Advanced HEP MSc

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Advanced High Energy Physics

MSc	1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip)	9 months full-time, 2 years part-time. The PgDip programme is designed to lead into the MSc and will involve one academic year at PGDip level, followed by the MSc (one calendar year).

MSc

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip)

9 months full-time, 2 years part-time.

The PgDip programme is designed to lead into the MSc and will involve one academic year at PGDip level, followed by the MSc (one calendar year).

Programme
Course structure
Entry
Language proficiency
Applications

Particle physics is embarking upon a new era with the start of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, Geneva and its recent discovery of a new Higgs-like boson and potentially other new phenomena just around the corner.

Driven by this, UCL initiated a Masters in Advanced High Energy Physics, covering the theory of the Standard Model, current experiments and their most significant results, future prospects, measurement techniques, high-level computing as well as an option in Quantum Field Theory.

These advanced courses are complemented with a project and dissertation within the High Energy Physics (HEP) group. Depending on the project, a field trip of up to one month to a major High Energy Physics Laboratory such as CERN may be possible.

Entry to this programme requires the equivalent of a UK MSci degree.

Alternatively, with a BSc the candidate can join an integrated programme, aligned with the Bologna Declaration on Higher Education, of an nine-month post-graduate diploma, followed by the one-year Masters.

For details of High Energy Physics at UCL, see the HEP research pages

MSc (180 credits)

Core Modules

Options

Research Project

(63 credits)

(27 credits)

(90 credits)

The Standard Model and Beyond– Part I

The Standard Model and Beyond– Part II

Option 1:

Experimental: Symmetries and Conservation Laws
Experimental: Computing and Statistical Data Analysis

Option 2

Theoretical: Quantum Field Theory

An independent research project based in the High Energy Physics (HEP) research group, culminating in a
dissertation and oral presentation.

PgDip (120 credits)

Core Modules

Options

Research Essay

2 courses (30 credits)

4 courses must be chosen (60 credits)

(30 credits)

Advanced Quantum Theory

Particle Physics

Atom and Photon Physics
Cosmology
Formation and evolution of stellar systems
Graduate level Physics and Astrophysics courses
High-energy Astrophysics
Intercollegiate 4th year courses
Mathematics for General Relativity
Medical Physics MSc core courses
Molecular Physics
Order and Excitations in Condensed Matter
Planetary Atmospheres
Plastic and Molecular (Opto)electronics
Quantum Computation and Communication
Solar Physics
Space Plasma and Magnetospheric Physics

Space and Climate Science MSc core courses
The Physics of Stars

An extended literature survey on a topic related to High Energy Physics

There are two entry points to the Advanced High Energy Physics programme:

MSc:

A minimum 2.1 MSci/MPhys in physics from a UK university. For non-UK students an equivalent to the 4-year MSci/MPhys is required.

PgDip:

A minimum 2.1 BSc in physics or a related subject. For non-UK students an equivalent to the 3-year UK BSc is required.

The PgDIP is designed to lead into the MSc programme and will involve one academic year at PGDip level, followed by the MSc (one calendar year).

Non-UK university degrees:

For prospective entrants with non-UK university degrees, entry criteria will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Non native-English speakers will also need to provide a sufficient proof of proficiency in the English language as from the UCL admissions website (see notes for international applicants).

Additional requirements for theoretical options:

A knowledge of most, if not all, of the below topics will be expected and may need to be tested before the course commences:

basic complex analysis, e.g. contour integration;
formulation of quantum mechanics in both Schrodinger and Heisenberg pictures, and use of Dirac notation;
raising and lowering operator techniques in quantum mechanics;
perturbation theory in quantum mechanics, both time-independent and time dependent;
basic classical field theory;
relationships between symmetries and conservation laws in both quantum mechanics and classical mechanics/field theory;
relativistic electromagnetic theory, i.e. use of scalar and vector potentials and relationship to electromagnetic fields in four-vector notation;
quantum mechanics of particles in an electromagnetic field;
introduction to relativistic quantum mechanics.

All students whose first language is not English must be able to provide recent evidence that their spoken and written command of the English language is adequate for the programmes for which they have applied. This requirement is specified in order to ensure that the academic progress of students is not hindered by language difficulties and that students are able to integrate socially while studying at UCL and living in the UK.

Further details can be found at

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate-study/application/research/english-language

Applications

Can be made online or by downloading a form in pdf format at

www.ucl.ac.uk/admission/graduate-study/application-admission/

Deadline

International applicants: 31 May
UK and other European Union countries: 5 August

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.