Physics - Research

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 joint 9th in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Complete University Guide 2025).



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)

Entrance requirements

Graduate

The minimum academic requirement for admission to a research programme is normally an Upper Second Class Honours degree from a UK or ROI HE provider, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Further information can be obtained by contacting the School of Mathematics and Physics.



International Students

For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country at https://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/your-country/



English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 7.0, with not less than 6.0 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).



International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.



For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.



If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

How to Apply

Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.



Find a supervisor

If you're interested in a particular project, we suggest you contact the relevant academic before you apply, to introduce yourself and ask questions.



To find a potential supervisor aligned with your area of interest, or if you are unsure of who to contact, look through the staff profiles at https://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate-research/find-a-phd-supervisor/?school=Queen%27s%20Business%20School



You might be asked to provide a short outline of your proposal to help us identify potential supervisors.

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).

Entry Year: Academic Year 2026/27

Career Prospects

Alumni Success

Many of our PhD graduates have moved into academic and research roles in Higher Education while others have progressed into jobs such as Data Scientist, Software Engineer, Financial Software Developer, IT Graduate Associate, Technology Consultant, Research Physicist, Telescope Operator and R&D Engineer.

Research information


Research Themes

Astrophysics (PhD/MPhil)


You'll be involved in the search for distant supernovae and where they came from; study the asteroid and comet population in the Solar system; look for planets orbiting other stars in our Galaxy; study flares and other dynamic processes in the atmosphere of the Sun. You'll have the opportunity to spend extensive periods at world-leading research centres such as the European Southern Observatory and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.


At Queen's we lead major European consortia and are supported by a multi-million pounds portfolio of research grants from a range of sources, including the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council, the Royal Society, and European Union.


Research Themes

Atomistic Simulation (PhD/MPhil)


Atomistic Simulation is the use of theoretical and computational methods to study structural, dynamical, and optical properties of molecules, liquids, solids and plasmas at the atomic scale. Computational experiments are used to interpret existing experimental data and to predict phenomena yet unobserved.


You'll study problems at the interfaces between condensed matter physics, materials science, chemistry, biology, and engineering.


You'll interact with laboratory-based colleagues at Queen's and internationally, addressing fundamental and/or practical questions, and you will develop and program novel simulation methodologies to model situations presently out of reach, like electronic excitations, optical properties of materials, and the interaction between electric currents, heat and light.


Research Themes

Nanostructured Media (PhD/MPhil)


Through your research, you will help advance the world's understanding of materials used in cutting edge electronics, photonics and computing. You will help uncover new properties and help develop ideas for how these properties might be used to change the way technology develops in future decades.


You will have access to some of the most advanced equipment and facilities currently available for research, both in Queens University and through international collaborations. By engaging in your research, you will have the opportunity to become an expert in the growth and patterning of materials, the characterisation of magnetic, electronic and optical properties and in high-end microscopy. These are all techniques that make you highly employable in the global electronic and photonic materials market.


You'll benefit from recent major funding investments made by the UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, US-Ireland R&D Partnership Programme and Seagate Technology.


Research Themes

Plasma Physics (PhD/MPhil)


Your research will involve identifying and responding to the major contemporary issues within ionised matter physics, exploiting synergy derived from a close integration of experimental, theoretical and simulation studies, with major activities in laser- and electrically-produced plasmas, ultra-fast atomic and molecular physics and the interaction of ionising radiation and plasmas with biological systems. You'll also benefit from transferring your research findings into the industrial and medical sectors.


Research Themes

Mathematical Sciences Research Centre (PhD/MPhil)


You will have the choice from a variety of exciting areas in Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and Statistic and Operational Research. The research centre offers expertise in fields as diverse as Functional Analysis, Spectral Theory, Algebra, Topology, Optimisation, Topological Data Analysis, Survival Analysis, Bayesian Modelling, Data Mining and others. You will join a dynamic and growing group, mastering the latest methods in your field of choice, and contributing to the creation of original mathematics, in a friendly and supportive environment.


Research Themes

Theoretical Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (PhD/MPhil)


You'll contribute to a body of work with recent major developments including strong field laser interactions with atoms and molecules, quantum information processing, quantum optics, and quantum thermodynamics, antimatter interactions with atoms and molecules, electron scattering by very complex targets such as the iron peak elements, and by Rydberg atoms, quantum many-body physics, ultra-cold atomic systems, and simulation of their features, and foundations of quantum mechanics.