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.
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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