Physics with Medical Applications
Physics is the most fundamental of the sciences, concerned with understanding the laws that govern the universe from the smallest subatomic particles to the largest structures in the cosmos. Its methods, mathematical precision combined with experimental rigour, have produced the technologies that shape modern medicine: X-ray imaging, MRI, radiation therapy, nuclear medicine, and ultrasound all rest on physical principles developed by physicists working at the frontier of their discipline. This programme brings those two worlds together, giving you a thorough grounding in modern physics while also developing genuine expertise in the physical principles underlying twenty-first century medical imaging and treatment.
At Queen's University Belfast this four-year full-time MSci programme develops your understanding of the core areas of physics, including quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, and the physics of matter, alongside specialist knowledge of how physics is applied in medical contexts. You will study the science behind techniques such as MRI, radiation therapy, nuclear medicine, and other diagnostic and therapeutic applications, learning not just how these systems work but why they work and what their capabilities and limitations are. The Masters-level structure means the programme goes further than a standard BSc, with the later years engaging with the research and professional practice of medical physics in greater depth.
You will develop strong quantitative and analytical skills, laboratory and computational expertise, and the specialist knowledge that medical physics practice requires.
Graduates are most likely to pursue careers as medical physicists in NHS hospital departments, which typically requires further specialist training on an approved programme. Other career paths include roles in medical device development, radiation protection, research, and academic medical physics. Some graduates also move into careers in technology, data science, or research science more broadly.