Physics (Quantum Technology) MPhys

Explore the universe’s big questions to uncover impactful answers. Understand the technology that powers the way we live and work to solve global issues.

Which course is right for me?

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This course is available in Clearing.

Key information

Why choose this course at Sussex?

  • Prepare for exciting careers in physics and specialise in quantum technology to open pathways in the rapidly growing quantum technology sector.
  • Understand and develop a new generation of technologies, and apply your skills to real scientific questions in our specialist labs.
  • Work with expert researchers in the Sussex Centre for Quantum Technologies and take part in new discoveries, alongside wide-ranging paid work opportunities.

Quantum technology has the power to transform the way we live and work. This exciting and rapidly growing field could help solve global issues – from making powerful medicines, understanding chemical reactions, creating better batteries and materials, to reducing our carbon footprint, and beyond.

Exploring the fascinating world of quantum technology, you’ll gain a broad understanding of the core principles of physics. You’ll develop analytical, experimental, and computational expertise. Throughout your studies, you’ll:

  • use the latest equipment and state-of-the-art laboratories
  • gain a broad range of skills in theoretical and experimental physics
  • develop specialist knowledge in quantum technologies
  • learn to apply your knowledge and skills in real-world applications and in industry
  • benefit from our strong links with industry and international collaborators.

At Sussex, you’ll learn from world-leading researchers and key influencers in industry. Our research informs your modules. From quantum computers to quantum sensors, and from atomic clocks to the quantum internet, this degree helps you understand and develop a whole new generation of technologies.

You’ll benefit from the expertise in the Sussex Centre for Quantum Technologies. You’ll join one of our quantum technology research groups as part of your final-year project.

Your broad training in physics equips you for a wide range of careers, while your specialisation in quantum technology will allow you to join the quantum technology sector. On graduation, you’ll have developed skills much in demand with employers, including problem-solving, data analysis, technical knowledge and research. Your training will open doors to exciting careers in:

  • the quantum technology sector
  • research
  • finance
  • industry.

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Join a campus tour this summer and get a feel for life at Sussex. With award-winning campus food, a National Park setting and buzzing Brighton on our doorstep, our location and facilities are hard to beat.

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On campus - in person

You’ll study for this degree on our campus, joining our academics and fellow students. With in-person contact time, digitally supported educational resources, library collections and independent study, this course is designed to give you an inclusive education. Your learning experience may also include work placements, field trips, studying abroad and internationalisation experiences.

Find out about our beautiful campus

Virtual tour

Want to learn more about life at Sussex?

Our 360° virtual tour has been designed to introduce you to life in our diverse, supportive and inclusive community. Join our students for an immersive experience as they reveal why Sussex offers a space to follow your passions, find your voice, and discover people and places that will inspire you.

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ResearchPlus

As a founding partner of ResearchPlus, a collaboration of research-focused universities, we engage with government, industry and civil society to support economic growth, prosperity and wellbeing across the whole of the UK.

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Modules

This is a single-honours course, allowing you to focus in depth on your core subject. Find out more from our guide to undergraduate study

  • Year 1 at Sussex

    Your modules

    Core modules

    Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

    Autumn teaching
    Spring teaching

    Your degree

    In your first year, you’ll explore classical and modern physics. You’ll build on your mathematics skills to solve problems in physics and find out about the coding language Python. You’ll also explore current research in quantum technology and future frontiers.

    Teaching

    Teaching methods typically include:

    60%: Lecture
    40%: Practical

    Assessment

    Assessment methods typically include coursework and examination.

    Contact hours and workload

    This year of study includes approximately 1,200 hours of work. This breaks down into about 420 hours of contact time and about 780 hours of independent study.

    Engage and actively participate throughout your studies to get the most out of your course. 

  • Year 2 at Sussex

    Your modules

    Core modules

    Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

    Autumn teaching
    Spring teaching

    Options

    Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.

    While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.

    Spring teaching

    Your degree

    In Year 2, you’ll build on the knowledge gained in your first year. You’ll develop a more advanced understanding of the principles and techniques needed for quantum technologies. Putting theory into practice, you’ll gain deeper theoretical skills and carry out more advanced experiments.

    Teaching

    Teaching methods typically include:

    50%: Lecture
    20%: Seminar
    30%: Practical

    Assessment

    Assessment methods typically include coursework and examination.

    Contact hours and workload

    This year of study includes approximately 1,200 hours of work. This breaks down into about 320 hours of contact time and about 880 hours of independent study.

    Engage and actively participate throughout your studies to get the most out of your course. 

  • Year 3 at Sussex

    Your modules

    Core modules

    Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

    Autumn teaching
    Spring teaching

    Options

    Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.

    While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.

    Spring teaching

    Your degree

    In Year 3, you’ll master core topics in physics and explore how they can be applied to quantum technologies.

    Teaching

    Teaching methods typically include:

    59%: Lecture
    9%: Seminar
    32%: Practical

    Assessment

    Assessment methods typically include coursework and examination.

    Contact hours and workload

    This year of study includes approximately 1,200 hours of work. This breaks down into about 420 hours of contact time and about 780 hours of independent study.

    Engage and actively participate throughout your studies to get the most out of your course. 

