Places available per year across Physics and Physics and Philosophy
Physics
Physics is concerned with analysing nature to understand how the universe works. Studying physics at Oxford equips students with the tools needed to understand the world around them, ranging from small sub-atomic particles, to the large-scale structure of the cosmos, and everything in between. The impact of physics in society is profound, contributing to advancements in solving global problems such as environmental protection, global warming, energy production and public health.
Why choose Pembroke?
We are home to a vibrant physics community and friendly tutors who are devoted to getting the best from their students. As well as supporting you with your academic studies, our tutors meet with their students on a one-to-one basis at the end of each term to provide personalised pastoral care. Pembroke has an ideal location in the heart of the City and yet just a 10-minute walk from the Physics department.
What extra activities are on offer?
The physics society meets twice per term to discuss current research and papers. Students benefit from engaging talks by speakers ranging from local researchers and graduate students to high profile external speakers, and frequently give short presentations themselves.
Could you be a Pembroke Physicist?
As the language of physics is mathematics, successful students will have a strong track record in maths. The ability to use your understanding of physics to apply learnt principles to new situations is also a key skill.
If you are considering this course, please attend an open day [link] where you can meet our tutors and students and find out more. This is the best way to get a feel for whether you should make an application. We look forward to meeting you!
Have you considered our joint courses?
Physics can also be taken as a joint course with Philosophy. With a dedicated Philosophy of Physics tutor, Dr James Read [link], this is a particular area of strength for Pembroke and we aim to take more Physics and Philosophy students than most other colleges. Find out more on the Physics & Philosophy course page.
The Rokos Internship Scheme provides full funding for academic summer internships.
Pembroke non-finalist STEM students are eligible for up to £1,000 funding for summer internships, allowing them to gain hands-on research experience. The award covers all academic and living expenses, including accommodation.
Below are some reports from Pembroke Physicists who have used the award in the last few years.
Mark Toulson (2020, MPhys Physics)
In summer 2022, Mark used the Rokos Award to undertake an internship at Hobson Industries Ltd, a mechanical engineering firm specialising in reconditioning of Land Rover vehicles.
Mark shares: "Beyond the technical nature of the work I was involved with this summer I was fortunate to be surrounded by great people. My work was made infinitely easier and more valuable because of these people. I was able to use their expertise when I struggled and the sense of a common goal created within the company as a real source of motivation and direction in my work. I didn’t simply feel like I was completing an internship but instead had a real purpose as part of a vision... For this I am entirely grateful to both Peter and Barbara Hobson and the funding afforded to me through the Rokos grant."
Evan Usher (2018, MPhys Physics)
With the Rokos Award, Evan took part in an internship in Marseille at the Adhesion & Inflammation Lab. Evan shares: "The focus of my project was specifically the tethers that could be drawn off of [THP-1] cells... my work focused mainly on programming analytical tools to get data from these tethers, within Python. I worked on code previously developed by another member of the lab, improving on her code to create user-friendly software to analyse the AFM data, apply corrections to it and analyse the tethers."
Robert Doane-Solomon (2019, MPhys Physics)
With the Rokos Award, Robert worked in the Predictability Group in the sub-department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics within the University of Oxford’s Department of Physics. Robert shares: "The project’s aim was to evaluate forecasting skill at predicting the relationship between Atlantic hurricanes and ElNiño/La Niña (ENSO) type ocean events in the Pacific. There is a well-documented inverse relationship between Atlantic hurricane number (TC #) and Pacific sea surface temperatures (ENSO Index), however the skill of seasonal forecasts at predicting this particular relationship had not been analysed in much depth. Accurate predictions of Atlantic hurricanes are extremely important due to their large economic impact (often in billions of USD), and devastating humanitarian consequences."
He also adds: "I found this project immensely rewarding and would like to thank all of my supervisors for their help this summer. I would like to thank the Rokos Foundation for helping fund this internship; I had never studied this area of Physics before and it was wonderful to be in a group performing research in such an exciting area."
Physics Course Video
Laurence Wroe discusses how to approach the Physics Aptitude Test.
