Physics courses
You can explore the smallest and largest scales of the Universe with a physics course at The Open University. Our world-leading research and teaching informs your learning – enrich your intellectual and personal development with us and enhance your career options. Find out more about our physics qualifications below.
Physics
Degree
- Also known as an undergraduate or bachelors degree.
- Internationally respected, universally understood.
- An essential requirement for many high-level jobs.
- Gain a thorough understanding of your subject – and the tools to investigate, think critically, form reasoned arguments, solve problems and communicate effectively in new contexts.
- Progress to higher level study, such as a postgraduate diploma or masters degree.
- Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
- One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
- You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
- For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long will it take?
Physics
Diploma
- Widely recognised qualification.
- Equivalent to the first two thirds of an honours degree.
- Enhance your professional and technical skills or extend your knowledge and understanding of a subject.
- Study for interest or career development.
- Top up to a full honours degree in just two years.
- Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
- One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
- You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
- For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long will it take?
Physics
Certificate
- Widely recognised qualification.
- Equivalent to the first third of an honours degree.
- Study for interest or career development.
- Shows that you can study successfully at university level.
- Count it towards further qualifications such as a DipHE or honours degree.
- Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
- One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
- You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
- For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long will it take?
Why study Physics with The Open University?
Join the UK’s only distance-learning higher education provider able to develop comprehensive experimental skills using online tools and assets. You’ll be able to study at a pace that suits you and your other life commitments, enhanced by our innovative teaching methods. Our degree is accredited by the Institute of Physics.
You’ll also have access to:
- The award-winning online OpenSTEM Labs, to develop your investigative and laboratory skills, including with remote experiments you can control online.
- Optional hands-on laboratory work in physics, hosted on our Milton Keynes campus.
- A selection of seminars and lectures covering the breadth of research in physics offered by the School of Physical Sciences.
- The preparation you need to take your next step – whether it’s further study or employment.
Careers in Physics
People with physics qualifications are well placed to enter both scientific and non-scientific jobs. The logical, reasoned approach needed for physics study is relevant to a wide range of employment sectors. For this reason, physics graduates – particularly those who have effective communication and interpersonal skills – are very much in demand.
A physics qualification from the OU could help you start a career in:
- Teaching
- Scientific research and investigation
- Analysis and diagnostics
- Information management
- Product design and development
Looking for something other than a qualification?
The majority of our modules can be studied by themselves, on a stand-alone basis. If you later choose to work towards a qualification, you may be able to count your study towards it.
All Physics courses
Browse all the Physics courses we offer – certificates, diplomas and degrees.
See our full list of Physics courses
Email us
From exploring the right course for you to helping you register, our advisers can help.
Call us
As part of the OU’s response to Coronavirus, we have temporarily removed this option.
Please use the ‘Email us’ option to contact us.
Write to us at:
Student Recruitment
The Open University
PO Box 197
Milton Keynes
MK7 6BJ
