each continues to contribute to developments in the other. Philosophy played a crucial role in the two revolutions of 20th-century physics – namely, relativity and quantum mechanics – and continues to contribute both to foundational research in theoretical physics and to the articulation and critique of scientific method. Conversely, discoveries in physics provide profound implications for philosophical inquiry, such as the nature of space and time and the behaviour of matter at the quantum realm physics; how...
Facilities
Location
Start date
Start date
Reviews
Subjects
- Articulation
- Project
- Maths
- Modern Philosophy
- Teaching
- Options
- IT
- Philosophy
- Mechanics
- University
- GCSE Physics
- Tutorials
- Working
- Lectures
- Majority
- Completing
Course programme
Your work will be divided between independent study, tutorials, two or three classes and about ten lectures each week. Independent study (reading for and writing essays, completing problem sets) will take up the majority of your working time. Tutorials typically take the form of 2-4 students discussing themes arising from essays or problem sets with a tutor in the students’ college. Lectures and classes are typically held in either the Department of Physics or Faculty of Philosophy.
Tutorials are usually 2-4 students and a tutor. Class sizes may vary depending on the options you choose. There would usually be no more than around 10 students though classes for some of the more popular papers may be up to 20 students. Most tutorials, classes, and lectures are delivered by staff who are tutors in their subject. Many are world-leading experts with years of experience in teaching and research. Some teaching may also be delivered by postgraduate students who are usually studying at doctorate level.
To find out more about how our teaching year is structured, visit our Academic Year page.
Academic YearCourse structureYEAR 1CURRENT COURSES
- Physics
- Classical mechanics and special relativity
- Mathematical methods
- Differential equations and waves
- Philosophy
- Elements of deductive logic
- General philosophy
- Introductory philosophy of physics
ASSESSMENT
First University examinations: three written papers in Physics; two written papers in Philosophy
YEAR 2CURRENT COURSES
- Physics
- Thermal physics
- Electromagnetism
- Quantum physics
- Mathematical methods
- Physics practicals
- Philosophy
- Early modern philosophy or Knowledge and reality
- Philosophy of special relativity
ASSESSMENT
Final University examinations, Part A: three papers in Physics; satisfactory lab work
CURRENT COURSES
Core topics:
- Physics - choose two of the following:
- Symmetry and relativity
- General relativity
- Classical mechanics
- Philosophy - compulsory topics:
- Philosophy of science
- Philosophy of quantum mechanics
- Either two Physics papers and/or projects from:
- The remaining core subject not chosen
- Atomic and laser physics
- Computational and experimental projects
- Condensed matter physics
- Fluids
- Nuclear and particle physics
- Or one Philosophy paper from a range of options
ASSESSMENT
Final University examinations, Part B: three or four written papers in Philosophy; two or four subjects in Physics
YEAR 4RESEARCH
Three units chosen in any combination from the lists for Physics and Philosophy, including an advanced philosophy of physics option.
ASSESSMENT
Final University examinations, Part C: a mix of three written papers and essays, or thesis (in Philosophy), or project (in Physics)
The options listed above are illustrative and may change. More information about current options is available on the Physics and Philosophy websites.
YEAR 1CURRENT COURSES
- Physics
- Classical mechanics and special relativity
- Mathematical methods
- Differential equations and waves
- Philosophy
- Elements of deductive logic
- General philosophy
- Introductory philosophy of physics
ASSESSMENT
First University examinations: three written papers in Physics; two written papers in Philosophy
YEAR 2CURRENT COURSES
- Physics
- Thermal physics
- Electromagnetism
- Quantum physics
- Mathematical methods
- Physics practicals
- Philosophy
- Early modern philosophy or Knowledge and reality
- Philosophy of special relativity
ASSESSMENT
Final University examinations, Part A: three papers in Physics; satisfactory lab work
CURRENT COURSES
Core topics:
- Physics - choose two of the following:
- Symmetry and relativity
- General relativity
- Classical mechanics
- Philosophy - compulsory topics:
- Philosophy of science
- Philosophy of quantum mechanics
- Either two Physics papers and/or projects from:
- The remaining core subject not chosen
- Atomic and laser physics
- Computational and experimental projects
- Condensed matter physics
- Fluids
- Nuclear and particle physics
- Or one Philosophy paper from a range of options
ASSESSMENT
Final University examinations, Part B: three or four written papers in Philosophy; two or four subjects in Physics
YEAR 4RESEARCH
Three units chosen in any combination from the lists for Physics and Philosophy, including an advanced philosophy of physics option.
