This course is designed for students wishing to obtain a solid grounding in physics but who also want to study astronomy. Astrophysics principally involves the application of the laws of physics to distant regions in which the physical conditions can only be inferred from the emission of electromagnetic radiation. During the course you can learn about the Sun and the Solar System, the Stars and the Galaxy, distant galaxies and quasars and the beginning of the universe in the Big Bang. You learn how to apply basic physics in situations that are often extreme compared to those available on earth.

It is possible to transfer to the 4-year MPhys course at the beginning of your third year.