University of Kent
Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics with a Professional Placement BSc (Hons)
University of Kent

Key Course Facts

Student Reviews

Below you can see course specific reviews of 40 graduates of Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics with a Professional Placement BSc (Hons) and other courses in Physics at University of Kent for each of the survey questions in comparison to the average for all UK degree courses in Physics.

Overall student satisfaction
79 /100
40 total respondents

Primarily based on data from undergraduate degree students.

The NSS is commissioned by the Office for Students

Salary

Salary of Graduates in Physics

Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of Physics at the university. Due to data collection methodology, salary data is mainly based on data related to undergraduate students.

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £27000 £25000 £32000
25-75 percentile range £23000 - £30000 £20500 - £34500 £24500 - £42000


Salary of all UK Graduates of Physics

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £28798 £28909 £34253
25-75 percentile range £24694 - £33005 £22390 - £36739 £26224 - £45922

Course Description

Are you inspired by the wonders and vastness of the Universe? Do you want to investigate the possibilities of life elsewhere within it? Get involved with real space missions from ESA and NASA, and work on Hubble Telescope data and images from giant telescopes, or work with our own Beacon Observatory.

Access our first-class research laboratories, which are equipped for synthetic and analytical techniques ranging from soft organic polymers to nanoparticles, to highly sensitive organometallic species.

Develop the transferable skills to open up a world of job opportunities, leading to careers in research, engineering, aerospace/defence, medical physics, teaching, finance and data analytics.

This course is fully accredited by the Institute of Physics (IOP).

Reasons to study Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics at Kent

  • Excellent teaching and research facilities including state-of-the-art laboratories, photonics centre and Beacon Observatory, which provides a fully automised system with both optical and radio telescope capability.
  • Our expert lecturers are both innovative teachers and active researchers working at the cutting-edge of research across a range of fields, from quantum materials to medical imaging.
  • Students meet regularly with their academic adviser to support their academic and career development.
  • Learn in a variety of settings, from lectures and interactive workshops to laboratory classes, computing sessions and team projects.
  • Flexible curriculum allows you to move between our courses in the earlier years, ensuring you are studying the best course for you.
  • Get involved with real space missions from ESA and NASA, and work on Hubble Telescope data.
  • Join our student-run societies: PhySoc, SpaceSoc and Amateur Rocketry Society, who organise talks, practical demonstrations and social events.
  • Build the connections that matter thanks to our links with optical laboratories, local health authorities, aerospace/defense industries and software and engineering companies.
  • A dedicated foundation year makes our course accessible to those without a science background.

Professional Placement

Tailor your degree to suit you with a professional placement where you’ll work in industry for a year, giving you the chance to put into practice the skills you’ve learnt and build important connections. Taken between your second and final years, a professional placement provides an excellent opportunity to gain relevant work experience in industry in the UK or abroad. During your placement you are paid by your employer and produce an independent research project.

Jobs & Career Perspectives

15 months after graduation, graduates of this course were asked about what they do and, if they are working, about their current job and their perspectives.

Current jobs

Required skill level of job after 15 months

Jobs of graduates of this course (15 months after graduation)

Example below based on all graduates of Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics with a Professional Placement BSc (Hons) at University of Kent

20% Information Technology Professionals
10% Skilled trades occupations
10% Caring personal services
10% Engineering professionals
10% Science, engineering and technology associate professionals
5% Customer service occupations
5% Natural and social science professionals
5% Finance Professionals
5% Protective service occupations
5%

Entry Requirements / Admissions

UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for Physics

Requirements for international students / English requirements

IELTS academic test score (similar tests may be accepted as well)

    • 6.5
    • All Degrees
Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still study Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics with a Professional Placement, BSc (Hons), if you do not meet the minimum requirements in terms of UCAS score, A levels, or English language requirements.

Costs

Average student cost of living in the UK

Rent £518
Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) £50
Supermarket shopping £81
Clothing £35
Eating out £33
Alcohol £27
Takeaways / food deliveries £30
Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) £24
Holidays and weekend trips £78
Transport within city £17
Self-care / sports £20
Stationary / books £13
Mobile phone / internet £13
Cable TV / streaming £7
Insurance £51
Other £95
  
Average student cost of living £1092

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

How to apply

Application deadline:

January 1, 2025

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Possible Entry Points:

  • year 1 (Default entry point)
  • year 2

University Rankings

Positions of University of Kent in top UK and global rankings.

Rankings of University of Kent in related subject specific rankings.

Natural Sciences

    • #34 
    • #44 
    Physics
    The Guardian University League Tables by Subject
    [Published 09 September, 2023]

See all 24 university rankings of University of Kent

About University of Kent

The University of Kent is a publicly funded research university located in Kent, England. The university’s main campus is situated north of Canterbury, while its other campuses are found in Medway and Tonbridge in Kent. Additionally, the university operates postgraduate centres in Brussels, Athens, Rome and Paris.

List of 390 Bachelor and Master Courses from University of Kent - Course Catalogue

Student composition of University of Kent

undergraduates:
13390
postgraduates:
2820
Total:
16210
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  • The University of Kent

Where is this programme taught

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