Courses Offered:

• BA/MPhys Physics
• BA/MPhysPhil Physics and Philosophy

Current Fellows and Lecturers

Dr Martin Bureau (Tutorial Fellow)
Dr C V Sukumar (Tutorial Fellow)
Professor Giulia Zanderighi (Tutorial Fellow)
Admissions
The College normally admits eight students each year to read for degrees in Physics or Physics & Philosophy. There is no fixed allocation of places between these two courses, and we accept the best candidates, regardless of which course they intend to read.

Gap Years
Some candidates ask for deferred entry because they wish to interpose a year between school/college and university. We do however like to assure ourselves, in the student's interest, that the time spent away from academic study is going to be used profitably and in a way that keeps the student's mind active. As an example, some industrial sponsorship schemes ask the student to work in industry for a year as the beginning of a '1-3-1 sandwich'. If you are thinking of a gap year, tell us at the time of application: if we offer a place it will be for a specified year, and it may be impossible to change the offer later on.

The Courses
Physics and Physics & Philosophy are both either 3-year or 4-year courses, the 3-year option leading to a BA, the 4-year option to an MPhys or MPhysPhil. Students decide which to pursue at the end of the second year, so no commitment between these two possibilities is needed at the time of application. Entry in the 4-year programme, however, is conditional upon obtaining a level of at least 2:1 after the second year.

The Tutors
The College has three Tutorial Fellows in Physics, Dr Martin Bureau, Dr Candadi Sukumar and Professor Giulia Zanderighi. They have interests in astrophysics, quantum mechanics, field theory, and nuclear and particle physics. The tutors teach all the core material in the course, as well as some of the options.

Careers
Graduates with degrees in Physics or in Physics & Philosophy are much in demand by employers. They have a high standard of numeracy and technical competence, are capable of handling abstractions and complexities, and at the same time know how to keep their feet on the ground. A good proportion go on to work for advanced degrees, in Oxford or elsewhere. Some make direct use of the subject matter of their degree and take employment in the electronics industry, in engineering, in computing, or in industrial or government laboratories. Others use the intellectual training that comes from taking a degree course in any subject, and apply that in business, commerce, industrial management; the variety of careers is very wide. Recent graduates from Wadham have entered such diverse areas as medical physics, the law, oil prospecting, accountancy, teaching, the British Antarctic Survey, the European Patents Office.

Further Information
Further information about studying Physics at Oxford can be obtained from the Physics Department website as well as from the University's Undergraduate Prospectus.

Student Profile

Alistair Wardrope, 2nd Year, Physics and Philosophy

If you’ve openly voiced a wish to study Physics and Philosophy at Oxford, then you’ll most likely have been informed of one thing on a tiresomely regular basis: it’s bloody hard work. ‘The toughest course at Oxford’ was one discouraging phrase I encountered more than once in conversation with my teachers. Still, some combination of curiosity and stubbornness drove me to apply, and for that I’m grateful. That is not to say that your would-be advisors are ill-informed, as Physics and Philosophy is certainly a challenging course and more intense than many; but the rewards make it more than worthwhile. The course is structured so that, rather than running parallel, the subjects are interwoven – what is studied in one part often illuminates your understanding of, or presents new questions for, the other. (And as if that were not pay-off enough, first year Phys/Phils don’t have to do any of the labs which the physicists are required to endure – a real bonus, trust me…)

While heavier than that of other courses, the workload is rarely so great as to prevent you having a life outside it. The tutors at Wadham are very sympathetic to your need to escape occasionally from academia, usually willing to alter deadlines or offer assistance if you ever find yourself overburdened. I still manage to play rugby, ride with the university cycling club and do charity work (not to mention enjoying the odd night out!), and there are alternatives to suit everyone. The community at Wadham is very open and friendly, welcoming all comers - no matter how obscure your tastes or interests, there will be someone here who shares them! Altogether, Wadham provides a fantastic environment for work and play alike, even if you’re obstinate enough to choose to study Physics and Philosophy… (Try it – I recommend it.)