Durham is one of the leading physics and astronomy departments in the UK. Each year we admit about 140 students to study for degrees in Physics, Physics & Astronomy and Theoretical Physics. In the latest round of the HEFCE Quality Assurance Agency national assessment of university teaching standards we received the maximum possible rating of 24. Our research ranges from fundamental topics such as elementary particle physics and cosmology to applied areas such as condensed matter physics which receive substantial support from industry.

The Department incorporates the Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics, home to the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology and to the Institute for Computational Cosmology. The Ogden Centre is also the base for our innovative outreach programme for school children and their teachers.

RAE08: The Physics Department

The Department of Physics at Durham University participated in RAE08 and received detailed feedback in January 2009. 

90% of all of the research submitted by staff across Durham University was assessed as being at least of International Quality (2* and above) in terms of originality, significance and rigour. Of the research assessed from Physics, 95% is at least of International Quality, a result which is not bettered by any physics department in the country.