About
The School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences is home to experts in chemistry, physics, astronomy, mathematics and statistics.
Excellent research and inspirational teaching provide our students with the skills and knowledge to support them in a wide range of careers.
Our research
Our research spans the length and breadth of mathematical and physical sciences and provides the basis for a substantial and varied portfolio of research grants, collaborations with industry, international academic collaborations, and research institution partnerships.
Chemistry research covers chemical biology, light-matter interactions and theory, polymers, materials and nanoscience, and supramolecular chemistry and catalysis. In the Research Excellence Framework 2021, 95 percent of our chemistry research was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent. Four Nobel Prize winning scientists have either worked in or studied chemistry at the University of Sheffield.
Physics and astronomy research explores the fundamental laws of the universe and develops pioneering technologies with real-world applications. Our researchers are looking beyond our planet to map out distant galaxies, tackling global challenges including energy security, and exploring the opportunities presented by quantum computing and 2D materials. We're ranked 1st in the UK for the quality of our physics and astronomy research, in the Research Excellence Framework 2021.
We're also home to experts in pure mathematics, applied mathematics, probability and statistics. Researchers bring new understanding to the foundations of mathematics, and develop applications of mathematics and statistics in a variety of fields such as biology, cosmology, environmental science and healthcare. In the Research Excellence Framework 2021, 96 percent of our mathematical sciences research was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent. Our impact submission was rated sixth nationally.
Study with us
We are training the next generation of mathematical and physical scientists through our range of undergraduate and masters degrees. We also recruit new PhD students to support research across our disciplines.
A number of our undergraduate courses are accredited, so that our students can graduate with all the skills they need for a career in mathematical and physical sciences. This includes our undergraduate chemistry courses accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry, our undergraduate physics and astronomy courses accredited by the Institute of Physics, and our specialist statistics courses accredited by the Royal Statistical Society.