Skip to Content

Physics

School of Mathematics and Physics | PhD
Entry Year
Academic Year 2025/26
Entry Requirements
2.1

Overview

The scientific research within the School of Mathematics and Physics was highly rated in the 2021 REF peer-review exercise, with 90% of research being judged as internationally excellent or world-leading. Physics and Astronomy at Queen's has been ranked 14th in the UK (Complete University Guide 2025) and 9th in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Complete University Guide 2024).

Physics research activity in the School is focused into three specific Research Centres; all members of academic staff belong to one of these Research Centres, listed below.

Astrophysics Research Centre (PhD/MPhil)
Find out more below, or email Professor Mihalis Mathioudakis (m.mathioudakis@qub.ac.uk)

Centre for Light-Matter Interactions (PhD/MPhil)
Find out more below, or email Professor Brendan Dromey (b.dromey@qub.ac.uk) or Professor Hugo Van Der Hart (h.vanderhart@qub.ac.uk)

Centre for Quantum Materials and Technologies (PhD/MPhil)
Find out more below, or email Dr Amit Kumar (a.kumar@qub.ac.uk)

Registration is on a full-time or part-time basis, under the direction of a supervisory team appointed by the University. You will be expected to submit your thesis at the end of three years of full-time registration for PhD, or two years for MPhil (or part-time equivalent).

Subject Summary

Physics research activity is focused into three specific Research Centres. Students will have the opportunity to work with academics who are world-leading researchers in their specialist fields. Students will enjoy the benefits of modern practical laboratories, extensive computer facilities and research space. The aim of our postgraduate research is to develop your capacity for scholarship and equip you with the necessary skills and opportunities to make an original contribution to knowledge. Training is primarily through your supervisory team and also through seminars and workshops organised by the School. You also will have opportunities for specialist training through the Graduate School and other professional departments.

Physics Highlights

Career Development
  • Queen's graduates from Physics have secured employment through a number of companies such as Allstate, AquaQ Analytics, Citigroup, Deloitte, First Derivatives, PwC, Randox, Seagate, Teach First and UCAS. In addition, Belfast has been ranked as the world’s most business friendly small-medium sized city (Financial Times’ fDi Intelligence, 2018)
World Class Facilities
  • Since 2014, the School has invested over £12 million in new world-class student and staff facilities. Maths and Physics students have their own teaching centre that opened in 2016, housing brand experimental physics laboratories, two large computer rooms plus a student interaction area with a new lecture theatre and study rooms. In addition to this, Belfast has one of the lowest student cost of living in the UK (Mercer Cost of Living City Ranking 2023).
Internationally Renowned Experts
  • Physics and Astronomy has been ranked joint 9th in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Guardian University Guide 2025). The School has a continually growing international community of both undergraduate and postgraduate students and staff. Our research is conducted and recognised as excellent across the world. Staff are involved in cutting-edge research projects that span a multitude of fields.

Key Facts

  • Students will have access to our facilities, resources and our dedicated staff. The School of Maths & Physics is one of the largest Schools in the University. Staff are involved in cutting-edge research that spans a multitude of fields.

Student Testimonials

While no PhD is easy or straightforward, the supervision, support and direction provided within the QUB Centre for Light-Matter Interactions ensures it always feels manageable - and exciting. Through studying here, I have been able to travel to conferences both nationally and in America, collaborate with researchers across Europe and in China, and run simulations on some of the largest supercomputers in the world. On the other end of the scale, the day-to-day life in the research offices is lovely - the PhD students often meet together for coffee breaks during the work day, for social activities like bouldering and pub quizzes in the evenings / weekends, and generally celebrate each other's successes.

Luke Roantree, PhD Physics Student, 2024
If a PhD in Physics is your next step, I’d wholeheartedly recommend studying at the School of Mathematics and Physics. Doing research at the Centre for Light-Matter Interactions (CLMI) will give you, as it did for me, the opportunity to work alongside and be supervised by world-leading academics in their field, expand your knowledge within your specialised research area and perform your experiments in laboratories available within the school, the UK and beyond. This will challenge your thinking and encourage you to explore your research in new and exciting ways in order to ultimately complete your thesis. As I now approach my graduation, the fulfilment of all my hard work, I happily look back at my time as a PhD student within this research community and I’m glad that I chose to do my PhD in Physics at QUB.

Matthew Charlwood, PhD Physics student, 2024
PhDs are invariably a marathon, so if you have the passion and drive to do a PhD, I would certainly recommend studying at the Astrophysics Research Centre at QUB. While studying my PhD at Queen’s, I am fortunate to have had a very supportive supervisor. By providing guidance at each step of the process, he has enabled me to succeed and, further, I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to connect with my wider field in the UK, Europe and the USA through travel and collaboration, which has certainly been the highlight of my experience thus far.

Ryan Campbell, PhD Physics student, 2020
While no PhD is easy or straightforward, the supervision, support and direction provided within the QUB Centre for Light-Matter Interactions ensures it always feels manageable - and exciting. Through studying here, I have been able to travel to conferences both nationally and in America, collaborate with researchers across Europe and in China, and run simulations on some of the largest supercomputers in the world. On the other end of the scale, the day-to-day life in the research offices is lovely - the PhD students often meet together for coffee breaks during the work day, for social activities like bouldering and pub quizzes in the evenings / weekends, and generally celebrate each other's successes.

Luke Roantree, PhD Physics Student, 2024
If a PhD in Physics is your next step, I’d wholeheartedly recommend studying at the School of Mathematics and Physics. Doing research at the Centre for Light-Matter Interactions (CLMI) will give you, as it did for me, the opportunity to work alongside and be supervised by world-leading academics in their field, expand your knowledge within your specialised research area and perform your experiments in laboratories available within the school, the UK and beyond. This will challenge your thinking and encourage you to explore your research in new and exciting ways in order to ultimately complete your thesis. As I now approach my graduation, the fulfilment of all my hard work, I happily look back at my time as a PhD student within this research community and I’m glad that I chose to do my PhD in Physics at QUB.

Matthew Charlwood, PhD Physics student, 2024
Apply now Register your interest