Physics and Astronomy (Particle Physics Specialism)

Description

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The Particle Physics Group is involved in diverse present and future experiments at particle accelerators operating at the highest available energies, in order to determine the ultimate structure of matter and to study the fundamental forces of nature. We contribute to these experiments both through data analysis and through design and construction of detector and trigger components.
Our main current focus is on preparations for work at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which is being constructed at CERN, Geneva, and which will produce particle collisions at unprecedented energies from September 2008. We are heavily involved in the ATLAS experiment, which will search for Higgs bosons, supersymmetry and other new physics in protonproton collisions.
We will also exploit the planned ultrarelativistic collisions between heavy ions at the LHC through our participation in the ALICE experiment, in collaboration with members of our Nuclear Physics Group. ALICE is expected to observe and study the quark-gluon plasma, a state of matter that is thought to have existed in the very early universe in which particles such as protons and neutrons 'dissolve' into their constituent quarks and gluons.

Type of Course: Doctoral research

Duration: PhD: 3.5 years full-time; MPhil: 1 year full-time

Contents

We also work on the NA48/NA62 experiment, which searches for evidence for new physics in very rare strange particle decays using the CERN SPS accelerator.
In addition to these projects we continue to analyse data from two experiments that have already accumulated very large event samples:

* The BaBar experiment, based at the PEP-II B-factory at SLAC (California), is studying rare decay modes of beauty mesons with the principal aim of understanding the origin of CP violation, a small asymmetry between the properties of matter and antimatter
* The H1 experiment at DESY (Hamburg) uses the electron-proton collider, HERA, to explore the inner structure of the proton in fine detail, and provides new information about the strong interaction
* We are already participating in preparations for a next-generation linear electronpositron collider through accelerator R&D and, through our involvement in the CALICE project, developing a novel calorimeter to measure electromagnetic energy with extremely high precision.

Related links

School of Physics and Astronomy website:
Elementary Particle Physics website:

Requirements

Ensure your qualifications meet our entry requirements for research degrees

To gain admission to a research degree programme (with the exception of the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine (MD)) an applicant must comply with the following entry requirements:

* Attainment of an Honours degree (normally a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree or equivalent) in a relevant subject awarded by an approved university, or
* Attainment of an alternative qualification or qualifications and/or evidence of experience judged by the University as indicative of an applicants potential for research and as satisfactory for the purpose of entry to a research degree programme.

In addition:

* Admission and registration for a research degree programme may be conditional on satisfactory completion of preliminary study, which may include assessment.
* In some cases you will also need to have completed a Masters degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant subject.

Please note

* Entry onto many programmes is highly competitive, therefore we consider the skills, attributes, motivation and potential for success of an individual when deciding whether to make an offer.
* Specific entry requirements are given for each programme. Any academic and professional qualifications or industrial experience you may have are normally taken into account, and in some cases form an integral part of the entrance requirements. If your qualifications are non-standard or different from the entry requirements stated in the online prospectus, please contact the relevant school or department to discuss whether your application would be considered.
* After we have received your application you may, if you live in the UK, be invited for an interview or to visit us to discuss your application.

English Language Requirements

IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa.

The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.

Funding

Scholarships and studentships We have a number of studentships supported by the UK research councils EPSRC and STFC available each year, including some CASE awards. These studentships cover the costs of tuition fees and provide a subsistence allowance for 3.5 years. They are available to UK nationals with at least an upper second-class Honours degree from a UK university, or equivalent. Preference is usually given to those holding four-year MPhys or MSci degrees.
We offer about half a dozen postgraduate teaching assistantships each year as top-ups to EPSRC and STFC studentships. There are also substantial opportunities for postgraduate demonstrators. EU nationals may be eligible for fees-only awards, which are occasionally supplemented by the School.
International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government.

See the University of Birmingham Website for more details on fees and funding.