Science - Physical Sciences
Students who wish to study the Physical Sciences stream (TR063) will specialise in one of the following subjects in third and fourth year: Physics or Physics and Astrophysics or Nanoscience.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | University of Dublin |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | University of Dublin | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
4 years full-time
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Minimum Entry Requirements: Irish Leaving Certificate
To be considered for admission to a degree course at the University you must:
Present six subjects, three of which must be at grade 5 or above on higher Leaving Certificate papers or at least grade 5 in the University matriculation examination.
The six subjects above must include:
A pass in English.
A pass in mathematics (or foundation-level mathematics (see note 2)) and a pass in a language other than English
OR
A pass in Latin and a pass in a subject other than a language.
Special Entry Requirements
O4 or H6 Mathematics
H4 In two* of physics, chemistry, biology, physics/ chemistry, geology, geography, mathematics, applied mathematics, agricultural science, computer science.
* Combinations of subjects not permitted: Physics/chemistry with physics or chemistry. Agricultural science with biology.
Leaving Certificate General Entry Requirements
To qualify for admission to an honours degree course at the University you must:
1 meet the minimum entry requirements (see above).
2 satisfy course specific requirements (where applicable), see above.
3 where there is competition for places, have good enough examination results to be included among those to whom offers are made (see the Leaving Certificate scoring system or Advanced GCE (A Level) scoring system).
Minimum Entry Requirements: Irish Leaving Certificate
To be considered for admission to a degree course at the University applicants must:
› Present six subjects, three of which must be at grade 5 or above on higher Leaving Certificate papers or at least grade 5 in the University matriculation examination.
The six subjects above must include:
› A pass in English.
› A pass in mathematics (or foundation-level mathematics (see note 2)) and a pass in a language other than English OR
› A pass in Latin and a pass in a subject other than a language.
Notes:
1 A pass means grade O6/H7 or above in the Leaving Certificate and grade 7 or above in the University matriculation examination.
2 Mathematics at foundation-level is acceptable for minimum entry requirements only, for all courses except nursing or midwifery courses. Irish at foundation-level is not acceptable for minimum entry requirements, course requirements or for scoring purposes.
3 Students may combine grades achieved in different sittings of their Leaving Certificate/Matriculation examinations for the purpose of satisfying minimum entry and/or course requirements, but not for the purposes of scoring. This is not permitted for Medicine.
4 Combinations of Leaving Certificate subjects not permitted:
› Physics/chemistry may not be presented with physics or chemistry.
› Biology and agricultural science may not be presented as two of the six subjects required for minimum entry requirements, and they may not be presented together to satisfy course specific requirements. However, both may be used for scoring purposes.
› Art and music may not be offered as two of the three higher Leaving Certificate grades for minimum entry requirements, but both may be used for scoring purposes.
Bonus Points for Higher Level Mathematics
All students presenting H6 or above in higher level mathematics will have 25 points added to their score for mathematics. The bonus points will only be relevant where mathematics is scored as one of a student’s six best subjects for points purposes.
An applicant’s six best results from one sitting of the Leaving Certificate will be counted for scoring purposes. Applicants may combine results from the Leaving Certificate and the Trinity matriculation examination of the same year for scoring purposes.
The minimum entry levels (points) for Trinity in recent years are available at: www.tcd.ie/study/apply/admission-requirements/ undergraduate
Age Requirement
Applicants seeking admission in 2025 must have a date of birth before 15 January 2009.
Garda Vetting
Students on courses with clinical or other professional placements may be required to undergo Garda vetting procedures prior to commencing placements. If, as a result of the outcome of the Garda vetting procedures, students are deemed unsuitable to attend clinical or other professional placement, they may be required to withdraw from their course. Students who have resided outside Ireland for a period of 6 months or more will be required to provide police clearance documentation from the country (including different states) or countries in which they resided.
Students who accept an offer will be informed of the procedures to be followed to complete the vetting process (as part of the student orientation information).
Fitness To Practice
Professional courses demand that certain core competencies are met by students in order to graduate and practice professionally after qualification. Trinity has special responsibility to ensure that all students admitted to all professional programmes will be eligible for registration by the relevant professional body upon graduation. It is important to us that our students are able to fulfil the rigorous demands of professional courses and are fit to practice.
Health Screening
Offers of admission to the following courses are made subject to certain vaccination requirements and/or certain negative test results:
› Clinical Speech and Language Studies
› Orthodontic Therapy, Dental Science, Dental Hygiene, Dental Nursing, and Dental Technology
› Medicine › Nursing and Midwifery
› Occupational Therapy
› Pharmacy
› Physiotherapy
› Radiation Therapy
› Social Studies (Social work)
Full details are available at: www.tcd.ie/study/apply/admissionrequirements/ undergraduate
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
These modules are accepted for scoring purposes only and are awarded the following points: Distinction 66, Merit 46, Pass 28.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
There is an entry route to a number of degree programmes in Trinity for applicants presenting appropriate QQI/FET Level 5 or 6 Major Awards. Applicants presenting distinctions in five modules can be considered for admission.
