Physics with astrophysics vs astrophysics

most universities don't offer named degrees in astrophysics, and most astrophysicists degrees are in physics (where they will have tailored their interestes through optional elements and, more importantly, research projects and the like towards astrophysics).

The most important thing is to look at the modules the university offers, and see how many astrophysics modules are offered, and in what areas (astro is a pretty broad branch of physics; relativity and cosmology are pretty removed from e.g. space plasma physics and planetary science). Also make sure it's IoP accredited; this ensures you'll cover the same minimum breadth in physics necessary to succeed in academic (astro)physics.

If you're interested in experimental/practical astronomy, it's worth seeing what modules may be offered in this, and more likely, if there are any student societies revolving around this.

What?

Thanks so much!! Can you think of any unis that are best for (astro)physics it would really help with where i will look??

It really depends on what area of astro you're interested in; Exeter has particular strengths in exoplanet and stellar physics, while Cambridge is perhaps unsurprisingly a powerhouse for theoretical cosmology and relativity.

UCL has strengths in planetary science and solar system physics based on a brief survey, and Imperial has it's flagship Quantum Fields and Fundamental Forces masters course which includes cosmology and relativity elements, so this is likely to be a strength there.

Your best bet is to look on the physics department webpages and look through the research areas/groups they have, see how many people they have on different aspects of astrophysics and if any of the specific research topics they're looking into are, at least vaguely, interesting to you, as usually this will mean those broader areas underpinning this research well evidenced in the undergraduate curriculum (and indeed, may be taught by some of the eminent researchers in the field, although this leads naturally to the point that not all, or indeed many, brilliant researchers are brilliant teachers...but I digress).

Also on the subject of Exeter, they have a space science student society which is a branch of UKSEDS, who built and now operate a radio telescope in Cornwall. Also Southampton have a field trip to tenerife for the Physics with Astronomy course, and top performing students can spend their final year of the MPhys at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics doing an extensive research project (a fantastic opportunity for continuing on to top PhD programmes, to be sure). Finally the Birmingham Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics course, as well as having options in astrophysics to specialise in, have an option of spending a year on their computer science course between year 2 and 3, which is extremely useful training for potential astrophysicists as computational modelling forms a huge cornerstone of astrophysics research methods, both in theoretical and experimental/observational astro.

omg that's perfect! I really appreciate the detail and all your help, that's exactly what i was looking for!! I'll look into all of them, i think Exeter and Southampton sound best for me!! How do you know so much, do you study physics or work at a uni??

a little of both and a lot of free time

but glad I could help xD

It really depends on what area of astro you're interested in; Exeter has particular strengths in exoplanet and stellar physics, while Cambridge is perhaps unsurprisingly a powerhouse for theoretical cosmology and relativity.

UCL has strengths in planetary science and solar system physics based on a brief survey, and Imperial has it's flagship Quantum Fields and Fundamental Forces masters course which includes cosmology and relativity elements, so this is likely to be a strength there.

Your best bet is to look on the physics department webpages and look through the research areas/groups they have, see how many people they have on different aspects of astrophysics and if any of the specific research topics they're looking into are, at least vaguely, interesting to you, as usually this will mean those broader areas underpinning this research well evidenced in the undergraduate curriculum (and indeed, may be taught by some of the eminent researchers in the field, although this leads naturally to the point that not all, or indeed many, brilliant researchers are brilliant teachers...but I digress).

Also on the subject of Exeter, they have a space science student society which is a branch of UKSEDS, who built and now operate a radio telescope in Cornwall. Also Southampton have a field trip to tenerife for the Physics with Astronomy course, and top performing students can spend their final year of the MPhys at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics doing an extensive research project (a fantastic opportunity for continuing on to top PhD programmes, to be sure). Finally the Birmingham Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics course, as well as having options in astrophysics to specialise in, have an option of spending a year on their computer science course between year 2 and 3, which is extremely useful training for potential astrophysicists as computational modelling forms a huge cornerstone of astrophysics research methods, both in theoretical and experimental/observational astro.