BSc Astrophysics with Foundation Year at Aberystwyth University

Astrophysics with Foundation Year (F512) at Aberystwyth University incorporates the broad disciplines of Astronomy, including: Cosmology and Galactic Astronomy, the Solar System, Gas Giants and Terrestrial Worlds, Red Giants, White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, Quasars and more.

This allows you to cover a broad area of learning and then specialise later in your career. With foundations in the key areas of Physics and Astronomy, taught in a supportive environment, you will also develop the transferable skills required by employers in this discipline for education, business and industry.

The Aberystwyth Astrophysics degree scheme is designed for students who have a general interest in astronomy, who may not want to confine themselves to one particular area. It offers broader modules in cosmology and galactic astronomy, enabling you to keep your options open. You can then specialise later on should you develop an interest in a specific field.

Why study Astrophysics at Aberystwyth?

Our Physics courses are accredited by the Institute of Physics (IoP), a leading scientific society which engages with policymakers and the general public to advance physics education, research and application, giving you a head start when you enter the competitive jobs market.

Physics has been taught at Aberystwyth since the foundation of the university in 1872, making it the first university in Wales to teach the subject. Despite our heritage we continue to innovate to ensure that the degree schemes we offer enable you get the best Physics degree you possibly can.

Our lecturers are also researchers working at the cutting edge of their respective fields, so you can be confident that your learning experience will be informed by the latest specialist knowledge along with advanced instrumentation, modelling and techniques. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2014) assessment the university was placed in the top 50 institutions for research power and intensity. It submitted 77% of eligible staff and 95% of the university's research was of an internationally recognised standard.

The Department offers a number of modules through the medium of Welsh. Further details are available from the Department.

Career prospects

A degree in Astrophysics will prepare you for such career destinations as space scientist, physicist, scientific laboratory technician, radiation protection practitioner, and research scientist. Other career paths may include systems developer, product development scientist, technical author, or meteorologist. Further study at postgraduate level will open doors into research, lecturing and teaching.

Transferable Skills

Studying for a degree in Astrophysics will equip you with a range of transferable skills which are highly valued by employers. These include:

• research and data analysis skills
• enhanced mathematical and computational skills
• effective problem-solving and creative thinking skills
• thorough grounding in information technology skills
• the ability to work independently
• time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines
• the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form
• self-motivation and self-reliance
• teamworking, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement