Physics is the study of matter and motion, what the world is made of and how it works. Physicists study everything from the smallest particles to the structure of the universe. The core skills you learn, such as how to assemble data by experiment, study or calculation and how to draw conclusions from your observations, will prepare you for a range of careers or for further study and research. Astrophysics introduces you to the basics of physics and demonstrates how this knowledge can be applied to the physics of astronomy. Recent astronomical discoveries have made it an increasingly popular area of study. We have close links with the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, one of the UK's major centres of astronomical research.