ASSESSMENT
Final University examinations, Part C: a mix of three written papers and essays, or thesis (in Philosophy), or project (in Physics)
The options listed above are illustrative and may change. More information about current options is available on the Physics and Philosophy websites.
YEAR 1YEAR 1YEAR 1CURRENT COURSES
- Physics
- Classical mechanics and special relativity
- Mathematical methods
- Differential equations and waves
- Philosophy
- Elements of deductive logic
- General philosophy
- Introductory philosophy of physics
ASSESSMENT
First University examinations: three written papers in Physics; two written papers in Philosophy
CURRENT COURSES
- Physics
- Classical mechanics and special relativity
- Mathematical methods
- Differential equations and waves
- Philosophy
- Elements of deductive logic
- General philosophy
- Introductory philosophy of physics
CURRENT COURSES
CURRENT COURSES- Physics
- Classical mechanics and special relativity
- Mathematical methods
- Differential equations and waves
- Classical mechanics and special relativity
- Mathematical methods
- Differential equations and waves
- Classical mechanics and special relativity
- Mathematical methods
- Differential equations and waves
- Philosophy
- Elements of deductive logic
- General philosophy
- Introductory philosophy of physics
- Elements of deductive logic
- General philosophy
- Introductory philosophy of physics
- Elements of deductive logic
- General philosophy
- Introductory philosophy of physics
ASSESSMENT
First University examinations: three written papers in Physics; two written papers in Philosophy
ASSESSMENT
ASSESSMENTFirst University examinations: three written papers in Physics; two written papers in Philosophy
YEAR 2YEAR 2YEAR 2CURRENT COURSES
- Physics
- Thermal physics
- Electromagnetism
- Quantum physics
- Mathematical methods
- Physics practicals
- Philosophy
- Early modern philosophy or Knowledge and reality
- Philosophy of special relativity
ASSESSMENT
Final University examinations, Part A: three papers in Physics; satisfactory lab work
CURRENT COURSES
- Physics
- Thermal physics
- Electromagnetism
- Quantum physics
- Mathematical methods
- Physics practicals
- Philosophy
- Early modern philosophy or Knowledge and reality
- Philosophy of special relativity
CURRENT COURSES
CURRENT COURSES- Physics
- Thermal physics
- Electromagnetism
- Quantum physics
- Mathematical methods
- Physics practicals
- Philosophy
- Early modern philosophy or Knowledge and reality
- Philosophy of special relativity
- Thermal physics
- Electromagnetism
- Quantum physics
- Mathematical methods
- Physics practicals
- Thermal physics
- Electromagnetism
- Quantum physics
- Mathematical methods
- Physics practicals
- Early modern philosophy or Knowledge and reality
- Philosophy of special relativity
- Early modern philosophy or Knowledge and reality
- Philosophy of special relativity
ASSESSMENT
Final University examinations, Part A: three papers in Physics; satisfactory lab work
ASSESSMENT
ASSESSMENTFinal University examinations, Part A: three papers in Physics; satisfactory lab work
YEAR 3YEAR 3YEAR 3
CURRENT COURSES
Core topics:
- Physics - choose two of the following:
- Symmetry and relativity
- General relativity
- Classical mechanics
- Philosophy - compulsory topics:
- Philosophy of science
- Philosophy of quantum mechanics
- Either two Physics papers and/or projects from:
- The remaining core subject not chosen
- Atomic and laser physics
- Computational and experimental projects
- Condensed matter physics
- Fluids
- Nuclear and particle physics
- Or one Philosophy paper from a range of options
ASSESSMENT
Final University examinations, Part B: three or four written papers in Philosophy; two or four subjects in Physics
CURRENT COURSES
Core topics:
- Physics - choose two of the following:
- Symmetry and relativity
- General relativity
- Classical mechanics
- Philosophy - compulsory topics:
- Philosophy of science
- Philosophy of quantum mechanics
- Either two Physics papers and/or projects from:
- The remaining core subject not chosen
- Atomic and laser physics
