Bristol Physics?

Hi there, just finished first year physics here at Bristol. First off, unless something is set to drastically change, we do have tutorials, once a week in first semester and then twice a week in second semester.

Seminars we don't have in first year although problem classes start in second year which are along this sort of line.

I personally didnt do the astro (just not interested) but from my coursemates i've gathered the first year Stars and Planets (https://www.bris.ac.uk/unit-programme-catalogue/UnitDetails.jsa?ayrCode=18%2F19&unitCode=PHYS10600) was great but Galaxies and the Universe (https://www.bris.ac.uk/unit-programme-catalogue/UnitDetails.jsa?ayrCode=18%2F19&unitCode=PHYS11500) not so much.

Second year everyone does cosmology which is really good apparently (haven't done it yet!)

Any other Qs let me know!

Thank you that's really useful to know! Do you know whether people doing astro get to use the telescopes or have any separate kind of projects/labs? And is it a friendly atmosphere in physics in general?

Yes, in first year at least there are some observation coursework, which I think some required telescopes and some didn't. There's definitely a second year lab with is 20 hours with a solar (I think) telescope.

Quick note on labs, first year you all do the same experiments over the year, second year you get a list of like 10/11 and have to choose 5. The solar telescope one is one and I think there might be a second, not sure though.

Third/fourth year projects there loaaads of astro projects, some will involve the big telescopes on the roof (although they don't get used that often oddly), lots of theoretical/computational astro in some of the projects too.

Friendly? Yeah it's good, you have to be aware you're doing a physics course so naturally there's a lot of people who don't come out and prefer to do there own thing at home but the more social physicists tend to naturally drift together into groups pretty quick and are welcoming. The society organised a bunch of events and I think they won best academic society in the UK this year, they runs socials and trips and stuff (I went to CERN with them in June). Also the society runs a coffee shop every day for an hour which is always a busy lunch spot.

TL;DR Not as stereotypical physicsy as you might think, lots to get involved with.

Would anyone studying/who has studied physics at Bristol be able to tell me a bit more about it? The main drawback for me is that they don't have tutorials or seminars as part of their teaching, only lectures and labs. Also I know some people studying there who have said the astrophysics modules aren't great, and astrophysics is something I am interested in so this could be a disadvantage for me.

It’s been 5 years! wonder if you even still use this site. Just curious how you found the uni