Full information on courses with QQI entry routes, requirements etc., can be found at the link below.
Further information
Mature Students
All undergraduate courses in Trinity are open to mature applicants. Mature student applicants are not required to satisfy the normal minimum entry requirements and are not required to meet competitive academic entry levels (such as Leaving Certificate points), but are considered in the first instance on the basis of how relevant their life, work and educational experiences are to the course(s) that they wish to pursue. In addition, all applicants should demonstrate an interest in and knowledge of their course choice(s).
In order to apply to Trinity as a mature applicant you must:
› be an EU applicant (see page 216 TCD Undergraduate Prospectus 2025)
› be at least 23 years of age on 1 January 2025
› submit a CAO application form to the Central Applications Office (CAO) by 1 February 2025
Late applications will not be considered from mature students.
CAO applications may be made online at: www.cao.ie
Further information about applying through the CAO as a mature student can be found www.
For information on Alternative Entry Routes go to: https://www.tcd.ie/study/apply/alternative-paths-to-trinity/
Places 2024: 72
Entry 2025
Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2025 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2025 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2025 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2025 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2025 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2025 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2025. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2025, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2025 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2025 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of
What is the study of Physics?
Did you ever wonder why your smart phone battery needs to be recharged? Or why planets and stars don’t crash into each other? From particles to planets, from crystals to chaos, from quanta to quasars and from superconductors to supernovae, physics can explain and answer many of our questions and curiosities.
Physical Sciences (TR063) at Trinity is a four year degree programme for students who like to solve problems. Whether it is studying galaxies, examining the potential of new lasers or investigating next generation nanomaterials, this degree pathway will prepare you for a lifelong career of solving problems in research, industry or business.
Why Physics at Trinity?
In the School of Physics our presence at the forefront of cutting-edge research allows us to contribute to ground- breaking advances relevant to society today. Our interdisciplinary approach to research requires national and global collaborations – an approach that influences our teaching and students' mindset. In your fourth year of this programme, you will develop specialist research knowledge by carrying out a Capstone research project in our state-of-the-art facilities or with one of our collaborators in Ireland or abroad (including US, UK, France, Germany, China and Australia).
As well as practical knowledge of the subject, our programme is designed to help you to develop many other transferable skills valued by both employers and the wider community. These range from critical thinking and problem-solving skills to understanding complex mathematical/physical behaviour. Every year, graduates from all our degree courses are drawn from a range of sectors of industry, business and society are invited back to share their experiences with our current students. Our student societies host a career fair for students so you can meet employers. The School of Physics annual Alumni Careers Networking evenings enable you to hear from a range of graduates what they are doing in their careers today.
Our physics degrees have been accredited by the Institute of Physics, the professional body for physicists in Ireland and the UK. This opens up a pathway to become a ‘Chartered Physicist’ (CPhys). Since 2017, Trinity is also a member of LERU, a League of European Research Universities in recognition of our outstanding education, research and innovation; something that you will experience first-hand in our physics programmes.
Structure of Physical Sciences (TR063) programme
First and second years
In first and second year, you will study foundation topics in physics including classical and quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, special relativity, and thermodynamics through our lectures, tutorials and computational and experimental laboratory classes. This will be hand-in-hand with the study of mathematics and your choice of open modules from other science subjects. These strong foundations in physics and mathematics will allow you to study more advanced topics in the physics, astrophysics and nanoscience degree programmes in later years.
Third and fourth years
In third and fourth year, all students study central topics such as quantum mechanics, statistical physics and condensed matter physics. In addition each student must opt to specialise in one of our three moderatorships:
Physics
Advanced topics include magnetism, semiconductor devices, materials and electronic structure, superconductivity, nanoscience, modern and non-linear optics, nuclear physics and structure, high energy physics and optional topics such as energy science, polymers, soft matter, and computer simulation and energy science.
Physics and Astrophysics
Specialised astrophysics topics include stellar and galactic structures, planetary and space science and cosmology together with nuclear physics and structure, and high energy physics.
Nanoscience
Advanced topics include nanoscience, condensed matter physics, specialist courses in thin films, polymers, soft matter, solid state chemistry, electrochemistry, photochemistry, all emphasising nanomaterials.
All have tailored practical courses developing appropriate laboratory, experimental, computational and analysis skills as well as participation in research-level final year Capstone projects carried out in a research laboratory in Trinity or in another university, research institute or astrophysical observatory (including US, UK, France, Germany, China and Australia).
E science@tcd.ie