Department of Physics

We are one of the UK's top Physics departments and have a reputation for high-quality teaching, driven by outstanding research, performed in an inclusive and welcoming community.

Welcome to the Department of Physics at Durham

The Physics Department is a thriving centre for research and education.

We are proud that our Department closely aligns the teaching and learning experience for its students with the research-intensive values and practices of the University. Research-led teaching is embedded at all levels from first year laboratory reports to our final year MSci flagship individual research projects.

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

A graphic showing an on-campus scene of students walking past the modern, glass-sided library building with the University's Physics and Astronomy Top 100 ranking emblazoned on it

Find out more about us

2nd in the Guardian University Guide 2024

3rd for Physics and Astronomy in the Complete University Guide 2024

96% of our research outputs are world-leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021)

3rd in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

Just got your grades?

We look forward to welcoming you to Physics. Find out what to do next below.

Before you arrive Welcome and Induction

News

Light-bending gravity reveals one of the biggest black holes ever found

A team of astronomers, led by Dr James Nightingale from our Department of Physics, has discovered one of the biggest black holes ever found by taking advantage of a phenomenon called gravitational lensing.

A world leader in Astronomy and Cosmology

We’re a world leader in Astronomy and Cosmology and our students are taught by some of the best researchers in their field.

CfAI helps NASA develop Lunar Thermal Mapper to detect and map water on the lunar surface

The Centre for Advanced Instrumentation (CfAI) at Durham University will participate in the development of the Lunar Thermal Mapper (LTM) infrared multispectral image

Montage of three pictures: Main image is of a mock-up of the lunar trailblazer in orbit above the moon, and 2 images of a mirror prototype (front and back) made in 2020 for the Atmospheric Physics group at Oxford. A complete prototype was assembled and tested and this led to the successful proposal of this design for the Lunar Traiblazer.

Physics Department Mark National Day of Reflection

National Day of Reflection

Photograph of the physics department trees with yellow ribbon tied to the branches.

Durham quasar physicist Vicky takes Silver Medal in parliamentary scientific research competition

Durham quasar physicist Vicky takes Silver Medal in parliamentary scientific research competition. Victoria Fawcett, a postgraduate research student at Durham University has won Silver for the excellence of her physics research in a national competition, receiving a £750 prize and a medal.

Durham Physics students rise to the space challenge

A team of undergraduate students from the Department of Physics has been selected to perform experiments in artificial hypergravity as part of a competition run by the European Space Agency (ESA). Competing against students from all over Europe, the team comprising 2nd year physics students Alex Prior, Jochem Langen and Paolo Barrios and known as ‘The Levitators’, was one of only 3 selected as part of ESA’s ‘Spin Your Thesis! 2021’ Competition.

Developing x-ray holography for 3D tomographic imaging of magnetic nanosized objects

Fourier transform holography is a standard technique for visualising small objects. Recently members of the UK Skyrmion Project have achieved an important step towards being able to provide 3D tomographic images of magnetic objects. Using the SEXTANTS beamline at the SOLEIL synchrotron PhD student Luke Turnbull and others were able to produce high-resolution x-ray images of the magnetic textures in a thin s

Physics Department Development Talent scheme awards four early career researchers

The Physics Department Development Talent scheme promotes, enhances and encourages the possibility of early career researchers developing their research careers within the Department by providing support in the form of up to £10 000 in flexible funding.