- Computational and experimental projects
- Condensed matter physics
- Fluids
- Nuclear and particle physics
- Or one Philosophy paper from a range of options
CURRENT COURSES
CURRENT COURSESCore topics:
- Physics - choose two of the following:
- Symmetry and relativity
- General relativity
- Classical mechanics
- Philosophy - compulsory topics:
- Philosophy of science
- Philosophy of quantum mechanics
- Symmetry and relativity
- General relativity
- Classical mechanics
- Symmetry and relativity
- General relativity
- Classical mechanics
- Philosophy of science
- Philosophy of quantum mechanics
- Philosophy of science
- Philosophy of quantum mechanics
- Either two Physics papers and/or projects from:
- The remaining core subject not chosen
- Atomic and laser physics
- Computational and experimental projects
- Condensed matter physics
- Fluids
- Nuclear and particle physics
- Or one Philosophy paper from a range of options
- The remaining core subject not chosen
- Atomic and laser physics
- Computational and experimental projects
- Condensed matter physics
- Fluids
- Nuclear and particle physics
- The remaining core subject not chosen
- Atomic and laser physics
- Computational and experimental projects
- Condensed matter physics
- Fluids
- Nuclear and particle physics
ASSESSMENT
Final University examinations, Part B: three or four written papers in Philosophy; two or four subjects in Physics
ASSESSMENT
ASSESSMENTFinal University examinations, Part B: three or four written papers in Philosophy; two or four subjects in Physics
YEAR 4YEAR 4YEAR 4RESEARCH
Three units chosen in any combination from the lists for Physics and Philosophy, including an advanced philosophy of physics option.
ASSESSMENT
Final University examinations, Part C: a mix of three written papers and essays, or thesis (in Philosophy), or project (in Physics)
RESEARCH
Three units chosen in any combination from the lists for Physics and Philosophy, including an advanced philosophy of physics option.
RESEARCH
RESEARCHThree units chosen in any combination from the lists for Physics and Philosophy, including an advanced philosophy of physics option.
ASSESSMENT
Final University examinations, Part C: a mix of three written papers and essays, or thesis (in Philosophy), or project (in Physics)
ASSESSMENT
ASSESSMENTFinal University examinations, Part C: a mix of three written papers and essays, or thesis (in Philosophy), or project (in Physics)
The options listed above are illustrative and may change. More information about current options is available on the Physics and Philosophy websites.
The options listed above are illustrative and may change. More information about current options is available on the Physics and Philosophy websites.
The options listed above are illustrative and may change. More information about current options is available on the Physics and Philosophy websites.
The options listed above are illustrative and may change. More information about current options is available on the Physics and Philosophy websites.PhysicsPhilosophy
The content and format of this course may change in some circumstances. Read further information about potential course changes.
The content and format of this course may change in some circumstances. Read further information about potential course changes.
The content and format of this course may change in some circumstances. Read further information about potential course changes.
The content and format of this course may change in some circumstances. Read further information about potential course changes.
potential course changesMMathPhys YEAR 4The Physics and Mathematics Departments jointly offer an integrated master’s level course in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics. Physics and Philosophy students are able to apply for transfer to a fourth year studying entirely mathematical and theoretical physics, completing their degree with an MMathPhys. The course offers research-level training in: Particle physics, Condensed matter physics, Astrophysics, Plasma physics and Continuous media.
mmathphys.physics
Physics and Philosophy