Meet Our Academics
Places available per year across Physics and Physics and Philosophy
Physics
Physics is concerned with analysing nature to understand how the universe works. Studying physics at Oxford equips students with the tools needed to understand the world around them, ranging from small sub-atomic particles, to the large-scale structure of the cosmos, and everything in between. The impact of physics in society is profound, contributing to advancements in solving global problems such as environmental protection, global warming, energy production and public health.
Why choose Pembroke?
We are home to a vibrant physics community and friendly tutors who are devoted to getting the best from their students. As well as supporting you with your academic studies, our tutors meet with their students on a one-to-one basis at the end of each term to provide personalised pastoral care. Pembroke has an ideal location in the heart of the City and yet just a 10-minute walk from the Physics department.
What extra activities are on offer?
The physics society meets twice per term to discuss current research and papers. Students benefit from engaging talks by speakers ranging from local researchers and graduate students to high profile external speakers, and frequently give short presentations themselves.
Could you be a Pembroke Physicist?
As the language of physics is mathematics, successful students will have a strong track record in maths. The ability to use your understanding of physics to apply learnt principles to new situations is also a key skill.
If you are considering this course, please attend an open day [link] where you can meet our tutors and students and find out more. This is the best way to get a feel for whether you should make an application. We look forward to meeting you!
Have you considered our joint courses?
Physics can also be taken as a joint course with Philosophy. With a dedicated Philosophy of Physics tutor, Dr James Read [link], this is a particular area of strength for Pembroke and we aim to take more Physics and Philosophy students than most other colleges. Find out more on the Physics & Philosophy course page.
The Rokos Internship Scheme provides full funding for academic summer internships.
Pembroke non-finalist STEM students are eligible for up to £1,000 funding for summer internships, allowing them to gain hands-on research experience. The award covers all academic and living expenses, including accommodation.
Below are some reports from Pembroke Physicists who have used the award in the last few years.
Mark Toulson (2020, MPhys Physics)
In summer 2022, Mark used the Rokos Award to undertake an internship at Hobson Industries Ltd, a mechanical engineering firm specialising in reconditioning of Land Rover vehicles.
Mark shares: "Beyond the technical nature of the work I was involved with this summer I was fortunate to be surrounded by great people. My work was made infinitely easier and more valuable because of these people. I was able to use their expertise when I struggled and the sense of a common goal created within the company as a real source of motivation and direction in my work. I didn’t simply feel like I was completing an internship but instead had a real purpose as part of a vision... For this I am entirely grateful to both Peter and Barbara Hobson and the funding afforded to me through the Rokos grant."
Evan Usher (2018, MPhys Physics)
With the Rokos Award, Evan took part in an internship in Marseille at the Adhesion & Inflammation Lab. Evan shares: "The focus of my project was specifically the tethers that could be drawn off of [THP-1] cells... my work focused mainly on programming analytical tools to get data from these tethers, within Python. I worked on code previously developed by another member of the lab, improving on her code to create user-friendly software to analyse the AFM data, apply corrections to it and analyse the tethers."
Robert Doane-Solomon (2019, MPhys Physics)
With the Rokos Award, Robert worked in the Predictability Group in the sub-department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics within the University of Oxford’s Department of Physics. Robert shares: "The project’s aim was to evaluate forecasting skill at predicting the relationship between Atlantic hurricanes and ElNiño/La Niña (ENSO) type ocean events in the Pacific. There is a well-documented inverse relationship between Atlantic hurricane number (TC #) and Pacific sea surface temperatures (ENSO Index), however the skill of seasonal forecasts at predicting this particular relationship had not been analysed in much depth. Accurate predictions of Atlantic hurricanes are extremely important due to their large economic impact (often in billions of USD), and devastating humanitarian consequences."
He also adds: "I found this project immensely rewarding and would like to thank all of my supervisors for their help this summer. I would like to thank the Rokos Foundation for helping fund this internship; I had never studied this area of Physics before and it was wonderful to be in a group performing research in such an exciting area."
Physics Course Video
Laurence Wroe discusses how to approach the Physics Aptitude Test.