What are decent to good graduate Physics Programs in the UK?

[wyattbohr]

Other than well known institutions such as University of Cambridge and Oxford. What are grad programs that are worth considering for a Phd? I am still narrowing down my niche, but I am interested in Theoretical physics, Mathematical Physics, and high energy physics.

 

[Vanadium 50]

"Theoretical Physics" is not a thing, There's theoretical nuclear, theoretical solid state, theoretical particle, theoretical soft condensed matter, etc. To be honest, not knowing this is likely to cause trouble in your applications.

You need to spend some time looking at university websites to see what they do, what programs they have, and whether you'd be interested. Apart from Oxbridge, I'd start with the red-bricks and the relevant London schools: Imperial, UCL, QMUL, etc.

 

[CrysPhys]

Other than well known institutions such as University of Cambridge and Oxford. What are grad programs that are worth considering for a Phd? I am still narrowing down my niche, but I am interested in Theoretical physics, Mathematical Physics, and high energy physics.

Your profile has you listed as a current undergrad. Don't know whether that's up to date. Could you confirm how far along you are in your education? Also where are you studying now? In the UK?

There are others here that will better answer your question. But from previous discussions on this forum concerning graduate programs in the UK, I'm under the impression that the usual route (with exceptions) is to complete a master's first, before applying for a PhD program. So for more efficient responses, it would help if you would clarify your current situation.

 

[wyattbohr]

Your profile has you listed as a current undergrad. Don't know whether that's up to date. Could you confirm how far along you are in your education? Also where are you studying now? In the UK?

There are others here that will better answer your question. But from previous discussions on this forum concerning graduate programs in the UK, I'm under the impression that the usual route (with exceptions) is to complete a master's first, before applying for a PhD program. So for more efficient responses, it would help if you would clarify your current situation.

Thank you very much for your response. I completed my Masters degree in Mathematics. I have completed more courses than required for a minor in Physics, but not quite for a full undergraduate degree in Physics. A few of the Phd programs I have looked at (phd in mathematical physics here in the US) don't require a Masters, but I've noticed that is not the case for UK grad programs. I've also noticed that UK PhD programs are typically shorter in duration.

I am interested in QFT (particularly quantum geometry). But I am also interested in various other niches of theoretical particle physics. I am from the US, but my fiancee lives in the UK and I am considering moving there and doing a grad program there.

The other big hurdle is that my undergraduate grades are not competitive. I did very well in my masters degree in Mathematics and last few semesters as an undergrad, but I worry that most of my undergrad year academic track record will hold me back which is why I am inquiring about other schools than the University of Cambridge.

 

[CrysPhys]

I've also noticed that UK PhD programs are typically shorter in duration.

Yeah, but that's because the starting point in the UK is a master's; whereas, the starting point in the US is a bachelor's. How this will play out for you is not clear, since your degrees are in math. Did you take any physics courses when you were doing your master's?

I am from the US, but my fiancee lives in the UK and I am considering moving there and doing a grad program there.

If your motivation is to be close to your fiancee, you probably want to delimit and disclose the geographical region in the UK you want to go for your PhD program. You'll get more relevant recommendations here. I.e., is she settled, and you will move near her? Or is she free to move near whatever university you go to? Any suggestions from advisors in your US grad school?

 

[Vanadium 50]

UK programs are typically 3 years with a possible extension to 4 in unusual circumstances.

They assume you start with a MS in that field, You don't have one. They also look a lot closer at grades than in the US, and you say yours are not good. Normally I do not advide students who are uncompetative for the PhD to get a MS, but that is for the US system. In the UK system, it is the next step.

 

[gwnorth]

Edinburgh
Imperial College London
University College London
Manchester
Glasgow
Birmingham
Bristol
Southampton

You will need a master's degree in a relevant field first so depending on which specific theoretical field of Physics you're interested in applying to, you may or may not have the requisite background. That's the first thing you need to figure out. If your grades for your master's are competitive, I wouldn't worry too much about your undergrad grades, even for Cambridge (though most applicants to Theoretical Physics streams at Cambridge will have completed Math Part III - https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/postgrad/part-iii/prospective.html).

You may want to have a look through

https://www.findaphd.com/
https://www.jobs.ac.uk/search/?acti...0]=physics-and-astronomy&jobTypeFacet[0]=phds

 

[Old Person]

Hi.

To be honest the question is too general to have one simple answer. To start with, British Universities don't often have a "grad program" in the same way that most American Universities will.
In the US you would typically start with some courses and some examinations, in the UK that may not happen - but it varies, some Universities will have compulsory courses for PhD students, just be aware that many do not.

Here's a quotation from https://www.findaphd.com/guides/why-uk :

At its core a UK doctorate is an independent research qualification. Right from the beginning, the focus is on your own individual research project with the ultimate aim of producing an original thesis that contributes to the understanding of your field.

Unlike in some countries (such as the USA) there isn't any formal taught component for a UK PhD. You probably will have some additional training and development opportunities during your doctorate (such as teaching undergraduates, attending conferences and publishing papers) but your performance in these won't affect your final degree result.

I cannot possibly summarise exactly what a PhD place is like. There are many different PhD places and different universities will have their own little rules and policies. For the moment it's just important to realise that typically it's a lot less like some "program" or structured plan of learning. You may end up going along to some courses BUT you'd rarely have to sit the examination at the end. Instead you just have to keep convinincing your supervisor that you can continue, they are more likely to ask for a report about how your research is progressing so far rather than ask you to sit a written exam.

The second point I would like to emphasise is that it's predominantly about YOUR research. In the US, a department may have funding to research a specific thing and they just might need a PhD student to join their team and do some bits of something. There are some PhD places in the UK that are much like this - there's a definite research project and the PhD student joins an established team. However, there are also PhD places that are not like that. The student will identify what they want to research and the department will just try to support that. Overall, there is no "one size", "one type" or "one way" of getting a PhD. You probably want to start just by picking an area and thinking about whether you would like to be part of bigger team OR potentailly going your own way. Each has it's own merits, working on your own thing straight from day one may sound great but it can be lonely as anything and the freedom can be excessive leaving you to drift about and just not finish on time (or indeed ever finish). Working on an established project means you'll probably have much more structure, stand a much better chance of finishing on time and will always have other people you can talk to who understand what you're doing. On the other hand, as a junior member of an established team, you will frequently be doing only what they require and not really taking your research in the direction you want to go.

 

[gwnorth]

In the US you would typically start with some courses and some examinations, in the UK that may not happen - but it varies, some Universities will have compulsory courses for PhD students, just be aware that many do not.

Here's a quotation from https://www.findaphd.com/guides/why-uk :

At its core a UK doctorate is an independent research qualification. Right from the beginning, the focus is on your own individual research project with the ultimate aim of producing an original thesis that contributes to the understanding of your field.

Unlike in some countries (such as the USA) there isn't any formal taught component for a UK PhD. You probably will have some additional training and development opportunities during your doctorate (such as teaching undergraduates, attending conferences and publishing papers) but your performance in these won't affect your final degree result.

Which is why most PhD programs in the UK require a master's degree first, because the course work typically completed by PhD students in the US prior to moving onto PhD candidacy, are completed by UK students during their master's. The exact nature of what research is undertaken for the PhD dissertation/thesis, whether in the UK or the US, depends in large part on the source of funding the student receives. The work completed by a student admitted to a CDT or to work on a UKRI funded project may look very different than that of a student generally admitted to a department or by a specific researcher.