  • Year 4 at Sussex

    Your modules

    Core modules

    Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

    Autumn and spring teaching
    Autumn teaching
    Spring teaching

    Options

    Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.

    While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.

    Autumn teaching
    Spring teaching

    Your degree

    In your integrated Masters year, you’ll apply all the knowledge and experience gained so far to understand cutting-edge topics in quantum technologies. As part of your research project, you’ll carry out original research in quantum technologies.

    Teaching

    Teaching methods typically include:

    52%: Lecture
    48%: Practical

    Assessment

    Assessment methods typically include coursework, examination, practical work and written assessment.

    Contact hours and workload

    This year of study includes approximately 1,200 hours of work. This breaks down into about 300 hours of contact time and about 900 hours of independent study.

    Engage and actively participate throughout your studies to get the most out of your course. 

Spirit of Sussex Award

Feel involved in life at the University, make friends and enrich your experience with us – the Spirit of Sussex Award is our way of recognising your extracurricular and voluntary achievements.

Find out more about the Spirit of Sussex Award

  • Video transcript

    Hi everyone! As I'm sure you've all heard by now, the Spirit of Sussex Award is now live.

    Students across the Sussex community are already earning their points

    What will you do to earn yours?

    There's so many ways to get involved.

    Head over to the website to start your Spirit of Sussex journey.

    Text: The Spirit of Sussex Award is an exciting new programme designed to recognise and celebrate the things you do outside your course.

    Participating in the Award makes it easy and fun for you to get involved and make the most of university life.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.

Creating the right teaching environment makes an enormous difference to students’ education.Sebastian Weidt
Professor of Quantum Computing and Entrepreneurship
Co-founder and CEO of quantum computing company Universal Quantum
Read Sebastian’s story

Our experts

Quantum technology transforms the world in seemingly impossible ways. On this course, you’ll learn from leading experts so you’re prepared to help shape the future of quantum research, applications and industry.Professor Jacob Dunningham
Professor of Physics

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is a friendly hive of activity. You’ll join a close-knit community. Our open-door policy means that whatever you need, we’ll be there to support you.

 

Careers

  • 86% of Sussex undergraduates have completed work experience by the end of their course (University of Sussex Career Readiness data at point of graduation 2023/24)

During your studies, you’ll get careers and CV advice. With careers fairs, forums and a dedicated careers officer, we support your career development from day one. You’ll have opportunities to meet potential employers.

In the Department of Physics and Astronomy, you’ll have a wide range of paid work opportunities. This ranges from teaching and research opportunities in the summer, to outreach roles throughout the year. We are a core part of the SEPnet (South East Physics Network) consortium, which gives us links to universities and industries across the region.

On graduation, you’ll have the range of versatile and technical skills required by employers. You’ll be well prepared for a variety of technical and management roles in the quantum technology sector. You could also choose to progress into roles in:

  • research and academia
  • finance
  • teaching
  • consulting.

Where do our graduates work now?

Surveyed 15 months after finishing their courses, our recent graduates from the Department of Physics and Astronomy worked for employers including: 

(Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017-2022) 

Working while you study

Our Careers and Entrepreneurship team can help you find part-time work while you study. Find out more about career development and part-time work

Design your future at Sussex

Taking the next step in your career can feel daunting, but we’ll help you to explore, connect and flourish throughout your studies and beyond.

As a Sussex student, you’ll learn how to tackle real-world challenges and have access to tailored programmes of careers support:

  • our Career Lab helps you to explore your options, build key skills and connect with employers. Take part in internships, community consultancy projects and insight visits, where you can learn about life at organisations such as Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, the Knepp Rewilding Project, and fashion brand Puig
  • one-to-one appointments with your Faculty Careers Consultant can enable you to identify your career goals, write an effective CV and prepare for future interviews
  • entrepreneurship initiatives like StartUp Sussex and Ideas Lab can empower you to turn your concepts into reality.

Explore how our Careers and Entrepreneurship team can support you

Entry requirements

Find your place in Clearing

This course will be available in Clearing. Explore your options at Sussex – right here, right now.

Fees

Note that your fees, once they’re set, may be subject to an increase on an annual basis. Find details on our Tuition fees page.

Home students

£9,790 per year

Channel Islands and Isle of Man students

£9,790 per year

On 19 March 2026 the UK Parliament set out that the tuition fee cap for 2026 entry will be £9,790. As the University of Sussex keeps fees for Home students and Channel Islands and Isle of Man students in line with UK Government-approved levels, fees will be £9,790 in 2026. In line with our terms and conditions, the University charges fees at the maximum levels set by the UK Government.

International students

£27,300 per year

Living costs

We know the rising cost of living is on everyone’s mind, and affects us all in different ways. Our guide to living costs has been designed to help you plan and budget for life as a Sussex student.

Learn more about typical living costs

Scholarships

Our goal is to ensure that every student who wants to study with us is able to regardless of financial barriers, so that we continue to attract talented and unique people.

Contact us

Ask a student

Chat to Sussex students online via the UniBuddy chat platform.

Enquiries

Contact us with any questions about your course:

+44 (0)1273 876787
Ask us a question

Find out more about the Department of Physics and Astronomy

Legal information

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

Find out about our terms and conditions, including the student code of conduct and your cancellation rights

Find out about our complaints and appeals process

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