Key information
The MPhys Physics with Industrial Placement programme combines advanced physics education with a Year 4 industrial placement in photonics, quantum technology, and engineering.
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Delivery type
- Full Time
- Degree qualification
- MPhys
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 5 years
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Start date
- September
Our Physics with Industrial Placement MPhys programme will equip you with a broad education in physics, supported by a range of computational and mathematical skills that are highly valued across modern industries. This five-year programme includes an industrial placement in Year 4, giving you the opportunity to apply your knowledge in a real-world setting and gain hands-on experience through Heriot-Watt's established network of industrial partners in the photonics, quantum technology, or engineering sectors.
From revolutionising medical imaging and developing ultra-fast computing to powering green energy solutions and shaping the future of communication, physics is at the core of many of today’s most exciting technological advances. This programme goes beyond the classroom to show how physics drives progress in emerging sectors and transforms society. You’ll learn how to translate theoretical understanding into practical outcomes, gaining insight into how physics operates in research labs, development teams, and high-tech industries.
Your industrial placement is a key part of the programme. It allows you to work alongside professional physicists and engineers on live projects, helping you to explore potential career paths, build professional networks, and develop the kind of workplace experience and problem-solving skills that significantly boost your graduate prospects.
You’ll investigate how the universe works, from the unimaginably small to the unimaginably vast. Along the way, you’ll develop your ability to measure, model, and predict the physical world, gaining the adaptable skillset of a physicist — analytical thinking, data handling, programming, teamwork, and communication.
Topics include fields and forces, photonics and optics, and thermal physics. You’ll explore the quantum world of subatomic particles, the unique properties of laser light, and the challenging ideas of quantum mechanics and cosmology. Later, you’ll build expertise in areas such as electromagnetism, laser physics, solid-state physics, and quantum theory, engaging with current research and frontier technologies.
Our MPhys programme provides a more advanced understanding of physics and a deeper engagement with specialist areas. Your final year culminates in an individual research project, where you will demonstrate your mastery of experimental, theoretical, or computational physics — preparing you to shape the future of science and technology.
Heriot-Watt has been ranked second in Scotland for Physics based on student experience by the Guardian (2024). This means you’ll have a personal learning environment, in which you can speak directly to your academic tutors about the programme, what’s happening in the wider physics industry, get extra support when necessary, and build relationships with your teaching staff.
Your student experience
Heriot-Watt University is top in Scotland for Physics research, with 97% of its research classed as world-leading (4*) in the REF 2021 results. The university also received the Queens Anniversary Prize in 2021, the highest honour for universities in the UK, in recognition of our research in Photonics.
Your learning will be informed by the expertise of our research-active physicists, scientists, and academics. You will be taught by passionate and engaging experts who will provide you with insight into emerging topics in quantum technologies, photonics and condensed matter physics, by relating taught material to their own research.
Our degrees are directly informed by the world class research carried out by Heriot-Watt’s Research Institute for Photonic and Quantum Sciences and the Research Institute for Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering. These research Institutes focus on promoting excellence across research themes which include:
- Quantum Photonics and Quantum Information
- Healthcare research
- Ultrafast Photonics
- Biophysics
- Applied Photonics
The research relevance of this undergraduate programme ensures your studies remain cutting-edge and industry focused.
Go Global
There are currently no Go Global opportunities for this particular programme. However, other Go Global opportunities may be available. Please contact studywithus@hw.ac.uk for more information.
Course content
September Intake - Edinburgh
Mandatory September
- Mechanics, Fields and Forces
- Investigative Techniques 1
- Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 1
Optional September
- Logic and Proof
- Principles of Chemistry
- Introductory Biology 1
- Introduction to Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Elements of Probability
Mandatory January
- Waves and Matter
- Investigative Techniques 2
- Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 2
Optional January
- Introductory Biology 2
- Chemical Reactivity
- Introduction to Mechanical Engineering
- Discrete Mathematics
- Topics in Statistical Practice
Fees and funding
| Status | Fee |
|---|---|
| Scotland | Paid by SAAS |
| England / Wales / N Ireland / Rep of Ireland | £9,535 |
| International | £25,008 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).
Scholarships and bursaries
Bursaries for students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales
In addition to government loans and grants towards the costs of fees and living costs, we are offering generous financial support to attract and support eligible undergraduate students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales:
- Heriot-Watt University Bursary (up to £3,100 per year)
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
Standard entry requirements
- Highers AAAB (over two sittings). Must include Physics and Maths, with one at A.
- A-Levels BBB- AAB. Must include Physics and Maths at B.
- International Baccalaureate 30 points. Must include Physics and Maths, both at Higher Level 5.
- BTEC Extended Diploma DDM. Must be relevant science subject including sufficient Physics and Maths.
- HNC A in graded unit. Must be relevant science subject including sufficient Physics and Maths.
- HND BB in graded unit. Must be relevant science subject including sufficient Physics and Maths.
- Please check that you meet our University-wide National 5/GCSE (or equivalent) English and Maths requirements.
Minimum entry requirements *
- Highers BBBC (over two sittings). Must include Physics and Maths, both at B.
- A-Levels BCC. Must include Physics and Maths with one at B.
- International Baccalaureate 28 points. Must include Physics and Maths, both at Higher Level 5.
- BTEC Extended Diploma DMM. Must be relevant science subject including sufficient Physics and Maths.
- HNC B in graded unit. Must be relevant science subject including sufficient Physics and Maths.
- HND BB in graded unit. Must be relevant science subject including sufficient Physics and Maths.
* Minimum: under our Fair Access Policy, we will relax our standard entry requirements for some Scottish and Rest of UK status students depending on their circumstances. Our minimum requirements will apply if you:
- live in an area within the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation lowest 20% (SIMD20) or POLAR4 Quintile 1 regions (RUK)
- or are care experienced.
We can also make exceptions for some Scottish students with grades above minimum but below standard. Read more about our Minimum and standard entry requirements.
Why Heriot-Watt
We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.
We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.
Student life
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