Physics and Music Performance

Modules shown are for the current academic year, and are subject to change depending on your year of entry.

You will cover the fundamentals of Physics in the first two years, mainly studying core modules, before the third year where you will have the choice of advanced mathematics and specialised physics optional modules.

You will normally need to achieve a grade of 40% in each academic year, in order to progress to the next academic year.

Year 1

In your first year you complete a pathway of core modules, taking place at both Imperial and the Royal College of Music.

Core modules - Imperial

• Electricity and Magnetism, Relativity
• Laboratory and Computing I
• Mathematics
• Mechanics, Vibrations and Waves
• Professional Skills I
• Quantum Physics and Structure of Matter

Core modules - Royal College of Music

• Principal Study 1
• Professional Skills (Alexander Technique)

Year 2

You continue to complete a pathway of core modules in your second year.

Core modules - Imperial

• Atomic , Nuclear and Particle Physics
• Mathematics and Statistics of Measurement
• Professional Skills II
• Quantum Mechanics
• Solid State Physics
• Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics

Core modules - Royal College of Music

• Aural Training
• Historical Studies Level 4 1
• Principal Study 2

Year 3

You study a combination of core and optional modules

Core modules - Imperial

• Electromagnetism and Optics
• Project/ Essay Project
• Comprehensive Physics
• Professional Skills III

Core modules - Royal College of Music

• Principle Study 3
• Practical Musicianship Level 4

Optional modules - Imperial

You choose optional modules in the third year. There is not a fixed number of optional modules that you must take, instead you can make one choice each from Group 1 and 3. You can choose modules from Group 2, where you either choose one or two1.

Group 1

• Environmental Physics
• Mathematical Methods
• Sun, Stars and Planets

Group 2

• Advanced Hydrodynamics1
• Advanced Particle Physics
• Atmospheric Physics
• Computational Neuroscience
• Cosmology
• General Relativity
• Information Theory1
• Laser Technology
• Nanotechnology in Consumer Electronics1
• Optical Communications1
• Plasmonics and Metamaterials
• Quantum Field Theory
• Quantum Information
• Quantum Optics
• Quantum Theory of Matter
• Space Physics
• Unification

1 You normally select one module, however for modules marked (1) you choose two modules, both marked (1)

Group 3 - Humanities and Business

• Imperial Horizons
• Business for Professional Engineers and Scientists

Year 4 Core module - Royal College of Music

• Principle Study

Optional modules - Imperial

You choose between two and four optional modules, because each module has a different ECTS credit.

• Advanced Classical Physics
• Astrophysics
• Communicating Physics
• Complexity and Networks
• Computational Physics
• Fluid Dynamics
• Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
• Group Theory
• Imaging and Biophotonics
• Lasers
• Light and Matter
• Medical Imaging: Nuclear Diagnostics and MRI
• Medical Imaging: X-Rays and Ultrasound
• Physics of the Universe
• Plasma Physics
• Principles of Instrumentation
• Statistical Mechanics

Third year modules

You can choose a module from Year 3 Groups 1, 2 and 3. It is possible to choose one module from each group, providing that you did not choose one module from that group in the third year.