Postgraduate studies

Masters programmes

Our group is deeply involved in the MSc in Theoretical Physics and MSc in Mathematical Physics courses. The main objective of these programmes is to introduce advanced ideas and techniques that are applicable in a wide range of research areas, emphasising the underlying physics concepts. Building upon our integrated Masters (MPhys) programmes and our existing graduate-level courses, the new MSc programmes have been designed to give students a solid foundation in theoretical and mathematical physics as a preparation for research in academia or industry.

Please contact our MSc programme director Dr. Max Hansen if you have any questions about these courses.

PhD programme

The research group in Particle Physics Theory at the University of Edinburgh is one of the largest in the UK. We have a large group of PhD students from around the world: recent examples include students from Ireland, Germany, Italy, the United States, as well as the UK. We are always interested in good students who would like to join us and begin studying for a PhD. We offer PhD projects in all our main areas of research. In many cases, full funding is available.

What we are looking for

You should have a keen interest in mathematical and theoretical physics, and in using this to understand particle physics.
You should have, or expect to get, a high 2:1 Honours degree in physics or a related subject (or the equivalent, for applicants from outside the UK).

What we can offer you

As part of the chance to carry out a PhD research project in Edinburgh's large and diverse PPT research group, we fund tuition fees, a stipend and expenses for research trips. We also offer:

Flexibility to choose your project and supervisor during your first semester if desired;
Comprehensive training in graduate level theoretical physics;
Further training at summer schools and workshops and in transferable skills;
Opportunities to present your results at international conferences;
Visits to related international research institutes.

Whilst you are here, you will also be able to enjoy the famously full range of cultural, sporting and recreational activities that the University, the City of Edinburgh and Scotland all have to offer.

How to apply

Information on funding opportunities, application deadlines, and the submission process can be found on the School of Physics application page. Please note that some funding sources (notably the Principal’s Career Development PhD Scholarships) require an additional application which we strongly encourage.

During your application, we request that you provide a brief indication of your general physics interests in the "Research Topic". The application form also has a section for a "Research Proposal" -- we do not require a detailed proposal here, please submit either a blank document or the same content as your "Research Topic" response.

If you would like any further information, please contact Dr Gurtej Kanwar.

What our students say

During my Masters year at UCL, I became interested in pursuing a degree in Particle Theory because it was exciting to think that I could be working on understanding the universe at the most fundamental level. I was drawn to Edinburgh primarily because of its excellent reputation and also because of the range of topics that were on offer. For me, it was very important that I found a potential supervisor that I thought I would be able to get along with on a personal as well as a professional level. Here, I found myself thinking that there were a number of people I could see myself working with and furthermore the atmosphere I experienced from the current PhD students was really encouraging. On top of this, I fell in love with city; it has the perfect balance of being big enough to always have something going on yet small enough that you can generally get anywhere you want by walking (including an extinct volcano, which many cities tend to lack). I am thoroughly enjoying my time here in Scotland’s capital.

James Cockburn (started Sept 2013)

When I applied for PhD positions, Edinburgh was my first choice. My reasons were: it has a large theory group, research is done on a wide range of areas, there are many PhD students and postdocs, many opportunities to travel, and Edinburgh is a beautiful city to live in. Luckily, I got offered a place and all my expectations were met. Having done my Masters degree in Germany I was surprised to learn that it is common practice in the UK to first choose the group and decide on a reasearch topic only after a few months. It went a bit different for me: I met my supervisor at a workshop during my Masters programme. After some research on theory groups in the UK I decided that I wanted to work with him. I also made sure that he would be able to supervise me and that I like the topic I would work on.

Susanne Ehret (started Sept 2013)

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