Program Overview

Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics

Key Information

The Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics is a four-year program that provides students with a strong foundation in physics and its applications. The program is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a career in physics or related fields.

Why Study Applied Physics in UL?

The University of Limerick offers a unique approach to studying applied physics, with a strong emphasis on problem-solving skills, research, and industry engagement. The program provides students with a pragmatic balance between fundamental and applied aspects of physics, making graduates highly desirable as employees in industry, academia, and research.

Program Structure

The program is four years in duration, with the first two years providing a strong foundation in areas such as:

• Mechanics
• Thermodynamics
• Optics
• Electromagnetism
• Modern Physics
• Experimental Physics
• Chemistry
• Electronics
• Computing
• Mathematics

The third and fourth years of study provide core material in areas such as:

• Quantum Mechanics
• Semiconductors
• Nanotechnology
• Computational Physics
• Medical Instrumentation

An important element of the final year is an Applied Physics project, which gives students the opportunity to study a problem in depth.

Entry Requirements

Entry to this program is through LM125: Bachelor of Science in Physics (Common Entry). Students must meet the entry requirements for LM125, which include a minimum of six subjects in the Leaving Certificate, with at least two subjects at grade H5 or higher.

Fees and Funding

Student course fees are broken into three components: Student contribution, Student Levy, and Tuition Fees. The current student contribution is set at 2,500, and the Student Levy is 104. Tuition Fees vary depending on residency, citizenship, and course requirements.

Scholarships

Several scholarships are available for this course, including the BD Science and Engineering Undergraduate Scholarship, the Johnson and Johnson WiSTEM2D Programme, and the George Gooberman Memorial Prize for Excellence in Physics.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics program have a wide range of career opportunities, including:

• Quality Control Analyst
• Consultant
• Laboratory Technician
• Tech Support
• Medical Physicist
• Process Engineer
• Research and Development Engineer
• Software Developer/Engineer

Student Profiles

Several students have shared their experiences and career paths after graduating from the Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics program. These include:

• Aaron Coughlan, who works as a Business Analyst with Irish Continental Group
• Shane McCarthy, who works as an Analytics Consultant with Accenture
• Dr. Jim O'Doherty, who works as a Medical Physicist at the Royal Surrey County Hospital in the UK

Further Study Options

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics program may also pursue further study options, including:

• Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (Graduate Entry)
• MA in Business Management
• GradDip in Chemical Engineering
• MSc in Applied Physics
• Structured PhD in Physics

Employability Skills

The Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics program provides students with a range of employability skills, including:

• Planning, executing, analyzing, and reporting on experiments and investigations
• Analyzing data, evaluating the level of uncertainty in experimental investigations, and drawing valid conclusions
• Understanding mathematical modeling and the role of approximation
• Producing clear and accurate scientific reports
• Using laboratory apparatus and techniques soundly
• Using technical language correctly
• Working independently, using initiative to meet deadlines, and interacting constructively with other people
• Construction of logical arguments
• Problem-solving by identifying the appropriate principles and using scientific techniques such as special and limiting cases and order-of-magnitude estimates
• Numerical skills
• Attention to detail
• IT skills, including using programming languages and applications
• Communicationlistening carefully, reading demanding texts, and presenting complex information clearly