PhD Physics

You will undertake a physics research project over two years (MPhil) or three years (PhD), supported by our globally esteemed researchers. The project will be shaped by your participation in research activities such as seminars, workshops, laboratory activity and fieldwork, as well as your involvement in one of our established research groups. Swansea is a research-led University and physics makes a significant contribution, meaning you will benefit from the considerable experience and skills of our expert staff. We have three main research groups. The Atomic, Molecular and Quantum Physics Group (AMQP) is supported by grants from EPSRC, the EU, The Royal Society, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and various industrial and government sources. The areas of research are: Analytical laser spectroscopy, , Ultrafast Dynamics, Imaging and Microscopy, Optomechanics, Antihydrogen, positronium and positrons, Cold atom physics and Nano-scale physics and the life sciences. The Applied Physics and Materials (APM) Group is supported by grants from the European Union, Welsh Government, National Science Foundation, Australian Research Council, Welsh European Funding Office, and EPSRC. The areas of research include: Biophotonics: Nano- and micro-structured materials, biomimetics, analyte sensing and light-tissue interaction, Nanomedicine, Sustainable Advanced Materials: next-generation semiconductors, bioelectronic materials and devices, optoelectronics including photodetection, solar energy conversion and advanced electro-optics and transport physics of disordered solids. The Particle Physics and Cosmology Theory (PPCT) Group is one of the five largest particle physics groups in the UK. It is supported mainly by STFC, but also has grants from EPSRC, the EU, the Royal Society and the Leverhulme Trust. The areas of research include: Amplitudes in gauge and supergravity theories, Hot and Dense matter, High-performance computing , Gauge/string duality, Higher spin holography, Integrability, Large-N gauge theories, supersymmetry and duality, Holography and lattice theories in physics beyond the Standard Model and Quantum fields in curved spacetime and theoretical cosmology.

This PhD in Physics at Swansea will enable you to undertake a substantial project led by you. It is a highly respected qualification which is a necessary step in a career in academia, and also will open a wider scope for employment in fields such as education, government or the private sector. A thesis will be submitted for assessment demonstrating original research with a substantive contribution to the subject area. The PhD title is awarded following a successful oral examination of the thesis (a viva voce examination or viva voce). You will acquire research skills for high-level work and skills and training programmes are available on campus for further support. There will be opportunities to deliver presentations to research students and staff at departmental seminars and conferences. There may also be opportunities to develop your teaching skills through undergraduate tutorials, demonstrations and seminars.

Applicants for PhD must normally hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level or a master's degree with a minimum overall grade at Merit (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) IELTS - 6.5 Overall (with no individual component below 6.0) or Swansea University recognised equivalent, TOEFL (IBT) - 88