Why Study Physics?Where do you think choosing physics could take you? Could it be to a game studio, designing the next Minecraft? Or to the Met Office, creating computer models to predict climate change? Perhaps into education, to inspire the next generation? Or to a hospital, using physics to help to save lives?

There are thousands of exciting, rewarding physics-related careers to choose from – picking just one is hard. Hulme has taught people working in some of those industries, and we want to help you understand what their jobs involve and to see what a future with physics could look like.

Why Study Physics at Hulme?You will have experienced, enthusiastic teachers who have trained other Physics teachers across the north west and written A-level Physics textbooks explaining the skills necessary to reach an A/A* grade.

Entry RequirementsStudents should have achieved a GCSE grade 7 in Separate Science or 7,7 in Trilogy if they are to be successful at A Level Physics.

Subject Content and Course assessmentWe will be studying the AQA Physics Specification.

First Year Second yearParticles and radiation Nuclear PhysicsWaves Fields and their consequencesMechanics and materials Further mechanics and thermal physicsMeasurements and their errors Optional Unit

Optional Unit Choices:

Astrophysics Medical Physics Engineering Physics

Turning Points in Physics Electronics

Skills and RequirementsIf you have an enquiring mind and an urge to find out about and understand the world around you then Physics is the subject for you.You need to have performed well in Mathematics at GCSE and a study of Mathematics at AS level would be advantageous, but by no means essential.A level Physics is a facilitating subject associated with many careers. If you are considering one of these it will give purpose to your A level studies.

https://www.iop.org/careers-physics/your-future-with-physics

PHYSICS

Career Opportunities

Medicine and digital healthcare:Physics plays a crucial role in healthcare. In hospitals, medical physicists deliver radiation to patients, either helping diagnose disease through nuclear medical imaging or fighting diseases like cancer with radiotherapy. Away from hospitals, people with physics backgrounds are needed in a wide range of roles – from predicting how infectious diseases spread to developing new healthcare technologies.

Law and FinanceWhy are people with physics backgrounds sought after in finance and law? The kind of complicated, interconnected problems found in law and finance require the practical mathematical problem-solving skills physicists use to understand the world – sometimes even using the same equations. It’s a bonus that physicists tend to be good at computer modelling and working with big data.

SpaceAstronomy is extreme – distances, time periods, temperatures – and Astronomers study these extremes to answer some of the biggest questions we can ask, like: How did the universe begin? How will it end? And are we alone? If you want to go beyond the here and now to explore the deepest mysteries our universe can offer, then astronomy is the career for you.

VFX and gamingFew careers combine tech skills with creativity like VFX and game development. It takes physics, maths, art and coding to make your favourite character walk and jump realistically. With a physics background you could become a programmer, writing code based on the laws of physics to make gameplay look uncannily real, or an environment artist, conjuring up intricate CGI worlds for movies.

EnvironmentFossil fuels continue to pollute the planet and contribute to climate change, but energy technology is starting to have an impact – solar, wind and wave power is gradually replacing coal, oil and gas. More work is needed to make renewables more efficient and affordable, and alternatives like nuclear fusion are taking big steps. You could help to power the world with clean electricity.

EngineeringEngineering boils down to building things to solve problems. It used to be restricted to constructing roads, bridges, vehicles and other machinery, but today an engineer might build ultra-accurate lasers for surgery, smaller, more powerful microchips, or new smartphone apps. If it solves a problem and makes life easier, chances are an engineer built it – and that engineer could be you.

Sports and GamesPhysics is behind so much of the technology in sports and games. Everyone from the designer trying to build a better bike for the Tour-de France or Olympics to the recent boom in outdoor activities.

Climate ScienceClimate change is one of the biggest challenges humanity has ever faced. If you want to make a difference there are a huge and growing number of career choices open to you. These range from the obvious, like becoming a meteorologist who works to understand the climate and weather systems, to the surprising, such as working in environmental law or developing agricultural technology.

https://www.iop.org/careers-physics/your-future-with-physics/career-paths